2002 Cupertino Oktoberfest!
October 14, 2002

Cupertino's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and CARES teamed up last weekend (12, 13 Oct) to support Cupertino's Annual Oktoberfest held at Cupertino's Memorial Park.  Unlike past events, CERT and CARES were on the "front lines" and delivered First Aid services to event attendees.

Here's the report to the CERT and CARES volunteers from Al Tsugawa KG6NCC, the First Aid Station's organizer.

Hello First Aid Station Volunteers,

Thank you very much for your participation in staffing the First Aid Station at the Oktoberfest Fair in Cupertino, last Saturday and Sunday.  The Station was a success!!!  We treated six (6) patients on Saturday and seven (7) patients on Sunday.  Most injuries were abrasions and avulsions, with one bee sting on Saturday.

We had a brief scare on Saturday afternoon, when someone reported a lady laying on her back with her shoes off, and people walking around her.  The Rover team that was dispatched to find and aid the person could not locate the potential patient.

On Sunday, we had another scare in the form of a lost child.  Staffers from the Cupertino Rotary Information booth informed the First Aid Station that a seven (7) year old child was lost, and the grandparents were looking for him.  The child's description was conveyed to the roving teams by HT radio, and others were dispatched from the First Aid Station.  With 15 minutes, the child was found by one of our members.  Well done!!

We also had an unusual request on Sunday by a woman who came up to me at the First Aid Station, and asked whether we could mend a broken heart.  I let her cuddle with one of our Boo Hoo Cuddles Bear, and she left smiling!!

Thank you again to all of you for a job well done!!!  We'll do it again!!"

Al Tsugawa 
First Aid Station Coordinator

As Al earlier told Marsha Hovey KG6CYV, Cupertino's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, "I believe that staffing a First Aid Station for Cupertino Community events is an excellent practical use for the skills developed in the CERT and CARES training programs.  I had several individuals ask if we provided this service to other organizations and cities.  I said that we provide this service to all Cupertino Organizations free of charge, but were not prepared to offer this service to events outside of the City."

Great job, Al, to you and your team.  You may have shown us a new way for CERT and CARES to team up and get involved with the City.

Also, thanks to the CARES members who signed up for a shift.  We logged 40 hours of volunteer time with the city.  The following members participated in the event.

Phil KG6ATV

Phil K6FUZ

Gene KG6HIJ

Ron KG6MOY

Al KG6NCC

Dan  KA5TAA

Stuart  KF6RZR

Bill  KD6TQJ

Bob  KD6US

Bryn  N1UZW