Training for an emergency

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- Kim Curtis and Ulrika Phoenix were on a mission

Saturday morning.

Donning green vests, baseball caps and gloves, the women were getting

ready to “rescue” their “victim” trapped between cinder blocks.

Their victim, of course, was a fire hose dummy (a practice doll made

from fire hose), and they were walking around in a simulated disaster

area behind Fire Station 3 on Santa Barbara Drive.

But that did not remove the serious expression from the eager, excited

faces of Curtis, Phoenix and other participants of Newport Beach Fire

Department’s Community Emergency Response Training Program for people who

live or work in the city.

The Fire Department has four of these programs every year with each

lasting nine weeks. But this year, the demand has increased dramatically

because of the Sept. 11 attacks, said program coordinator Donna Boston.

“We have about 400 people on the waiting list now,” she said. “I

think, after Sept. 11, people just feel the need to be prepared and get

involved in their community.”

Saturday’s exercise was what constituted the culmination of the

nine-week program. The class was entirely devoted to hands-on training.

As one group was putting out fires under the supervision of their

instructors, another group was rescuing the “injured” -- volunteers who

had make-up on to simulate head injuries, bruises or burns.

“They try and make this thing real for us,” said Michelle Murray.

“It’s all simulated, but still scary. That way we can react well to a

real situation when that happens.”

Phoenix said she is looking at firefighters and police officers

“differently” after the Sept. 11 attacks.

“I feel so much admiration for them,” she said. “And I want to be part

of that and feel confident of what I am doing in a disaster situation.”

This is Phoenix and Murray’s first time taking the class, but several

are repeat participants who come every now and then to refresh their

memory and get more practice.

Kim Curtis is one of them, and she says rescue missions are no easy

jobs.

“Nothing I’ve learned so far in this program has been easy,” she said.

“But this is something everybody should know and be a part of.”

-- Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached

at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .