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City of Calabasas better prepared for emergencies than most communities
Since the tragedies of Sept. 11, President George W. Bush has told Americans repeatedly to get ready for emergencies. The city of Calabasas seems better prepared than most. About seven years ago following the Northridge quake, Calabasas residents Dr. Arnold Bresky, (a former obstetrician for 30 years and now engaged in programs to help senior citizens) and Addie Winter instituted a project to assist injured residents in the event of catastrophe. They also included arrangements for removal of bodies. Bresky designed and stocked medical caches (storage sheds filled with supplies and instruments needed by healthcare personnel) to serve as emergency rooms. "The city of Calabasas answered the president’s call seven years ago," Bresky said. Five medical caches have been placed throughout the city, including locations at Calabasas High School, Calabasas Hills Park, De Anza Park, the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center and Grape Arbor Park. Almost 200 volunteers make up this growing program called Calabasas Emergency Response Program (CERP). Other cities and communities have similar teams, but CERP might be the best. "It’s quite a big program," Winter said. The city has been split up into eight sections with designated volunteers. Each block also has its own captain to help keep people organized, calm and orderly during a potential panic. Each medical cache will include about 20 volunteers to assist. Volunteers who head up the medical caches are mostly retired doctors and nurses, Bresky said. These caches, he said, aren’t first aid stations, but full-functioning emergency rooms equipped to treat broken bones, major wounds, breathing disorders, hemorrhaging and more. "It’s like the mobile hospitals in the army," Bresky said, complete with body bags and generators. Bresky got the idea of the medical caches from the Viet Nam War where he worked as a physician in a MASH unit or mobile hospital unit. "If all the freeways were down and the hospitals were not functioning," Bresky said, "we could not help each other if we didn’t have equipment." With the number of doctors and nurses in Calabasas, Bresky knew he could create his own MASH unit. And he did. In 1994, Bresky approached the Calabasas City Council with the idea of the medical caches and asked for $15,000 to create them. Officials said they would put up half of the money if Bresky and members of CERP could come up with the other half. CERP members went to the residents of Calabasas and asked for five-dollar donations. They got the money they needed from both the people and the city. "The idea is so unique," Bresky said, "that FEMA just gave us $10,000 to put more medicines and things into the boxes." Fans were installed to keep the caches ventilated and each month, Bresky said, he and others check the sheds and make sure they’re stocked with fresh medicaments. CERP continues to grow. After President Bush’s several speeches about pitching in to help across America, many other doctors, according to Bresky, enrolled as CERP volunteers. On hand to assist are surgeons, psychologists, pediatricians, internal medicine specialists and a dentist. And CERP gives first aid training to volunteers who aren’t doctors or nurses. Also on hand is a separate unit in communications with HAM radios in the event phone lines are down. "So we are prepared, if there’s an earthquake five minutes from now, because the citizens will help each other," Bresky said. The city of Los Angeles, Winter said, gave CERP an award for its unique program. The Calabasas Rotary Club similarly awarded CERP for their interest in the community. CERP meets the third Monday of each month. For those interested in learning more or volunteering, call (818) 878-4242, ext. 256. |
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