A Disaster Preparedness Preview
By Tracy Rolling

San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, microphone in hand, introduces the 12-person panel at the Ramona Disaster Preparedness Summit. Photos by Tracy Rolling

"Preparedness starts with you," was the general message at the Disaster Preparedness Summit held the last Wednesday of May at the Ramona Community Center.

Approximately 60 people attended the summit, hosted in part by Committee for a Better Ramona, Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Ramona Community Planning Group and Ramona Municipal Water District.

Event organizer Kristi Mansolf kicked off the meeting by saying, "The time to prepare is now."

She added, "People need to know what to expect during a disaster in order to make an informed decision - which is why it's essential to have a plan."

Echoing Mansolf's sentiments was San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

Jacob served as moderator for the 12-member panel assembled from local law and fire enforcement departments, as well as the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services (OES), Animal Services, California Highway Patrol and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members.

Joe Zenovic, of Committee for a Better Ramona, shakes hands with Supervisor Dianne Jacob at the conclusion of the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss roles and responsibilities of first responders during a major disaster. One-by-one, each public official reflected on elements learned during the 2007 Witch Creek and 2003 Cedar fires.

Captain Cary Coleman of Intermountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department said, "As we look for ways to improve evacuation routes, we need to maximize our local resources, such as well water, and invest more time in fire prevention."

By that, Coleman was referring to the recommended 100-feet of defensible space, urging homeowners to evaluate their landscape conditions and remove, reduce and replace any hazardous vegetation.

Ramona Sheriff Lieutenant Duncan Fraser said, "New to Ramona is a command vehicle that can act as a mobile command center in the event of a disaster."

From left are Lieutenant Laura Wood of the San Diego County Department of Animal Services and Captain D.J. Grove of San Diego Humane Society.

He also pointed out that evacuation shelters are established based on the nature and location of any given disaster.

Ron Lane, Director of the San Diego County OES, illustrated the agency's ability to coordinate with more than 65 other agencies during six different incidents. The OES was responsible for evacuating three hospitals and 515,000 people countywide during the October 2007 wildfires.

Lane emphasized that homeowners need to have a plan.

Agency after agency pledged to make improvements, invited the public to contact them and answered challenging questions posed by members of the audience.

One question regarded congestion in and out of Ramona.

Supervisor Jacob responded by saying there are projects in the works, but they require time and money and have to be approved by the voters.

There were discussions about large and small animals, how they are kept and cared for during an evacuation and the basic dos and don'ts.

Captain D.J. Grove of the San Diego Humane Society said, "Don't turn your animals loose. Avoid vinyl fencing because it melts. Microchip your pet for permanent identification and, if you have to leave any animals, leave enough food and water for at least 48 hours."

Grove recommended having a plan and evacuating earlier rather than later.

In terms of quickly mobilizing out-of-area responders, "Progress has been made," said Kevin O'Leary, Division Chief for Cal Fire.

A new binder has been created to communicate some of the challenges confronted by the unique Ramona region. The binder includes area maps and outlines of communities and subdivisions.

Jacob said the county has invested 120 million dollars to improve communications and fire fighting forces. The panel unanimously agreed it's not if, but rather when, the next disaster will strike.

CERT volunteers Brad Fisher and Don Scott advised residents, "Don't wait for the call - be prepared and be proactive."

As part of a nationwide program under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), CERT teaches citizens basic disaster and first aid training so that local residents can respond quickly and often help the weakest citizens in the community.

The question and answer period was extend by an hour to make sure each public concern was addressed. The last question of the evening was posed to water district directors, asking about the current condition of the Poway pumping station.

Board Official Robert Krysak acknowledged that the district is still working to establish a backup power source and 24-hour access to the pump in question.

For information on disaster preparedness, visit www.sd county.ca.gov/oes/index.html. For information on creating defensible fire space, visit www.fire.ca.gov/index.php. And for information on personal pet plans, visit www.sddac.com/.