Community Emergency Response Team
Sponsored By Resort Improvement District #1 and Shelter Cove Fire Dept.
The Shelter Cove Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) is dedicated to using the volunteers and resources at our disposal to promote community awareness of disaster preparedness through citizen training and to aid first responders in the event of an emergency or disaster.
The Shelter Cove Community Emergency Response Team Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, C.E.R.T. members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. C.E.R.T. members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
The Team welcomes all new volunteers
We have three emergency/disaster scenarios to prepare for in Shelter Cove:
1. Wildfires
2. Earthquakes and
3. Tsunamis.
Some of the “Preparedness” tips hold true regardless of the situation, so let’s look at them first!
Whether the situation requires “Sheltering in Place” or “Evacuation,” it is a good idea to have your Survival Kits (Go Bags) ready at all times and stored in a safe location, preferably near your front door. In urban areas, citizens are advised to be prepared to survive on their own for three days to one week. In remote areas like Shelter Cove, it is advisable to be prepared to survive for one to two weeks, depending on the situation.
What, you might ask, should I put in my Survival Kit? Here is a list based on information provided by the California Office of Emergency Services – remember City Folks need a three-day supply where we might be on our own for one to two weeks or longer! (www.ready.gov is also a great source of preparedness information) See below for the recommended emergency supplies to be kept on hand in case of an emergency situation.
Where, in Shelter Cove, would you go in the event of an evacuation order or natural disaster? We have four Red Cross Certified Shelters:
1. Fire Station -- This Shelter is well above the Tsunami Zone.
2. The Community Clubhouse/Runway -- This Shelter is in the Tsunami Zone but is a Fire Evacuation option.
3. Shelter Cove Chapel By the Sea (83 Lower Pacific Dr.) -- In the Tsunami Zone and serves as an alternate to the Community Clubhouse.
4. The Tea Room (1176 Lower Pacific Dr.) -- In Tsunami Zone and serves as second alternate to the Community Clubhouse.
Wildfire Preparedness:
The following information is from California Office of Emergency Services Web Site www.calema.ca.gov
The “Official” rule of thumb is to have 100 feet of Defensible Space. Here in Shelter Cove, most of our homes are built on 50 foot wide lots; so we must use common sense and do the best we can to keep the space around our homes as clear as possible.
Defensible Space: You Can Do It (Information from the Firesafe Council)
- Remove all flammable vegetation around all structures. State law requires a minimum of 100 feet of clearance, but check with your insurance agent to see if your carrier requires more. For more information about state law, contact your local fire department.
- Trim trees so branches are six feet from the ground and 10 feet from your chimney. Remove branches overhanging your roof. Thin trees to reduce fuel loads. Trees should be thinned out so branches are not touching each other.
- Call your the RID at 707-986-7447 for help with trees near power lines. Never trim these yourself.
- Remove any dead trees.
- Cut weeds and dead grasses six inches or shorter.
- Always work early in the morning and make sure your power tools have spark arresters to prevent equipment-caused fires.
- Ask your local nursery about landscaping with beautiful, fire-resistant plants.
- Maintain defensible space by cleaning up plant litter and watering properly.
- In the event of an Evacuation Order, residents of Shelter Cove will have approximately 30 minutes to leave the area. After that time, Shelter Cove Road will become a one-way road into The Cove for firefighters and equipment. The Resort Improvement District, Shelter Cove Volunteer Fire Department and the Shelter Cove C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Team) will be working with the community and outside agencies to keep citizens up-to-date on the status of wildfires in our area.
Earthquake/Tsunami Preparedness:
“Living on Shaky Ground” (see www.humboldt.edu/shakyground) is a wonderful publication on “How to Survive Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Northern California.” Here are four other websites with exceptionally good earthquake and tsunami disaster preparedness information:
· CalEMA My Hazards: www.myhazards.calema.ca.gov
· Great California ShakeOut: www.shakeout.org
· U.S. Geological Survey: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/preparedness.php
· California Geological Survey: http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs
WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY WHEN SHAKING BEGINS
- DROP down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary.
- COVER your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, only then should you get down near an interior wall, and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
- HOLD ON to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.
(Learn more about Drop, Cover, Hold On from http://earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/ )
Tsunami Tips: Feeling ground shaking that lasts a long time may be the only warning that a tsunami is on its way.
Do not wait for an official warning!!!
EVACUATE IF YOU ARE IN A TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE
Again, feeling ground shaking that lasts a long time may be the only warning that a tsunami is on its way. In Step 1 (from “Living on Shaky Ground”) you identified hazard areas and evacuation routes. Grab your “grab and go” kit and immediately head to a safe area.
Do not wait for an official warning
Once you are in a safe area, CHECK FOR INJURIES AND DAMAGE