[CTSARA] Fwd: CTSARA Digest, Vol 76, Issue 15

[Jon Perelstein]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jon Perelstein <jon.perelstein at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: [CTSARA] CTSARA Digest, Vol 76, Issue 15
To: Mike Mardis <mikejmardis at aol.com>


Hey Mike

Those golf carts and flashy lights belong to Stamford EMS and Stamford Fire
and Rescue, not CERT.  Those are the golf carts and flashy lights that SEMS
and SFRD brought to the drill.  The same golf carts and flashy lights that
SEMS and SFRD use for extractions of this sort.  The same golf carts and
flashy lights that SEMS and SFRD used last month when someone had to be
extracted for real in Mianus River Park.  I apologize for allowing SEMS and
SFRD to follow their standard policies and procedures and use their
standard equipment.

That's a SEMS Captain directing the operation and teaching our people how
to control the sledge.  It was his decision to put a training dummy in the
sledge rather than a live human.  Not a bad decision given that the people
working the sledge had never before had any previous training/experience in
working the sledge.  I apologize for allowing SEMS to make a decision
involving safety of human life.

The decision for SEMS/SFRD to bring out the victim rather than CERT is
SEMS/SFRD policy.    I apologize for allowing SEMS and SFRD to follow their
standard policy.

As a matter of fact, yes we have had training in land navigation.  Since
the conditions of the drill was an unconscious victim who could not be
reached by cell phone and could not be triangulated from his cell phone, we
found him with a skirmish line search, with each team taking an area of the
park formed by the natural terrain of the park -- exactly what we were
taught to do by an SFRD captain.  I apologize for allowing us to have an
SFRD captain teach us.

I'm not sure about what you mean when you say "where was the emphasis on
comms".  We critiqued the comms after the drill and we'll critique them in
detail again at our next meeting.  I apologize that that our people (most
of whom who never in their lives touched a radio until a few months ago)
are not yet perfect on their comms.  I especially apologize that our
people (most of whom who never in their lives touched a radio until a few
months ago) are not yet perfect on their comms protocols, and I apologize
for the fact that Stamford didn't discuss their comms protocols with us
until about 15 hours ago.

So what exactly is your problem?

First you attacked CERT because we want to have our new hams get more
experience with their equipment by conducting a regular net.  Wow, having
people get experience with their equipment - what a horrible thing to do.

Then you attacked our training without knowing the first damned thing about
what training we've had, what training the Feds mandate, or what training
the City has or has not provided/directed us to have.

Now you're attacking us because SEMS/SFRD conducted the loading and
extraction of the victim according to their policies and procedures using
their equipment.

Clearly you don't like the guy who shot the video.  Sorry, not my problem.
 Not Stamford CERT's problem.  Also not the problem of Wilton CERT or New
Canaan CERT or Westport CERT or any other CERT in the area.  Whatever
problems you have with him are between you and him.

If you wanted a discussion, then you would have had a discussion.  You
would have asked questions, maybe offered suggestions and not just snarky
comments about flashy lights and golf carts or generic assaults on training
without knowing anything about our training (good or bad).

You've had your opportunity for discussion and didn't take it.  I'm done.
 Buh bye.

Jon