CERT-LA News

LAFD CERT2019-12-30T12:20:07-08:00

April 2019 – LAFD CERT Spotlight-Carolyn Burleson

The Los Angeles Fire Department CERT Program is proud to introduce this month’s Spotlight LAFD Central CERT Bureau Coordinator, Dr. Carolyn O Burleson.

Dr. Carolyn O Burleson hails from the East Coast where she was employed as an English Teacher in the Philadelphia School District and Director of their Intercultural Learning Project. She moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and worked with Los Angeles Unified School District as a Language Development Specialist, Digital High School Technology Coordinator and Advisor with the LAUSD Intern Program. She retired in 2005 after 40 years as an Educator teaching students and training teachers.

Carolyn’s move to LosAngeles was immediately met with a frightening welcome, as she experienced first hand the awesome force and devastating aftermath of 1987’s Whittier Narrows Earthquake that struck just a little after 7:30 in […]

By |April 9th, 2019|LAFD CERT, LAFD CERT Spotlight|Comments Off on April 2019 – LAFD CERT Spotlight-Carolyn Burleson

March 2019-LAFD CERT Spotlight-Janet Gibson

The Los Angeles Fire Department CERT Program is proud to introduce LAFD CERT Spotlight Janet Gibson. Janet is no stranger to helping those in need. Janet and her husband Tony, are investment adviser representatives and have assisted others understanding how to handle and understand personal finances for the past 25 years. Janet’s advisement specialty, Behavioral Finance.

Janet has proven to successfully excel her client’s abilities in coaching them in creating the right habits and mindset, to empower them financially. Janet believes that what really makes her profession so rewarding is witnessing the accomplishments of her clients reaching their goals. Janet has always enjoyed the outdoors and tends to not limit herself, such as when she backpacked throughout the Sierras. Mt. Ranier has been checked off her list and if that wasn’t enough, made an attempt on rock climbing Mt. Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas. Janet has always enjoyed […]

By |March 14th, 2019|LAFD CERT, LAFD CERT Spotlight|Comments Off on March 2019-LAFD CERT Spotlight-Janet Gibson

LAFD CERT Earthquake Drill in Sylmar

Widespread Structural Damage, Multiple Patients, Landslides, and Residents trapped or missing are just a few of the many challenges CERT Members faced during The Oakridge Community CERT Earthquake Exercise held March 9th, 2019.

Just over 120 CERT volunteers proudly representing Cities surrounding the Los Angeles area, with some as far as Arizona, converged on the Sylmar area of the San Fernando Valley joining LAFD CERT Members in putting their training to the test. Residents of the Oakridge Mobile Home Community simulating victims and nearby spectators attracted by the curiosity of an LAFD Helicopter overhead, experienced first hand the critical life saving skills CERT Training provides during this large scale simulation, before it’s really needed. Over a 4 hour span, CERT members performed operations consisting of Search and Rescue, Patient Triage, Disaster Medical Treatment, Communications, and Damage Assessments. Utilizing their CERT training, these dedicated volunteers successfully extracted simulated trapped victims, employing effective […]

By |March 13th, 2019|CERT Drills, CERT LA News, LAFD CERT|Comments Off on LAFD CERT Earthquake Drill in Sylmar

Feb. 2019 – LAFD CERT Spotlight – John Gilbert

The Los Angeles Fire Department CERT Program is proud to introduce LAFD CERT Spotlight John Gilbert.

John is an award winning film editor with nearly 30 years of experience working for major Hollywood studios such as Universal, Paramount and Sony. John’s career spans both theatrical films and television projects. Some of his film projects include American Pie, Atlas Shrugged and The Scorpion King. John’s work in television includes Hawaii Five-0,Teen Wolf and VIP for which he won an Emmy© award. John is a current member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and served on the Board of Directors from 2002-2007. He is also a member of the American Cinema Editors, a highly esteemed organization for accomplished film industry editors. John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Electronic Arts from California State University, Long Beach. John is an avid distance runner, having successfully completed 10 Los Angeles Marathons and a frequent tournament golfer.

Outside […]

By |February 20th, 2019|LAFD CERT, LAFD CERT Spotlight|Comments Off on Feb. 2019 – LAFD CERT Spotlight – John Gilbert

LAFD CERT 2018 Year-End Review

First, apologies if your event/refresher-training/call-out is not on the slider! There was A LOT going on in 2018! Just the Woolsey Fire was enough to take your breath away. The LAFD CERTs were much in demand, not only working on the call-outs, but refreshing their skills with frequent training exercises. Our Bureau Coordinators were stellar and we thank them:
Christy Adair, OVB
Carolyn Burleson, OCB
Chin Thammasaengsri, OSB
Carl Ginsberg, OWB
plus the Battalion Coordinators that gave up so much of their personal time to work on trainings, call-outs and their monthly LAFD CERT meetings! We thank them all! We said good-bye to CERT Unit Captain Christopher Winn but welcomed our new Captain Cody Weireter. We thank our hard working Commanders, Captains John Ignatczyk and Cody Weireter!

Don’t forget to view our past posts from just a few of our 2018 events:

By |December 21st, 2018|CERT Call-out, CERT Drills, CERT LA News, LAFD CERT|Comments Off on LAFD CERT 2018 Year-End Review

Woolsey & Griffth Park Fire, LAFD CERT Unit, November 2018

November 15, 2018
For the past week the LAFD CERT Unit has been deployed throughout the city of Los Angeles. These LAFD CERT Teams have conducted fire patrols during the Red Flag conditions in the Los Angeles Fire Department Battalions prone to wildfire. Firefighter Rehab/Hydration requests for incidents such as the Woolsey fire & the Griffith Park fire. LAFD CERT worked together with Los Angeles Fire Department Crew 3 in the movement of much needed Firefighter Hydration and Rehab supplies. The LAFD CERT Unit also assisted with the critical mission of assisting West Hills residents with information while evacuations were lifted.

Thank-you Los Angeles for the generous donations and the continual support through the LAFD Foundation! (Please click if you wish to donate to the LAFD Foundation – then click either SUPPORT or GIVE. If you wish to donate to the LAFD CERT Unit to help with emergency […]

By |November 17th, 2018|CERT Call-out, Wildfires, Woolsey Fire|Comments Off on Woolsey & Griffth Park Fire, LAFD CERT Unit, November 2018
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