Eastern Madera County

Emergency Preparedness Committee

Sierra Ambulance Training Headquarters – Oakhurst, Ca

Present:  Dave Wolin, Jerry Thompson, Dick Rekart, Stu Tanner, Shirley Finneman, PJ Grant, Sharon Martinez, Paul Calkins, Ed Guzman, Barry Thorn, Roger Simms, Janet Stanovich

Meeting called to order:  0730 hrs by Dave Wolin  

Minutes:  May 2005 minutes were read and approved (moved by D. Wolin, seconded by E. Guzman). 

Introductions:   Ed Guzman introduced guest speaker, Chuck Heinbach, with the Fire Safe Council; and announced that any discussion of Old/New Business and Round Table would be conducted after the guest speaker’s presentation.  

Chuck Heinbach, retired CDF as Division Chief, is now working with the Fire Safe Council’s Risk Assessment Board in Madera County.  He spoke to the Emergency Preparedness Committee about the Madera County wildfire study areas – State Responsibility Areas (SRA); dealing strictly with wildfire protection and what is the wildfire mitigation plan.  Several diverse agencies/stakeholders for Madera County will participate on the Corps Committee who will approve, finalize, and adopt this plan. 

At this time it is in the developing stages.  A main concern is how they will disseminate information to the public:  outreach, educational, and self-awareness programs are being looked at as a way of alerting the population that they must become responsible for their own homes (self-reliance).  

Hierarchy of risk:  Goals – identify a Corp Committee to implement – and developing a community at risk.  The question they ask:  “What will it take to make this area fire safe?”  

Discussions:  Old/New Business and Round Table-  

Barry Thorn (OES) – Reported about Peddler’s Fair – brochures were handed out to the public about the Community Response Team – there were approximately 35 people who had sign-up.  Acknowledgment and thanks was given to those committee members staffing the booth:  Shirley, Stu, Dave, Janet, Jerry, and Barry.   Barry has appointed Janet to coordinate the Community Response Team’s participation at the Oakhurst Health Fair/ Emergency Preparedness Volunteer Expo in September (18^th).

Dick Rekert (RACES) – June 25 and 26, 2005 Amateur Radio Field Day Exercises in Emergencies.  It will be held at Yosemite High School – 24 hours – beginning 1100 hrs 6/25/05 and ending at 1100 hrs 6/26/05.  There will be a dinner hour at about 1630 hrs on Saturday, 06/25/05.

Sharon Martinez (American Red Cross) -  reported on 5 trailers – costing approximately $5000.00 each.  These trailers could assist in sheltering 1000 people.  It would be available for an organization/business to consider becoming a sponsor for these trailers.

Shirley Finneman (Public Health) – There will be a shelter operations training scheduled in the near future for mass immunization.  Also, the brochure for the Community Response Team turned out very well.

Next meeting scheduled:  Thursday, July 14, 2005 at 0730 hrs – Sierra Ambulance Training Headquarters, Oakhurst.

Adjourned:   0850 hrs

Respectfully submitted,

Janet Stanovich

EMCEPC/EMCEPCRT

See Photos From This Meeting Here