My Green Sonoma

Last night Paul Hess from the City of Santa Rosa, made a presentation to my neighborhood regarding the importance of being prepared in the event of a disaster.

Using this week’s fires in Southern California that have displaced more than 1 million people, and our own local disasters of fire, earthquakes, floods and landslides, Paul reminded us that in the event of a disaster we need to be ready as individuals and as a community to survive for a period of time on our own. For example:

· it may take our emergency crews a minimum period of 3 days to be able to reach and assist us

· phones, lights, water and power for an extended period of time

· at minimum we will need to rely on ourselves to plan ahead a know our evacuation routes, have and adequate supply of water on hand and our “Go Kits” ready,

· as a community we are all better off if we know the specialized skills and needs of our neighbors, particularly those that may need special assistance in the event of an emergency.

This weeks fires in Southern California serve as a wake up call to many that we need to be prepared for emergencies as individuals and communities.  I'm proud to say that, once again, Sonoma County is setting an example for the rest of the nation ... this time its as a community involved in emergency preparedness. 

Sponsored and managed by the City of Santa Rosa, The Santa Rosa COPE (Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies) program makes is easy for communities to get together and become prepared.  Their website has a wealth of information to assist you in organizing a COPE program in your community.

Paul Hess, City of Santa Rosa Emergency Preparedness Coordinator is a valuable resource for ideas and information to get started.  Go to http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/default.aspx?PageId=2409 for information about how you can be proactive and prepared for emergencies in your neighborhood.

Thank you Paul for your commitment and leadership in this important endeavor.