Newsletter 2017 – April – June

Notes from Bob

Oh my, what a winter! Record rainfall, most of which came in January, was certainly welcome after the long dry spell the central coast has experienced. It was very busy on many fronts and we got a lot accomplished on the Estero Bay CERT front:

• We graduated some 45 new CERT students in our January class, 34 from Estero Bay and 11 from Cambria. We had a well attended regular CERT meeting on February 21 regarding evacuation planning.
• Working with Cambria CERT we staffed a booth at this the Disaster Preparedness Expo at the Madonna Inn on Saturday, March 11th.
• We had a great showing from a number of Estero CERT volunteers who along with the Cambria CERT folks put a CERT trailer on display and gathered interest/contact information from about 30 people.
• The following Saturday, March 18th a work party of 7 members retrofitted and equipped a “new” CERT trailer for the community of Morro Bay.  Morro Bay Fire had a surplus cargo trailer which they have allowed us to use.
• The MBFD Chief purchased new tires, wheels, signs/graphics, and a Honda generator with funds approved by the City Council (About $3,100).  The Friends of the Morro Bay Fire Department matched that amount, paying for all the equipment/inventory.
• While the trailer still needs some work, it is now in-service at Fire Station # 2, 460 Bonita, in North Morro Bay. Now all three Estero Bay communities, Los Osos, Cayucos, and Morro Bay, are served by well equipped CERT trailers.

Please note that we planned offering our next CERT class May 1, 3, 8, 10, & 15 at MBFD 715 Harbor, 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. It has been rescheduled. We will keep you posted.
Our next regularly scheduled meeting, which was set for April 18 must be canceled and moved to April 25th at MBFD.  Details to follow as we are still working on the agenda; however I am certain that a component will be showing off the new Morro Bay trailer.
With the arrival of spring a few things come to mind. I hope as you changed your clocks you took a moment to think about your smoke detectors. Do the batteries need changing? If this is a problem for you I know of a few young fire-fighters that are more than willing to help you out.
While the rain was a blessing….. I am certain that unless you are a grass grazing critter the weeds are not!
If you live in an area where wild fire is a threat the current grass crop is most concerning. Be certain to get after your weed abatement promptly. It is only a matter of a few warm and windy days before all that lush grass becomes a significant fuel load for those of you living in the wildland urban interface areas.
In closing, thanks again to the Friends of the Morro Bay Fire Department for funding the equipment and inventory for the new Morro Bay CERT trailer. Also, give a huge shout-out of thanks to all the volunteers who staffed the Expo booth and helped with the trailer project.
I am off for a few days, in search of some warm clear ocean water, sand, and umbrella drinks! Upon my return I will distribute the new ID cards and CERT gear bags that should be in by my return.

Be safe – Bob

911 Cellphone Service

On March 7, Verizon wireless customers received an emergency alert stating that 911 was unavailable on their cell phones. If there was an emergency, customers were to call the service directly.
Listed below is a list of phone numbers for emergency services in SLO County. It is a good idea to have these numbers in your contacts.

Smart Phone Disaster Apps

Emergency!
Or TEXT:  “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999
This all-inclusive app lets you monitor more than 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts, to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Disponible en español.

Toronado
Or TEXT:  “GETNADO” to 90999
Receive weather alerts whenever the NOAA issues a tornado watch or warning for your community – or any location where you have loved ones. Disponible en español

Hurricane
Or TEXT:  “GET-CANE” to 90999
Monitor hurricane conditions in your local area, throughout the storm track, and let others know you are safe even if the power is out. Disponible en español

Earthquake
Or TEXT: “GETQUAKE” to 90999
Receive notification when an earthquake occurs, find help and let others know you’re safe even if the power is out. Disponible en español.

Fire
Get preparation tips, news and updates on active wildfires. Plus, let loved ones know you’re safe even if the power is out. Disponible en español

Flood
Or TEXT: “GETFLOOD” to 90999
Learn and prepare your family and friends for flooding, evacuation and a safe return home. Disponible en español.

Tools and preparedness information for every day!

First Aid
Or TEXT: “GETFIRST” to 90999
Get instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies. Disponible en español.

Pet First Aid
Or TEXT: “GETPET” to 90999
Be prepared to help your teathered and furry friends with veterinary advice for everyday emergencies.

Blood
Or text: “BLOODAPP” to 90999
Schedule blood donation appointments, track total donations and earn rewards as you help us meet the constant need for blood.

Hero Care
Or TEXT: “GETHEROCARE” to 90999
Whether you’re the parent of a child joining the military or a member of the military/veteran communities, Hero Care will connect you to important resources that can help you through both emergency and nonemergency situations.

Swim
Or TEXT: “SWIM” to 90999
Learn to help keep your loved ones safe in & around water with drowning prevention & emergency response information. Includes educational games and videos for kids plus a swim lesson progress tracker.

Monster Guard
Or text: “MONSTER” to 90999
For kids aged 7-11. This app teaches preparedness for real-life emergencies at home with the help of Maya, Chad, Olivia and all the monsters.

Newsletter you can download: CERTNewsletterAprJun2017

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