All Hazards

  In this episode (#97) we talk with Cal OES Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Marshall. With an impressive 30 plus year background in emergency management, Chief Marshall has been serving with Cal OES since 2019. With California heading into its peak fire season, our discussion with Chief Marshall couldn't have come at a more relevant time. He provided us with valuable insights into how Cal OES is meticulously preparing to ensure a safe and secure fire season for everyone in the state. The episode takes you on a journey through Chief Marshall's remarkable career, which had its origins in Kern County. Over the course of 30 plus years in emergency management, he has gathered invaluable experience that led him to Cal OES. Since taking up his role in 2019, Chief Marshall has been entrusted with overseeing the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System. This critical system involves the strategic deployment of a vast fleet of over 270 fire engines across more than 60 local government partners, ready to respond to all-hazard events statewide. During an incident, when local government fire agencies reach capacity, the mutual aid system brings in additional resources to help respond and keep communities safe. LINKS Cal OES Fire and Rescue Cal OES Fire Operations Cal OES Firescope FIRIS

This episode (#96) of All Hazards gives us a view of Cal OES's mission through a legal lens. We sit down with Cal OES Chief Counsel Jennifer Bollinger. She covers everything from how she became an attorney, and how she came to Cal OES and why she's here for the long term. Daily life as a lawyer for state government is one thing - life at Cal OES is another; it's fast paced, exciting and very challenging. Jennifer goes over all of it, from the time she joined the agency as a staff attorney to now as chief counsel.   Fun fact - Jennifer has a weight bench in her office!   Jennifer L. Bollinger, 40, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Bollinger has been Chief Counsel at the Department of General Services since 2020. Bollinger was Assistant Chief Counsel at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services from 2018 to 2020. She was Board Counsel at the California Fire and Rescue Training Authority from 2016 to 2019. Bollinger held several positions at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services from 2017 to 2018, including Acting Assistant Chief Counsel, Senior Counsel and Acting Contracts and Procurement Division Chief. She was a Financial Services and Business Litigation Attorney at LeClairRyan from 2015 to 2016. Bollinger was an Attorney at the California Public Employees' Retirement System from 2013 to 2015 and at the California State Teachers' Retirement System from 2010 to 2013. Bollinger held several positions at Porter Scott Attorneys from 2008 to 2010, including Litigation Associate and Legal Intern. Bollinger earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Links JC-319482 - Senior Counsel  ATTORNEY III Final Filing Date: 8/25/2022 https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=319482 Cal OES Legal Affairs Podcast #71: Cal OES Legal Chief Alex Pal Sets High Bar to Help Ensure a Resilient California  

This episode (#95) takes us to Greenville, California, where efforts to recover from the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires are accelerating as the finish lines comes into view. We talk with Cole Glenwright, Cal OES Recovery Operations Section Chief, who gives us some hopeful news about the final stretch in the marathon that is recovery in Plumas and Lassen Counties.  The Dixie Fire erupted near Dixie Road in Butte County. It grew to an enormous wildfire that also burned in Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, and Tehama Counties, The fire began in the Feather River Canyon near Cresta Dam on July 13, 2021, and burned 963,309 acres before being 100% contained on October 25, 2021. It was the largest single (i.e. non-complex) wildfire in California history, and the second-largest wildfire overall (after the August Complex fire of 2020.) Links Plumas County Wildfire Recovery  CalRecycle  Team Rubicon  Sierra Institute California Conservation Corps   

  In this episode (#97) we talk with the new Cal OES Law Branch chief Donald O'Keefe. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed O'Keefe in December 2021, building on a distinguished career in law enforcement at both the local and federal level.   In 2012, O'Keefe was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the United States Marshal for the Northern District of California. In this capacity, O'Keefe has been responsible for the management, administration, and direction of U.S. Marshal Service Operations throughout the Northern District of California. His overall responsibilities have included protecting the United States courts and judiciary, criminal investigations, fugitive enforcement, executions of federal court orders, and other law enforcement activities.   Prior to his appointment with the U.S. Marshals Service, O'Keefe served for more than three years as the Police Chief for the city of Half Moon Bay and also spent 27 years with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.   Chief O'Keefe replaces outgoing Chief of Law Enforcement Mark Pazin who is retiring. Chief Pazin has worked for Cal OES since 2013 where he has been instrumental in revamping and building an outstanding professional, multi-faceted law enforcement team.   Links Cal OES Law Enforcement U.S. Marshals Services, Northern District of California Half Moon Bay Law Enforcement San Mateo County Sheriff's Office  

California experiences numerous unique disasters that first responders and emergency managers must be ready to respond to at any moment. Training is a critical part of that process in which the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) builds confidence in their ability to respond to whatever comes their way.   Over the last 50 years CSTI has trained thousands of emergency responders not only in California but nationwide.    In this episode (#92), we sit down with CSTI Superintendent Alex Cabassa and Dr. Lawrence Heiskell, provider for CSTI's tactical medicine training. We discuss all things CSTI and hear real examples of how this training literally saved lives.   Resources: CSTI Tactical Medicine Course Cal OES News  

La Oficina de Servicios de Emergencia, o Cal OES por sus siglas en inglés, ha implementado cambios en la tecnología, transformando el sistema 9-1-1 de análogo a digital, y permitiendo con ello, un mejor proceso de comunicación y asistencia a emergencias. Y aunque el cambio no será identificado por el público en general, la diferencia será enorme para todos los elementos que diariamente trabajan en pro de resguardar el orden y la seguridad de la comunidad. En el departamento de policía de Roseville, platicamos con el oficial Carlos Cortés quien se emociona con esta evolución de la tecnología, ya que con más de 25 años al servicio de los residentes de California, primero como bombero y posteriormente como policía, reconoce las grandes ventajas que el cambio conlleva. La canalización de cada una de las llamadas de emergencia sin importar la ubicación de las víctimas es clave para llegar lo más pronto posible al lugar de los hechos, una situación que años atrás representaba todo un reto, ya que no existían los teléfonos inteligentes, ni los sistemas de ubicación global (GPS) y las herramientas existentes eran tan solo mapas y una hoja de papel la información más básica impresa. El sistema de llamadas 9-1-1 se convirtió en la plataforma más segura para ayudar a los afectados por una desgracia y la nueva generación ha dimensionado los alcances de dicha ayuda. LINKS: 9-1-1 Nueva Generacion        

  This episode (#90) brings us up to speed on Next Generation 911 in California.  911.gov explains: “Because most 911 systems were originally built using analog rather than digital technologies, public safety answering points (PSAPs) across the country need to be upgraded to a digital or Internet Protocol (IP)-based 911 system, commonly referred to as Next Generation 911 (NG911). A variety of non-technical resources are available to help explain what NG911 is and how it will help public safety leaders improve the safety of civilians, patients and first responders. Learn more about how the transition to Next Generation 911 will impact EMS, fire and law enforcement communities here. The success and reliability of 911 will be greatly improved with the implementation of NG911, as it will enhance emergency number services to create a faster, more resilient system that allows voice, photos, videos and text messages to flow seamlessly from the public to the 911 network. NG911 will also improve PSAP ability to help manage call overload, natural disasters, and transferring of 911 calls and proper jurisdictional responses based on location tracking. While the technology to implement these new IP-based 911 systems is available now, the transition to NG911 will involve much more than just new computer hardware and software. Implementing NG911 in states and counties nationwide will require the coordination of a variety of emergency communication, public safety, legislative and governing entities.” The California 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Branch at Cal OES remains focused on enabling Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to provide the fastest, most reliable, and cost-effective access to emergency services for any 9-1-1 caller in California from any communications device.. While the existing 9-1-1 system has been a success story for more than 40 years, it has been stretched beyond its limit. The current 9-1-1 system is unable to efficiently integrate with today's newer technologies and lacks the reliability and monitoring capabilities needed to support today's increased disaster environment. Due to the aging technology of today's 9-1-1 system, the number of outages continues to increase and the existing 9-1-1 system is becoming less and less reliable. There is an urgent need to transform California's legacy 9-1-1 system into a Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system. Modernizing California's outdated 9-1-1 funding formula is crucial to protecting our 9-1-1 system. The CA Legislature approved SB 96 / AB 96 which provides the updated State Emergency Telephone Number Account (SETNA) funding model that will provide the revenue needed to implement NG9-1-1. NG9-1-1 will provide multi-layered redundancy and a common technology platform  for alerts and warnings. The advantages of NG9-1-1 include: Allow agencies to re-route 9-1-1 calls to each other during disasters Increase resiliency by hardening the system to withstand natural and human-caused disasters Provide a statewide common technology delivery system for Alerts and Warnings Ensure emergency calls are quickly and accurately delivered – in 3 seconds or less Support text to 9-1-1 delivery into the PSAP Deliver increased location accuracy for wireless calls Allow agencies to utilize state of the art mapping in order to better locate callers Integrate with First Responder Network Authority's nationwide wireless broadband network initiative  Reduce 9-1-1 system downtime. 9-1-1 outages are an ongoing problem with the aging infrastructure currently being used in California Since the CA 9-1-1 Branch first published the proposed California NG9-1-1 Roadmap in 2010, significant progress has been made to implement NG9-1-1 in California. The CA 9-1-1 Branch successfully implemented several NG9-1-1 pilot projects; the most significant of these are in Northeast California with 36 PSAPs and the Pasadena RING project in LA County with 8 PSAPs. The CA 9-1-1 Branch also met representatives from nearly every PSAP in the state, the originating service providers, and the vendor community to develop the NG9-1-1 implementation plan.    Links Cal OES 911 911.gov Cal OES PSC            

  In this episode (#89) we talk with Jerry Sipe, recovery manger for Dixie and Beckwourth Complex Fires in Plumas County. He talks about how the utter devastation in Greenville, a town of about 1,100 in Plumas County, has left a debris field from one end to the other, as well as destroyed homes scattered throughout the area. While crews are making good progress debris cleanup and removal of hazardous waste caused by the fire, there's still a large number of homeowners who have not signed a right of entry (ROE) form to allow crews to access the property to clean it. And that's a problem, especially with the wet season arriving; rain causes debris flows, and that can contaminate ground water.   LINK TO: Debris Removal Prog. https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/blogs/in-the-loop/in-the-loop/2018/09/24/consolidated-debris-removal-program-faqs Cal OES Debris Removal https://wildfirerecovery.caloes.ca.gov/ufaqs/what-is-the-consolidated-debris-removal-program/ SBA Disaster Asst. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance   Dixie Fire Recovery https://plumascounty.us/2880/Debris-Removal-Programs Debris Flow Mitigation https://www.ready.gov/landslides-debris-flow Dixie Fire Incident https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7690/    

The Dixie Fire was a tough one. It started on July 13, 2021, and is still burning (as of this post on Oct. 12) on the Plumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and in five counties: Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama. It has burned 963,309 acres and is currently 94% contained. The town of Greenville, population just over 1100, suffered catastrophic damage due to the Dixie; most buildings and many homes were destroyed. In this episode (#88) we met with the resident fire chief, Bob Orange, at his new, though temporary, fire house to talk about the fire, his department, and what's next for this critical community service — the Indian Valley Fire Department. LINKS Dixie Fire Info InciWeb Dixie Fire CalFire Dixie Fire   

In this episode (#87) we talk with an expert on disaster mitigation. He is Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Disaster Mitigation Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. We had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Nishikawa about the topics that connect Japan and California - natural disasters. We each have a long history of disasters and as such, we each acknowledge we are disaster-prone. However, we don't just accept that fact; we are both actively involved in research and the development of new ways to mitigate, respond to, and recover from those emergencies. In fact, we have shared information with each other, learning from our collective experiences and share a common history of helping one another during times of need. Dr. Nishikawa talks about all of that and much more. Dr. Satoru NISHIKAWA Professor, Disaster Mitigation Research Center, Nagoya University Dr. Nishikawa joined Japanese Government service in 1982 and has held various positions in the Japanese Government, the United Nations, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as well as a number of international organizations. In 1992, he took the position of Senior Disaster Relief Coordination Officer at United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-DHA) where he coordinated international assistance to numerous disaster-stricken countries. In 2001, he was appointed as the Executive Director of Asian Disaster Reduction Center. After resuming Japanese government service in 2004, he held senior positions in the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan. In the wake of the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, he coordinated the Japanese Government technical assistance to the affected countries. He was also the on-site coordinator for the Niigata-Chuetsu Earthquake in 2004. He hosted and coordinated the 2005 UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction where the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) was adopted. In 2005, he proposed the Japanese Business Continuity Plan (BCP) guideline. He initiated the long-term regional recovery planning for Tohoku after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. He was a member of the Advisory Group to the UN SRSG for DRR on the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Global Platform. He was the chair of the WEF Global Agenda Council on Catastrophic Risk. From 2013 to 2015, he served as Vice President of the Japan Water Agency. He currently serves as: • Member, Science Council of Japan • Board Member, Institute of Social Safety Science • Board Member, Business Continuity Advancement Organization • Adviser, Japan Bosai Platform • Board of Trustees Member, Asian Disaster Reduction Center • Board Member, Save the Children Japan Links OCHA - UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS KIDS WEB JAPAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN GOVT. HOLDS DRILL ON DISASTER PREVENTION DAY The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923 (the Great Kanto Earthquake) Cal OES - Plan and Prepare Earthquake Warning California Cal OES Preparedness Day 2019 California Day of Preparedness 2018 Ready.gov

This episode of All Hazards (#86) takes you on a walking tour of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The CZU Complex fire burned nearly all of the 18,000-acre park beginning in August, 2020, a significant portion of the 86,000 acres that burned in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The good news is most of the massive redwoods survived; however, the park's infrastructure is gone. Our guide, Joanne Kerbavaz, is a senior environmental scientist with California State Parks. Learn about the damage done, and how the miracles of nature are evident in new life after wildfires.   To see our photo gallery and upcoming video of our Big Basin tour, visit https://news.caloes.ca.gov/podcast-86-come-…woods-state-park/   Big Basin Redwoods State Park contains more than 18,000 acres of redwood forest including the largest ancient redwood grove south of San Francisco   CZU August Lightning Complex Fire = devastating structural losses including the destruction of the park's historic headquarters, campgrounds, and the newly renovated Nature Museum.   You can help. Click here for how: Donate to MPF's Big Basin Recovery Fund   Sempervirens Fund is California's first land trust and the only organization dedicated exclusively to protecting the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Save the Redwoods League is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect and restore California redwoods and connect people to the peace and beauty of redwood forests. Together they are raising support for the Big Basin Recovery Fund, with 100% of proceeds going to California State Parks for the immediate recovery of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This fund will lay the groundwork for the long-term rebuilding of this treasure of the California State Parks system.   Donate to Save the Redwoods League to support the Big Basin Recovery Fund Sempervirens Fund has also created a Santa Cruz Redwoods Restoration Fund to restore redwoods in the rest of the Santa Cruz mountains affected by the wildfires.

Donate to Sempervirens Fund to support the Santa Cruz Redwoods Restoration Fund   Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) is a vital partner with California State Parks, creatively working to ensure our cherished local parks and beaches are thriving and available to all. They are creating the Friends Fire Relief Fund for direct, short-term assistance as well as longer-term recovery efforts at Big Basin Redwoods State Park and other parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex Fires. Donate to Friends Fire Relief Fund   Take a listen to our first podcast episode on Big Basin, recorded just weeks after the fire was contained. http://www.oesnews.com/podcast-czu-torches-big-basin-redwoods-we-will-make-memories-here-again/

In the words of our guest for this episode, “Table top is one thing. Getting your knuckles dirty is another.” Cal OES Assistant Fire Joe Gear takes a few minutes to sit down and talk with us about his role as incident commander, and that of Cal OES’s role, as well as the overall operations for Sentinel Response 2021. This is a detailed, complex all-of-government exercise that puts local, state, federal and military responders through the ringer during a two-day, hands-on training drill. This annual event usually takes place in Region-2, though it did happen in Sacramento in 2018.  This time, the training site is the Naval Weapons Station Concord, a World War II-era military base that has long-since been decommissioned pending full closure. Nevertheless, the Navy offered it as the site for this year’s exercise. References and Links Sentinel Response 2021 Photos FirstNet California Fire and Rescue Training Authority Engine Transfer Photos Sentinel Response 18 FSE and Interagency Cooperation INSIDE LOOK: Sentinel Response 2018 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  

This episode of All Hazards (#84) takes us to the front lines of the fight against Covid-19, the vaccination super site located at Cal State Los Angeles. We sit down with some of the top leadership there: David Stone, Cal OES Fire & Rescue Branch Jack Nelson, FEMA Major LeRoy Cisneros, California Army National Guard Lt. Col. Andy Olson, Active Duty Army All four have their own areas of responsibility and face unique and similar challenges. How are they meeting those challenges, and what are they? What is it like to be part of history as they manage (in unified command) the first-ever Type-I Vaccination Super Site, one that’s becoming a model for all others nationwide? Let’s find out. Links MyTurn Covid19.ca.gov  

In this episode (#83) we talk with Michelle Mead, Meteorologist In Charge - at the National Weather Service in Sacramento. We talk about the role the meteorologist plays during the response and recovery efforts for a disaster. Ms. Mead graduated in 1994 with a BS degree in Earth Science with an emphasis in Meteorology from St. Cloud State University. She has been with the NWS since 1994, and has worked across the country in her 27 year career. Sacramento, California, is her current and 6th office.  During her tenure, she has dealt with weather phenomena such as severe weather in the midwest to the Foehn winds, snow, mountain meteorology and Fire Weather of the intermountain west and California. Since her arrival in Sacramento, she has been very hands-on with her office staff and the communities we serve.  She is also a wife and mother of twin 16 year old boys. Therefore, her spare time is mostly eaten up by family duties which, of course, she loves.  She also likes to workout and decorate her home for the holidays, no matter what holiday. Links NWS Forecast Office Sacramento, CA  

Be sure to visit OES News for more images and podcast information. In this episode of All Hazards, he’s THE public information officer for his fire department. No, not a small hamlet in rural California. San Francisco, California. Can you believe this legendary fire department has one person handling public information request, media relations, crisis communications, public affairs, education and more? He gets support from his department but that’s a lot of work and responsibility for one person. But he does it, and judging by those who know him, he does it well.  Lt. Jonathan Baxter will talk to us about how he’s able to be stretched so far and maintain a high standard of work and sanity! One secret I can share with you - he loves what he does.  Whether you’re a PIO or not, there’s a lot you can learn from this conversation, so grab your favorite hot or cold beverage and settle-in.  Baxter started his career in Public Safety at the age of 14 working as an explorer scout with the City of Paso Robles Police Department.  He attended EMT school at the age of 17, obtaining his EMT certificate just past my 18th birthday in 1989.  He was shortly thereafter hired with the San Luis County Ambulance service part time as well as the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department.   At the age 18, he was asked to participate in a trial paramedic program put on by the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula, in the Carmel Valley.  He obtained his Paramedic license at the age of 19, becoming the youngest paramedic In the State of California at the time.   In early 1990 Baxter got hired as a full time Paramedic with Golden Empire Ambulance in Bakersfield California, and part time with Delano Wasco Ambulance service in the Inland Empire as a Paramedic.   From late 1990 to 1998 he was employed full time as a Firefighter Paramedic with the City of Sonoma Fire Department.   Let it be known that also from 1990 to 2000, in addition to his full-time career, he also worked part time as a Paramedic for AMR SF, Guerneville Fire, Bodega Bay Fire, Sonoma County EMS, and Occidental Fire.   Additionally, Baxter also worked part-time as a Firefighter/EMT and Fire Investigator for the Glen Ellen Fire Protection District from 1991-2010.   From 1998 to 2000, he worked full-time for the City of Hayward Fire Department as a Firefighter Paramedic.   In January of 2000, he started his career with the San Francisco Fire Department.  From 2000 to 2006 he worked around the City as a Firefighter Paramedic, and Rescue Swimmer. From 2006 to 2016, he volunteered to be assigned to Engine 1, which was at the time the busiest fire engine in America, per Fire House Magazine. With over 500 public contacts per month, personal pride and integrity drove he and his fellow crew members to provide equal, and above standard service to every customer (citizen).   From 2008 to 2016, he worked as a temporary lieutenant on fire suppression apparatus (Mostly Engine 1).   On January the 18th of 2016, he was hand-selected by Chief Joanne Hayes-White to become the SFFD’s Public Information Officer. While in that role, he was promoted to lieutenant in May of 2016 based off my rankings on a civil service test.   Links & Mentions Rebuilding Together San Francisco Rebuilding Together Sacramento Rebuilding Together  The Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative Citizen: Connect and Stay Safe FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI)  

In this episode (#81) we talk with Grady Joseph, Cal OES Assistant Director for the Covid19 Logistics Task Force. Learn about the complexity inherent in the logistical response to this pandemic in California. He talks about the early challenges of PPE procurement, scams, price gouging, vaccines and their distribution, the task forces created, California Medical Stations, alternate care facilities, supply chain breakdown and building hospital system capacity. Grady Joseph is the Assistant Director of Recovery Operations at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. In this capacity, he oversees the State’s implementation of FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, California Disaster Assistance Act funding, Statewide Debris Operations, and serves as the executive sponsor for technology modernization of the Recovery Directorate. Prior to Cal OES, he served in key advisory and Recovery leadership roles in the private sector as well as at FEMA Headquarters and Region IX, with a primary focus on process improvement and technology modernization.   Links Covid19.ca.gov Fact Sheet: Explaining Operation Warp Speed UC Davis Health is prepared to receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine The first shots: Frontline health care workers receive historic COVID-19 vaccine SLEEP TRAIN READY FOR PATIENTS CAL OES 12 09 2020 Covid19 First Vaccinations Reel COVID 19 MEDICAL SURGE B ROLL RAW 1  

In this episode we sit down with Cal OES Deputy Director, Recovery, Ryan Buras. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Mr. Buras in June, 2019 (just in time for the year of disasters, 2020) to head our Recovery directorate due, in part, to his experience with disaster recovery efforts in the US and American territories. Buras has been director of the National Qualification System in the National Integration Center at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, since 2017, where he has served in several positions since 2005, including senior advisor in the Office of Recovery Public Assistance and acting executive officer of the Office of Response and Recovery. LINKS Wildfire Recovery Cal OES Recovery COVID-19 Recovery Individual Assistance Public Assistance FEMA Assistance SBA Assistance  

  In episode #79 we are grateful to have CALFIRE Battalion Chief Mike Mohler as our guest. Reaching us via Zoom during this pandemic, he speaks candidly about his “implosion” on the job, which led him to seek professional help. Chief Mohler speaks of Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI), intentionally differentiating his affliction from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) What he and other first responders endure is, in fact, an injury not a disorder. Mike also talks honestly about how he contemplated suicide when he just didn’t care any more; he couldn’t numb the noise in his head. Mike is sharing his story because “we have to change that stigma because it’s OK. We’ve got people hurting across… not just our agency as you well know… every branch of military, law enforcement, fire, especially in these times. It’s time to check on our brothers and sisters and our fellow employees.” Links First Responder Wellness Save a Warrior A STUDY BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION Career prevalence and correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among firefighters  

In this episode (#78) we talk with Chris Spohrer, District Superintendent,  California State Parks, Santa Cruz District. He talks to us about the devastation to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park done by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire when it swept through beginning on August 16th; It wasn’t fully contained until September 22nd.  The damage inflicted by the CZU was immense: 925 homes destroyed, 562 non-residential buildings destroyed, 999 people evacuated and one fatality. And the Big Basin Redwoods was smack dab in the middle of it. Every one of the 18,000 acres in California’s oldest state park burned. Every park building was reduced to ash. Now, many questions are being asked, such as where and how to begin rebuilding, what is the park’s future, and what will it look like? If you’d like to help rebuild Big Basin Redwoods visit the sites below. Chris Spohrer and Shawn Boyd NON PROFIT PARTNERS SUPPORTING THEM SEMPERVIRENS FUND F: @SempervirensFund https://sempervirens.org/   SAVE THE REDWOODS LEAGUE https://www.savetheredwoods.org/ F: @SaveTheRedwoodsLeague T: @savetheredwoods I: savetheredwoods   FRIENDS OF SANTA CRUZ STATE PARKS https://thatsmypark.org/ F: @FriendsOfSantaCruzStateParks T: @ThatsMyPark I: friendsofscstateparks   MOUNTAIN PARKS FOUNDATION https://www.mountainparks.org/ F: @Mountain.Parks.Foundation T: @mountain_parks I: mountainparksfoundation              

In this episode (#77) we talk with two experts on the dangers of exposure to wildfire smoke. Our guests are: Sumi Hoshiko is an environmental epidemiologist with the Environmental Health Investigations Branch, Center for Healthy Communities, in the California Department of Public Health. She has conducted research on health effects related to climate change, including wildfires and heat waves. Just recently her research has been cited in a New York Times online article on the California wildfires. She is currently the principal investigator of a research study funded by CAL FIRE that will examine the public health impacts of prescribed fire. Other areas of work have involved investigation of a variety of environmental exposures and health conditions, including tobacco smoke, chromium, perchlorate, radiation, cancer clusters, and asthma. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College. Janice Prudhomme is a Public Health Medical Officer (PHMO III) who works in the Environmental Health Investigations Branch (EHIB) within the Center for Community Health at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Dr. Prudhomme is trained in Internal Medicine and Board Certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, having completed a fellowship at UCSF and a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) at UC Berkeley. Following initial work in clinical occupational medicine, she transitioned to public health roughly 2 decades ago. She has served as a Public Health Medical Officer in the Occupational Health Branch at CDPH and subsequently led Cal/OSHA’s Medical Unit. She also served as the Branch Chief for EHIB from 2014-2015. Her interests and expertise are broad-based across many occupational and environmental topics and hazards, including infectious agents, chemical exposures and physical hazards, including heat stress and wildfire smoke exposures. Current projects include updating EHIB’s educational documents pertaining to wildfire smoke and the intersection with COVID-19. For more information, resources and links go to oesnews.com/podcast and find this episode (#76).  

  This is part-2 of our conversation with contact tracer Brittani Peterson. In part-1, episode #75, Brittani was just wrapping up her training and was about to begin her work reaching out to people who had recently tested positive for coronavirus. Now, Brittani is more than a month into her job and shares with us what she’s experience so far. Contact tracing is an important step in slowing the spread of COVID-19. It’s when health workers notify you that you’ve been in contact with an infected person, and you should also get tested. Public health departments have used contact tracing for decades to fight infectious disease.    All you have to do is answer a phone call   Contact tracing is an anonymous way to do your part. The more people answer the call, the more lives and jobs California saves. Your information is always kept confidential. Early awareness helps you protect your friends and loved ones from exposure. And early medical care can improve your outcome. The sooner we can reach you, the sooner you can get advice, testing, and support. Links Contact Tracing at covid19.ca.gov Covid19.ca.gov  

In this episode of All Hazards we take a look at “contact tracing.” We began hearing about this in earnest shortly after the coronavirus hit. Health officials are trying to find out who’s had it, where they might have gotten it and with whom they’ve been in contact.  And to do that they employ the dedicated services of contract tracers.  We talk with one of our Cal OES colleagues, Brittani Peterson, who was recently tasked with becoming a contact tracer and she tells us about her training and what’s she’s expecting in her initial weeks on the job.  Links Covid19.ca.gov Cal OES Home Page OES News

  This is the return of All Hazards after a Covid19 Hiatus. We hope you’re all safe and well. We sat down with members of the Cal OES Office of Legislative and External Affairs in January 2020 with the intention of posting it asap. Then the coronavirus hit. It seemed there were more pressing issues on everyone’s minds, so we didn’t want to post this episode at that time. But it’s here now. Lori Nezhura, Patricia Utterback and Paul McGinnis bring us into the world of elected officials and how they affect each other during disaster response. Links Cal OES Legislative and External Affairs California State Association of Counties (CSAC) League of California Cities    

In this episode (#73) we talk with Cal OES Deputy Director Mitch Medigovich, who oversees the Logistics Management Directorate. We concentrate on some of the more recent incidents Logistics have been challenged by including the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), the Camp Fire, Ridgecrest Earthquake and Hurricane Florence. Topics include disaster logistics, base camps, supply chains, personnel support, points of distribution (PODs), whole of government, Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and more.    Mitch Medigovich has a 37 year history of public service and currently serves as Deputy Director in the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.  In this capacity he is responsible for overseeing Public Safety Communications, Information Technology Operations, and Disaster Logistical operations for the agency.   He was appointed by Governor Brown to the Office of Emergency Services in December of 2012, and reappointed by Governor Newsom in 2019.  Prior to this appointment, Mitch worked in the California Military Department as Chief of Staff where he retired as a Colonel.  His other key assignments in the military were as the Combat Aviation Brigade Commander, Director of Army Aviation and Safety and Inspector General.  He is a combat veteran, Master Army Aviator and recipient of numerous medals and citations to include the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star. He has directly supported response efforts in every recent major disaster in California that includes nine(9) Presidential Major Disaster Declarations since 2017, the Oroville Dam evacuation, Loma Prieta and Northridge earthquakes, LA riots, floods and many wild land firefighting operations.  Deputy Director Medigovich earned his Bachelor of Science from California State University Sacramento and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as, a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. The Disaster Logistics Planning and Coordination Branch implements the Cal OES Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government plan focusing on essential functions and ensuring continued operations during emergencies. The Branch maintains mission-critical operations after an emergency or disaster and provides logistical planning, synchronization, accountability, and delivery of resources to support California’s catastrophic disaster plans.  The branch oversees and provides support for over fifty locations throughout California including capital outlay construction projects.  Logistical Services provides day-to-day operations of business services and facility support, including property management, facility leasing, records and forms management, courier services, shipping and receiving, and reproduction services. Also responsible for fleet administration, contracting and procurement, and property inventory control. Another service provided by this branch is Information Technology, which provides all necessary Cal OES information technology systems including enterprise applications, desktop and mobile PCs, mobile and desk phones. Provides email, remote access, network printing, Cal EOC, file sharing, and web services to the public, partners, and staff. Also included under Logistics Management is Public Safety Communications, which is responsible for design, installation, maintenance, and repair of the statewide microwave network and public safety radio communications systems used by the State’s public safety agencies’ first responders on a 24 hours/7 days-a-week/365 days-a-year basis. Responsible for oversight and support of the 9-1-1 network serving the State’s 452 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Operates as the point of contact with the National First Responders Network Board of Directors to implement the National Public Safety Broadband Network. Links Cal OES Disaster Logistics Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) Podcast Episode 52: Cal OES Team Returns from Hurricane Florence Assistance and Shares Experiences, Part-1 Podcast Episode 53: Cal OES Team Returns from Hurricane Florence Assistance and Shares Experiences, Part-2      

  This episode takes a closer look at how the International Affairs Office, at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, is the central hub for matters of  international policy and guidelines, working relationships and special international projects. As the focal point of Cal OES’s engagement with the international emergency management community, International Affairs is primarily responsible for: Annually participating in the Border Governors’ Conference Coordinating and facilitating all foreign delegation visits to the Cal OES headquarters Developing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Cal OES and their international counterparts in order to facilitate the exchange of emergency management best practices Participating in the Chile-California Council Participating in the California-Mexico Border Relations Council Working side-by-side with the Governor’s Office to organize large international events such as the Trade Missions to China and Mexico Helen Lopez is the International Liaison for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). As assistant director, she leads the International Affairs Office where she works with the international community on emergency response efforts and coordinates delegation visits for countries from all over the world. She has been instrumental in developing Memorandums of Understanding on emergency management with various countries including Chile, Mexico, Australia, and the Aga Khan Development Network. Ms. Lopez has a long history in public service. In 2008, she was appointed Assistant Director and later, in 2009, Deputy Chief of Staff to the newly created California Emergency Management Agency. In 2010, she was promoted to Chief of Staff. During 1991 to 2007, Ms. Lopez served at the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) as the Executive Director of the State Board of Food and Agriculture, Director of the Grant Management Program and Audit Director of the Internal Audit Office, as well as the Mexico liaison. In 1991, Ms. Lopez graduated from the California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accountancy. FOR MORE PHOTOS GO TO OESNEWS.COM Links Cal OES International Affairs Bracero Program Indigenous Mixtecos Aga Khan Development Network  

In this episode, Cal OES Chief Counsel Alex Pal sits down with Shawn Boyd at headquarters to talk about the role he and his office played during a few recent California emergencies, and the importance legal affairs plays as a whole. Alex was appointed to this position by Governor Brown in 2018 and was reappointed by Governor Newsom in 2019. Prior to serving as Chief Counsel, Alex served in various attorney positions at Cal OES since 2013, including Assistant Chief Counsel and Senior Counsel. Alex has provided legal counsel to Cal OES on many disasters that have struck California, including 11 federally-declared Major Disaster Declaration events and nearly 100 state-only events for which the Governor proclaimed a State of Emergency. Alex earned his Juris Doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego and his Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University in New Jersey.   Links Cal OES Legal Affairs California Emergency Services Act  

  Denise Shemenski is the tribal advisor for Cal OES. The purpose of the Office of Tribal Coordination is to improve and maintain communication and collaboration between California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and all Native American Tribes in California. This office aims to create effective collaboration and informed decision-making where all parties share a goal of reaching a decision together. Our office priorities are to educate internal and external partners to become informed about the cultural settings of California Native Americans, their emergency management and homeland security issues and cultural sensitivities, for the purpose of improving Cal OES’s understanding of all Native American Tribes in California. On September 19, 2011, the Governor issued Executive Order B-10-11, to implement effective government to government consultation with California Indian Tribes on policies that affect tribal communities. In May 2015, Cal OES released the Cal OES Tribal Consultation Policy​.​ Be sure to watch the video here of the tribe in Corning (referenced in this podcast) that donated a large portion of its casino camp ground to evacuees displaced by the Camp Fire. Links Cal OES Tribal Coordination Tribal Historic Preservation Officers Program (THPOs)  California Native American Heritage Commission  Rolling Hills Casino Home to New Trailers for Camp Fire Survivors  

In this episode of All Hazards (#69) we talk with Vance Taylor; he’s the chief of the Office of Access and Functional  Needs at Cal OES. Topics of conversation include the importance of partnerships, issues and concerns related to AFN that come up during nearly every emergency in California, and how Taylor and his team tackle those problems before, during and after the emergency strikes. Vance is responsible for ensuring the needs of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs are identified before, during and after a disaster. Vance is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate for individuals with disabilities.  He has a Master's degree in homeland security from the University of Connecticut and an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in communications. Links Our previous episode with Vance Taylor Area Agency On Aging California Foundation For Independent Living Centers State Council Developmental Disabilities American Red Cross Partnership For Inclusive Disaster Strategies        

We caught up with Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea just about one year after the Camp Fire broke out, and about 11 months after we first sat down with him. In this episode, Sheriff Honea talks about how the recovery effort is going, the health and wellness of the community and first responders who endured the response efforts, and what his priorities are now, going forward in the future. He also admits that he and many others underestimated just how long the recovery was going to take, and what it's going to take to rebuild the town of Paradise.  Be sure to check out our first interview with Sheriff Honea below, just a few weeks into the Camp Fire.   Kory L. Honea became the 31st Sheriff of Butte County in May 2014.  Prior to becoming the Sheriff, Honea served as the Undersheriff for nearly four years. Sheriff Honea began his career with the Butte County Sheriff's Office in 1993, when he was hired as a deputy sheriff.  Prior to that Sheriff Honea was employed by the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. During his law enforcement career Sheriff Honea has held assignments in corrections, patrol and investigations.  In 2000, Sheriff Honea transferred to the District Attorney's Office as an investigator.  While at the District Attorney's Office, Sheriff Honea promoted through the ranks to become the Chief Investigator in 2008.  Sheriff Honea held that position until his return to the Sheriff's Office as Undersheriff in 2010. Sheriff Honea holds a Juris Doctorate from the Taft School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California.  He also holds an Associate of Arts degree from Butte College.  Sheriff Honea has extensive law enforcement training certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Links Podcast Episode 56: Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea Talks Candidly About the Camp Fire  

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Mona Pasquil Rogers as senior advisor at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in June, 2019. Pasquil Rogers has served as appointments secretary in the Office of the Governor since 2011. • Chief of staff to Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi from 2008 to 2009 • Acting Lieutenant Governor from 2009 to 2010, upon Garamendi’s election to Congress. • Pasquil Rogers was a business development consultant at IBM from 2003 to 2006. • Deputy political director for John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, • Political director for Governor Gray Davis’ gubernatorial campaign in 2002• California political director for Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000• Western political director for the White House Office of Political Affairs from 1996 to 2000. • Pasquil Rogers was deputy chief executive officer of the Democratic National Convention in 2000. • She is president of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute, • Vice president of California Women Lead and a member of Women in Philanthropy. Simeona Fortunata "Mona" Pasquil (born April 3, 1962) is an American politician who served as the 47th and Acting Lieutenant Governor of California from November 4, 2009 to April 27, 2010, previously serving as Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi's chief of staff. On November 3, 2009, California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi was elected to the United States House of Representatives representing California's 10th congressional district, leaving the office of lieutenant governor vacant. On November 4, 2009, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Pasquil, Garamendi's Chief of Staff, as acting lieutenant governor pending the confirmation of Abel Maldonado. Pasquil's appointment marked several firsts for the position: • California's first Asian lieutenant governor;• its first Filipino lieutenant governor;• its first female lieutenant governor;• first California acting lieutenant governor not to succeed to the position from the President pro tempore of the California State Senate. Pasquil served as John Kerry's political director during his 2004 campaign for the United States presidency.In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, she served as a superdelegate supporting Hillary Clinton.In January 2011, California governor Jerry Brown named her appointments secretary. She made the move to Washington, D.C., to begin her career by working with the Clinton administration in 1995 as the president’s Western political director. While living in her hometown just outside Sacramento, the chairperson babysat for longtime political couple John and Patricia Garamendi beginning at age 12. Although women are holding more government positions than ever before, the political arena still remains male dominated. An issue that the organization California Women Lead, which Pasquil chairs, tackles head on. Links Cal OES California Women Lead Clinton Digital Library  

In this episode (#66) we talk with Brian Ferguson, deputy director of communications at Cal OES.  We’ll talk about his transition from working in the governor’s office to the world of emergency management and why he’s OK with not knowing everything about his new employer, its communications team and all the facets that it faces. He’ll also talk about the relationship between PIOs and the media, the challenges that go along with the ever rapidly changing news business and how his new team will have to adapt to those changes. On July 10, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Brian Ferguson as deputy director for crisis communication and public affairs at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Ferguson had been deputy director of media and public affairs in the Office of Governor Newsom since February 2019. Ferguson served as Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2017 to 2019. He served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of General Services from 2013 to 2017, where he also served as Acting Deputy Director of Sustainability from 2014 to 2015. Ferguson was a communications specialist at the California Faculty Association from 2006 to 2013. He was a contributing writer at the Syracuse Post-Standard in 2006 and a writer at the Marin Independent Journal from 2004 to 2005. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Links Cal OES Office of Public Information Cal OES Governor Gavin Newsom          

In this episode of All Hazards, we talk about the important relationship between Cal OES and the private sector. We sit down with two people who have forged a working relationship that exemplifies the symbiotic nature of disaster response and recovery teamwork. Abby Browning is the Chief of the Office of Private Sector/ Non-Governmental Organization Coordination at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services; Tim James is Senior Manager, Local Government Relations, California Grocer's Association. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) recognizes the need for communication, coordination and cooperation among all emergency management stakeholders in California. This is underscored by our long-standing relationship with the private sector. The impact of the 2007 and 2008 California wildfires emphasized the critical need for the organized synchronous exchange of information and resources between public and private sector organizations in mitigating against, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disaster events. Historically, information and resource sharing activities between the public and private sectors have too often taken place in an ad hoc, isolated, and reactive fashion, resulting in less than optimal assistance to individuals, families, communities, and the economy. Realizing the need for stronger public-private collaboration, legislation was enacted (Senate Bill 546) and issued, giving Cal OES greater authority to partner with private industry. The “Authorities” Section of this document provides additional information about the statue and directive. A copy of the legislation may be found in the “Appendices” Section. To further support those efforts, Cal OES signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with private sector and non-profit organizations creating the Business and Utility Operations Center (BUOC) comprised of the Utility Operations Center (UOC) and Business Operations Center (BOC). Abby Browning is responsible for developing and maintaining CalOES’s relationships with business, associations, companies, and universities, as well as nonprofit, nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations.  Prior to joining CalOES, Abby was the Special Advisor for International Trade in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. She was an essential member of the Brown Administration’s international team, working on trade missions to China and Mexico, as well as fostering countless other international business connections for California.  Abby has also worked with the California Chamber of Commerce in the International Affairs and Corporate Relations departments, as well as the California Seismic Safety Commission. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University and she earned an M.A. from the School of Government at California State University, Sacramento. Links Cal OES California Grocers Association Cal OES Business and Utility Operation Center Information

  California Volunteers, together with the Office of the Governor, announced on May 30, 2019, they kicked off the California For All CERT and Listos Preparedness Conference during an opening ceremony in San Diego, CA on Thursday, May 30, according to their own description. CalVolunteers officially launched the volunteer teams – CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) and Listos – who will help engage diverse and socially vulnerable Californians most at risk for wildfires and other natural disasters as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s California For All Emergency Preparedness Campaign.   “We are ushering in a new era of disaster preparedness in California,” said Suu-Va Tai, California Volunteers’ Director of Disaster Volunteering and Preparedness. “Governor Newsom is leveraging the power of tens of thousands of trained volunteers and service members to increase community resiliency throughout California.”   This conference marked the first milestone of the California For All Emergency Preparedness Campaign. Grants were awarded to assist California-based CERT and Listos members to attend the multi-day conference occurring May 31-June1, to help launch their involvement as part of the California For All Emergency Preparedness campaign with workshops, trainings and discussion on preparedness and disaster recovery. A press release from April 15, 2019 announced all grants associated with the campaign.  More than 700 participants from the US, Mexico and Chile attended the first national CERT Conference held in San Diego.   In this episode we talk with: KAREN BAKER — CHIEF SERVICE OFFICER, CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR ANDY BURROWS — CITIZEN RESPONDER LEAD, FEMA Links California Volunteers CERT California For All  

In this episode of All Hazards we chat with three members of a delegation from a high level of Australia’s emergency management leadership.   They are visiting Cal OES for strategic discussions on how both California and Australian representatives coordinate and respond to disasters including sharing best practices, gaps, and lessons learned, as well as how they work with other first responders and local, state, and government officials. Links Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs New South Wales, Office of Emergency Management OES News   

In this episode (#62) of All Hazards we talk with Orange County Fire Captain Richard Ventura. He’s a member of the California Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 5 and is the director of the Southern Wind RDD US&R Full Scale Exercise. That’s the topic of conversation.  This is a learning based exercise that challenges US&R task forces in an environment that’s the next best thing to a real world event. The scenario for Southern Wind 2019: During the weeks of May 1st and 9th 2019, there will be a World Cup Soccer tournament held in Southern California. During the early morning hours of May 1st, a car bomb explodes at Union Station near downtown Los Angeles. Simultaneously another bomb explodes at the Stub Hub Center in Carson and the Exchange Mall (Del Valle) where prominent National Soccer Team is scheduled to make a public appearance; both explosions cause massive injuries and structural damage. At the Exchange Mall there is a partial collapse of the structure and a large fire. The adjacent Memorial Hospital (Del Valle) is seriously damaged. The source of the Exchange Mall explosion is a Radiological Dispersion Device RDD. As a result of the structural collapse at the Exchange Mall and Memorial Hospital, CA-TF6 and CA-TF8 will be activated.  US&R teams will assess the scenes and proceed to rescue survivors and save lives. Participating Organizations: California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) California Task Force 6 (CA-TF6) California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) - HazMat 150   Sponsors: California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Orange County Fire Authority FEMA National Urban Search and Rescue Response System            

  In this episode we talk with our new Cal OES Deputy Coastal Region Administrator Nehru Harper. Nehru has always led a life of service--from being a Brownie, to becoming one the first of many women to serve onboard a Pentagon sanctioned vessel in the United States Navy, to advocating for disabled veterans, and working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (both in Boston and Oakland). Service has always been her calling. She moved to California in 2011 and fell in love with the State.   This lead to employment with the US Census Bureau, Defense Contracting and Management Agency, Veterans Benefits Administration and back to the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of Oakland in 2017 as part of FEMA’s Individual Assistance team. Nehru became all too familiar with the disasters that can and could plague FEMA IX. She began working very closely with Cal OES during the 2017 California fires as the FEMA Human Services Group Supervisor, worked in American Samoa for a housing mission in Saipan, and also worked in Hawaii to assist with the impacts of the volcanic eruptions, flooding, and earthquakes.   She is active in a variety of civic and cultural organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Women in the Arts, the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Grammys. Outside of professional interests, Nehru travels widely, reads, and writes poetry, auditions for voice-overs, dee-jays, and helps addicts and alcoholics find recovery. She shares a home in the Sacramento with her partner, Maya. Mentions and Links While in the US Navy, she was one of the first women assigned to her ship, AS-39 USS Emory S. Land Her supervisor is Jodi Traversaro (podcast episode Facing Disasters In California’s Coastal Region) Coastal Region  FEMA Region IX  U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs  If you are a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, connect with their caring, qualified responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans themselves. Call 800-273-8255 and press 1 Text 838255 Start a confidential chat Call TTY if you have hearing loss 800-799-4889 Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net

Podcast #60: En este podcast, vamos a hablar sobre la importancia de estar listos para un desastre o emergencia. Viviendo en California, no somos extraños a las emergencias. Hablamos con Jovanna Garcia de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA) y ella comparte consejos de sus experencias profesionales y personales. Estar preparado es importante y a veces empezar puede ser la parte más dificil. Pero, no es tan dificil como parece. En este podcast, compartiremos consejos para ayudarle a comenzar.   Recursos: www.listo.gov www.caloes.ca.gov www.oesnews.com   Clips de Noticias, Creditós: Univisión

Kendra Bowyer is the Incident Commander for the Woolsey and Hill Fire debris removal operations in Southern California. She has served in many other capacities in nearly a dozen previous debris Removal operations for the state of California since 2015. Kendra Bower was hired as an Emergency Services Coordinator with CalOES in early 2018 following six years of emergency management in the private sector. She specializes in recovery and wildfire debris removal. Kendra loves the work she does because she feels that this is a way to truly give back to society, by helping those in need at a most crucial time in their lives. As a young adult, Kendra lost her childhood home in a tornado so, needless to say,  her passion and love for this work is directly influenced by her personal experience. Links Nearly 120 Properties Cleared of Woolsey, Hill Fire Debris For more information in Los Angeles County, visit lacounty.gov/LACountyRecovers or call 1-626-979-5370.  For more information in Ventura County, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org or call 1-805-504-7869.  

February 4, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Director Mark Ghilarducci officially swore in Brian Marshall as the new Fire and Rescue Chief. He was appointed to his new position in December. Chief Marshall spent the previous six years as the fire chief and director of emergency services at the Kern County Fire Department. He served in several positions with the Kern County Fire Department since 1987, including interim fire chief and director of emergency services, deputy fire chief, fire battalion chief, fire captain, fire engineer and firefighter. He is also a member of FIRESCOPE and oversaw numerous disasters throughout central California, including the Erskine Fire in 2016. Chief Marshall will be replacing Kim Zagaris, who announced his retirement in 2018. Zagaris was appointed as the Fire and Rescue Chief on April 1, 2001. Prior to his appointment, Chief Zagaris was the Assistant Fire Chief for Cal OES with assignments in Region I, II, III, IV and V since 1987. He started his career as a Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) seasonal firefighter in 1977 and promoted through the ranks of the local, state and federal fire agencies to the State Fire and Rescue Chief. His extensive background in fire service, emergency management, and homeland security included working with local, state, federal and international agencies over the last 40 years. Upon learning of his appointment, Kern County Fire Chief Brian Marshall said "I’m going to miss Kern County, working with the citizens and working for the citizens of Kern County.” He will focus on preventing statewide emergencies in his new position. He has worked in the department since 1987, nearly 32 years. “It’s not been 32 years, it’s been a lifetime," he said. “I want to go to Sacramento and protect the state," he said. "I am just so excited about the opportunities that exist in Sacramento right now for me and my family. It’s exciting and scary at the same time.” Links Marshall Sworn in as New Cal OES Fire Chief VIDEO: Cal OES Director Gets First-Hand Look at Erskine Fire in Kern County RAW VIDEO: Erskine Fire Burns Through Communities Near Lake Isabella Erskine Fire Podcasts The Erskine Fire: Beyond the Lines Sobering Aerial View of Erskine Wildfire Destruction in Kern County

In this episode (# 57) we talk with Mike Mohler, Deputy Director of Communications for CALFIRE. In his current role, as well as his prior position as Battalion Chief at Southern Region, Mike has worked many of California’s biggest wildfire disasters, historical ones at that.  He talks about why there is no longer a “fire season” and how wildfires really are different from those just a few years ago. He discusses the challenges fire agencies have with the numerous factors contributing to year-round fires including fuels, drought, tree mortality, climate change and wildland-urban interface. He also addresses wildland management, the importance of Firewise communities, local government and community engagement, defensible space and thinking completely differently in order to mitigate future deadly mega-fires, and so much more. As mentioned, Mike Mohler is currently the Deputy Director, Communications, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Mohler began his fire service career in 1991, as a reserve firefighter in Orange County, assigned to the heavy equipment and crew division.  While working as a reserve, he attended the Santa Ana College fire science program and worked full time as a firefighter for Boeing’s Aeronautics and Missile Systems Division in Anaheim. Mike began his career with CAL FIRE in the San Bernardino Unit as a Firefighter I in June 2000.  In May 2001, Mike promoted to Firefighter II in the Riverside Unit and in 2005, he promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer. In 2010, Chief Mohler promoted to Fire Captain in the San Diego Unit.  In 2015, he promoted to Battalion Chief at Southern Region, where he worked for the next 3 years supervising the Southern Region information and communications programs. Mike was vital in continuing to build the Department’s nontraditional media exposure with projects such as Netflix’s Fire Chasers and Extreme Weather with National Geographic which has showcased our department worldwide. Chief Mohler participates on several statewide cadres and working groups, including S-420, CIMCI and AAIMS.  He holds several qualifications, including Advanced All Hazard Incident Commander from the University of Texas A&M, and has been assigned to a CAL FIRE Incident Management Team for over 11 years. He currently holds a seat on FEMA’s advisory committee for response to large scale incidents. In addition to his Departmental assignments, Chief Mohler has also served as an Honor Guard member for over 17 years, honoring our fallen and supporting their families. Mike is currently enrolled in American Military University’s Emergency and Disaster Management program. Links FIRE SAFE COUNCIL CALFIRE Camp Fire on InciWeb Thomas Fire on CalFire Woolsey Fire on CalFire Tubbs Fire on CalFire  

Sheriff Kory L. Honea In this episode (#56) we sit down with the sheriff of Butte County, California, Kory Honea. His county, of course, was ravaged by the Camp Fire which broke out on November 8, 2018. The Town of Paradise, located within his county, was nearly completely destroyed by the fire that was stoked by 55+mile per hour gusts. Sheriff Honea is facing a death toll that could exceed 100, managing his law enforcement team as well as mutual aid and keeping his citizens safe while they're displaced from homes that were either destroyed or just can't be reached due to the town's closure.  Honea also had the responsibility of evacuating tens of thousands of people to get them out of harms way.  He talks about all that, plus some of the more challenging stresses he's faced and how he's dealing with all of the responsibility that goes along with California's deadliest wildfire disaster. Kory L. Honea became the 31st Sheriff of Butte County in May, 2014.  Prior to becoming the Sheriff, Honea served as the Undersheriff for nearly four years.  Sheriff Honea began his career with the Butte County Sheriff's Office in 1993,  when he was hired as a deputy sheriff.   Prior to that Sheriff Honea was employed  by the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. During his law enforcement career Sheriff Honea has held assignments in
corrections, patrol and investigations.  In 2000, Sheriff Honea transferred
to the District Attorney's Office as an investigator.  While at the District
Attorney's Office, Sheriff Honea promoted through the ranks to become the Chief Investigator in 2008.  Sheriff Honea held that position until his return to the Sheriff's Office as Undersheriff in 2010. Sheriff Hone-a holds a Juris Doctorate from the Taft School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California.  He also holds an Associate of Arts degree from Butte College.    Links Butte County Sheriff Butte County Recovers Camp Fire Rescued Animals WildfireRecovery.org CalOES.ca.gov OESNews.com

In this episode (55) we talk with veteran news photojournalist Tim Walton. He gives us a unique perspective on working with first responders during disasters, especially wildfires. Tim has also works with Cal OES, donating much of his dramatic fire footage to help supplement their own images and tell important stories that benefit the public and California communities. Some of the topics of conversation include journalist access to disaster areas, California access laws, the benefits of allowing journalists, including photojournalists, into disaster areas, safety, equipment and much more.   According to his bio, Tim Walton has 35-plus years as a broadcast photojournalist and field producer. He has worked for all of the major networks, domestic and foreign. The majority of his assignments has been for NBC NEWS (as a freelancer,) based in San Francisco over the last 25 years. I shot and field produced ABC's American Detective (reality) and worked as a cameraman on "Cops" in the early 1990's. Other clients include CNN, ABC, CBS, CBC, APTV. His primary focus is in TV News and Documentary camera/producer assignments. He says he will travel anywhere and work any ethical assignment. He has been trained in hostile environments and advanced first aid. Tim has endured three tours in Iraq for NBC. Tim is am also a Fire Department Volunteer Videographer (40 years) and a Cal Fire VIP Photographer and has extensive wildland fire experience . He travels with a Macbook Pro and edits with FCPX, has the latest LiveU L600 (domestic) for Live and feed services and has an HD/4K wildland stock footage library suitable for climate change documentaries and film production. And in case you're wondering, he travels with specialty equipment that includes a camera package with a Sony PDW-700 XDCAM HD, Sony FS7 4K Super 35mm, Panasonic AG-UX1804k, Sony PXW-Z90 4K camera, GoPro, Domestic LiveU L600, HD monitors, LED light kits, full audio package, wireless, live kits, grip gear and two way radio's. Links Cal OES Podcasts CA Penal Code 409.5 CA Penal Code 409.6  

  FEMA Region IX David Samaniego  In this episode of All Hazards we sit down with the current Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) for the California Wildfires Disaster Response David Samaniego. Large portions of the counties of Shasta and Lake in the north Bay Area of California were devastated by wildfires in late July, 2018. It was declared a major federal disaster on August 4, 2018, which brought the state and federal together to manage the response and recovery operations. Samaniego came onboard as the FCO in September. Samaniego has a wealth of major disaster experience; he talks about leadership challenges in the Flint, Michigan, water contamination crisis as well as the response effort in Puerto Rico following the destruction of Hurricane Maria in which an estimated 3000 people died (that number was released after an independent study by the George Washington University (GWU) in July 2018, which was commissioned by the governor of Puerto Rico.) Links FEMA California Wildfires And High Winds (DR-4382) FEMA Region IX: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, & the Pacific Islands FEMA Puerto Rico FEMA Michigan Contaminated Water (EM-3375) Disaster Management Roles and Responsibilities  

Front Row, L-R: Andy Langolf, Drew Hammond, Carly Landry, Megan Pappas Back Row, L-R: Anthony Zimmer, Mike Warren, Ron Williams, Mark Ackerman    On September 12, 2018, Cal OES deployed emergency and incident management specialists to assist with emergency response efforts for Hurricane Florence. The team arrived in South Carolina prior to the storm’s landfall and immediately began work. The 8-person team consisted of Megan Pappas, Mike Warren, Ron Williams, Anthony Zimmer, Mark Ackerman, Andy Langolf, Carly Landry and Drew Hammond. During the two-week deployment, California personnel will use their specialized emergency management operations skills to help officials as they respond to the impacts of Hurricane Florence. The eight-person Cal OES Incident Support Team has extensive emergency operations experience and has been involved in response and recovery efforts for several major disasters in California including wildfires, flooding, winter storms, the Oroville Dam Emergency Spillway Incident, earthquakes and drought.  Primary duties included the support of Logistics and Points of Distribution (POD) coordination in Columbia, S.C. at the State Emergency Operations Center. In this episode, which is Part-1 of 2-Parts, each of these team members recount the experiences of their deployment, what worked, what didn’t, their objectives and how they met them despite the pressures from a fast-approaching hurricane, working in a strange place with unfamiliar people and methods and much more. Links OESNews.com All Hazards Page EMAC State Private Nonprofit Organizations Assistance Program Emergency Management Assistance Compact Press Releases Press Release: California Deploys Emergency Management Team to South Carolina, Virginia to Assist with Hurricane Response, Recovery Press Release: California Deploys Emergency Management Team to Puerto Rico to Assist with Hurricane Response, Recovery Press Release: California Deploys Additional Emergency Support to East Coast States Impacted by Hurricane Florence      

    Front Row, L-R: Mike Warren, Ron Williams, Anthony Zimmer Back Row, L-R: Andy Langolf, Mark Ackerman, Megan Pappas   On September 12, 2018, Cal OES deployed emergency and incident management specialists to assist with emergency response efforts for Hurricane Florence. The team arrived in South Carolina prior to the storm’s landfall and immediately began work.   The 8-person team consisted of Megan Pappas, Mike Warren, Ron Williams, Anthony Zimmer, Mark Ackerman, Andy Langolf, Carly Landry and Drew Hammond. During the two-week deployment, California personnel will use their specialized emergency management operations skills to help officials as they respond to the impacts of Hurricane Florence. The eight-person Cal OES Incident Support Team has extensive emergency operations experience and has been involved in response and recovery efforts for several major disasters in California including wildfires, flooding, winter storms, the Oroville Dam Emergency Spillway Incident, earthquakes and drought.  Primary duties included the support of Logistics and Points of Distribution (POD) coordination in Columbia, S.C. at the State Emergency Operations Center.   In this episode, which is Part-1 of 2-Parts, each of these team members recount the experiences of their deployment, what worked, what didn’t, their objectives and how they met them despite the pressures from a fast-approaching hurricane, working in a strange place with unfamiliar people and methods and much more.   OESNews.com All Hazards Page Palmetto Software EMAC State Private Nonprofit Organizations Assistance Program Emergency Management Assistance Compact Press Releases Press Release: California Deploys Emergency Management Team to South Carolina, Virginia to Assist with Hurricane Response, Recovery Press Release: California Deploys Emergency Management Team to Puerto Rico to Assist with Hurricane Response, Recovery Press Release: California Deploys Additional Emergency Support to East Coast States Impacted by Hurricane Florence  

Yosemite National Park Rangers Scott Gediman and Jamie Richards   According to the national Park Service, Yosemite National Park was first protected in 1864 and is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias and a vast wilderness area. Recently, Yosemite is also known for its wildfires, the Rim Fire in 2013 and the Ferguson Fire in July and August of 2018. In this episode of All Hazards, Park Rangers Scott Gediman and Jamie Richards talk about how the Ferguson Fire impacted the park, challenged them as rangers and as public affairs officers, and how they fought perceptions that the entire park was closed when in fact it was open. Links Experience Yosemite National Park in Virtual Reality with President Obama NPS YouTube: YosemiteNationalPark Mr. President Goes to Yosemite Cal OES News  

Chief Craig Cottrill: Wellington/Chatham Islands Fire and Emergency   At the height of the wildfire siege across California, when 15 major fires burned, there were more than 13,000 firefighters from 18 states and two other countries battling the blazes. Those countries included Australia and New Zealand. 41 of those firefighters were deployed to the Mendocino Complex in Lake County, and 12 were assigned to the Carr Fire in Shasta County. Their roles varied and their value to the effort could not be understated. They brought a wealth of knowledge, experience and energy and will eventually return having gained a new understanding of firefighting environment, strategy and technology. In this episode of All Hazards, we sit down with Chief Craig Cottrill, of the Wellington/Chatham Islands Fire and Emergency, New Zealand.  Hear about the challenges of being part of an international mutual aid team, the differences in how wildfires are tackled here versus New Zealand, from the technologies to the assets and strategies, as well as how Chief Cottrill manages his team and explains how Californians are similar to New Zealanders in adopting the “Kiwi thing to do.” New Zealand's Camp at ICP in Modoc County   Links OESNews.com All Hazards Podcast Mutual Aid Comes In From All Over State, Country & World For Largest Fire In California History   Thursday, August 9, 2018 Press Release Governor Brown Issues Executive Order to Streamline Cleanup and Recovery in Communities Impacted by Wildfires SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an executive order to cut red tape and help streamline recovery efforts in communities impacted by the devastating wildfires that continue to burn in Lake, Siskiyou, Shasta, Mendocino and Napa counties. There are 15 major fires currently burning in California that have destroyed homes and infrastructure and continue to threaten communities. More than 13,000 firefighters from California, 17 other states, Australia and New Zealand are working the front lines of wildfires statewide. The executive order includes provisions that: Expedite debris removal and cleanup of homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed by the fires; Extend the state’s prohibition on price gouging during emergencies;  Suspend planning and zoning requirements and state fees for manufactured homes and mobile home parks to help displaced residents with housing needs;  Allow for the accelerated hiring of additional personnel for emergency and recovery operations;  Provide waivers on temporary school facilities and outdoor physical education requirements to allow schools to open as quickly as possible;  Extend the filing deadline for certain taxes for businesses in the impacted counties;  Streamline contracting and purchasing rules; and  Strengthen coordination between state agencies on environmental restoration in fire-impacted areas.  Last weekend, Governor Brown announced the federal government’s approval of a presidential major disaster declaration for Shasta County and met with local leaders and fire and emergency management officials at the Carr Fire Incident Command Post in Anderson. The federal government is reviewing the presidential major disaster declaration request for Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties on an expedited basis as preliminary damage assessments continue. The Mendocino Complex fire is now the largest fire in state history and remains a dynamic challenge for firefighters. Previously, Governor Brown declared a state of emergency in Shasta, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Riverside and Mariposa counties due to multiple fires and secured federal aid to further support communities impacted by the Carr Fire. Last week, Governor Brown joined the state’s top emergency management officials at the State Operations Center in Mather to provide an update on the ongoing fire fight. The State Operations Center is activated to its highest level to help local, state and federal emergency response officials address emergency management needs. Information on additional resources for residents impacted by the fires is available at: http://wildfirerecovery.org/ The full text of today’s executive order can be found here.

  EPISIDE 49 of Cal OES All Hazards Podcast July 24, 2018 California will be blasted with heat advisories and excessive heat warnings as temperatures will be between 10 to 15 degrees above normal Tuesday through Thursday. Why is that so dangerous, and what do you need to know to stay cool and safe? In this Cal OES news update, we get answers from the National Weather Service. Public information officer Bryan May interviews National Weather Service science and operations officer and meteorologist Kris Mattarochia. They discuss the incredibly hot weather rolling into California. How this weather can put a stress on the energy grid and what you can do to releave the stress on the energy grid with some simple steps.      

Kim Zagaris, or Chief Z as some call him, is the State Fire and Rescue Chief for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES); he was appointed on April 1, 2001. He admits his appointment rattled cages, nerves and even a few careers. He’s not only survived the highly political position, he’s succeeded. In this episode (#48) of All Hazards Chief Z reflects on his storied career, the changes he’s seen at Cal OES and in the business of putting the wet stuff on the red stuff, and what he’s learned.   Prior to his appointment, he was the Assistant Fire Chief for Cal OES with assignments in Region I, II, III, IV and V since 1987. He started his career as a Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) seasonal firefighter in 1977 and promoted through the ranks of the local, state and federal fire agencies to the State Fire and Rescue Chief. Chief Zagaris has extensive background in fire service, emergency management, and homeland security which includes working with local, state, federal and international agencies over the last 40 years.   As the State Fire and Rescue Chief, Chief Zagaris serves as the Executive Coordinator for Cal OES Fire and Rescue Services Advisory Committee/ FIRESCOPE Board of Directors. The Board provides a State level forum for addressing Statewide Mutual Aid, Incident Command System, Multi-Agency Coordination, Resource Typing, Training, Certification, Safety, Standardization and Fire Protection issues of statewide concern. Chief Zagaris is responsible for managing the FIRESCOPE Program, California Incident Command Certification System, the California Fire Assistance Agreement, State Assistance for Fire Equipment Program, as well as, serve on numerous state and national committees, associations and programs, including Cal OES representation on the California State Strategic Committee on Terrorism, the California Wildfire Coordination Group, the National Fire Protection Association 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, he currently chairs the International Fire Chiefs Associations (IAFC) Emergency Management Committee/ National Fire Service Mutual Aid System, the National Fire Service Incident Management System Consortium. He is the past chair of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Mutual Aid/ Resource Typing Project Team, and a past member of the National Incident Management System ICS Competencies Change Management Board, and the National Wildfire Coordination Group/ Urban Interface Working Team. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services owns 114 all-risk Type I Fire Engines, 40 Type III Fire Engines, 12 Water Tenders, 6 Communications/ Support Units, 13 Swift Water Rescue Caches, 12 Type II Hazardous Material Unit and manages California’s 8 Local/State/National Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces in cooperation with those sponsoring agencies. Chief Zagaris is responsible for several major program elements including the day-to-day management of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which includes over 1,100 fire agencies, and some 55,000 professional and volunteer firefighters that operate approximately 6,000 fire engines Statewide. Links Oklahoma City Bombing: California Sent its Best to Midwest Terror Response OESNews.com Podcasts Cal OES Home Page FIRESCOPE      

In this episode we tag along with professional rattlesnake wrangler Lou Fraser, and state park ranger Kerrie Launey. Fraser shows us the kind of habitat in which rattlesnakes can be found, and educates us on their some of their behavior and some of the mistakes people make that lead to bites, all while catching four of the venomous reptiles. Meanwhile, California park ranger Launey tells us about snakes in parks and what you can expect, and she gives us tips for avoiding an unwanted encounter, and what to do in the event you are bitten.  We also have a video that accompanies this podcast at the link below. you'll also find a really cool (and creepy) slideshow. Links INSIDE LOOK: Rattlesnake Awareness, Warm Weather Tips and Backyard Pool Safety (VIDEO) Snakes Slither Into Summer (oesnews.com) Lou Fraser's Rattlesnake Removal USA Rattlesnakes in California (CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife) Rattlesnake Safety (California Department of Parks and Recreation)

    Alex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI Superintendent Jim Tate, CSTI Emergency Management Coordinator Instructor-2 In this episode (#46) we take you to Super Thursday, a sort of “final exam day” for students attending the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) Hazmat Specialist course. We talk with Alex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI Superintendent about the uniqueness of the course, its hands-on approach and the facility in which it takes place.  We also talk with Jim Tate, CSTI Emergency Management Coordinator Instructor-2. He talks about the training itself and what students learn and how important it is.  There is a companion video for this podcast which can be found at oesnews.com after Thursday, June 7, 2018. Under the reorganization of Cal OES, CSTI has evolved into a statewide enterprise with responsibility for supporting training, exercises and education in wide variety of areas including but not limited to; emergency management, public safety, homeland security, hazardous materials, disaster recovery and crisis communications. CSTI is no longer just defined by the San Luis Obispo campus you may be familiar with, but is being developed into a more holistic resource to support your needs whether you are a government, non-profit or private sector organization. Be sure to visit oesnews.com to watch the companion video and see the many pictures taken during Super Thursday! Links California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI)