Revisit Loma Prieta from 35 years ago.
What can happen during and earthquake and what should you do in the moment?
How to best prepare your home, and how might you prepare to survive better in the aftermath?
Understanding the value of Earthquake Insurance

How improved broadband internet might come to SLV

• The state of high-speed internet today in SLV

• Santa Cruz County’s broadband goals

• Middle-mile and last-mile initiatives

• Get involved now: public challenge process to FCC broadband map, for availability & speed

• Where the money comes from: BEAD, CASF, and MBEP

• Next generation of radio communication

Emergency communication before and during disasters is crucial to us in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This meeting highlights several items:

• What is the plan for emergency communication in SLV?

• Who is using MURS radio - Firewise, CERT, and neighborhoods.

• How HAM radio operators help communicate with County OR3

• County Alerts and notifications through: CruzAware, S.A.F.E.R. website, NOAA Weather Radio Alerts

• Santa Cruz County's broadband initiatives to improve equity access to internet; benefits to SLV

What is the Plan? Are you Ready?

How to Prepare and Evacuate Safely

Guest Speakers include: County OR3, Sheriffs Office, BC Fire Department, Equine Evacuation, Cal Fire CZU

Making a plan, having a map, and preparing a go-bag 

General meeting to discuss community priorities, as potential topics for meetings this year. Topics included:  Community Resilience Center initiative by County OR3, How to get/provide information during disasters; Communications for disasters (phone, FM radio, HAM radio, MURS) and social networks for communication; Updates on Long term recovery (CZU, Storms), Insurance; Disaster prep needs for our elders, renters, pets.

Town Hall meeting to understand the Fire Hazard Severity Zone map developed by Cal Fire; requirements for defensible space inspections and building code standards; potential discounts on home insurance; development of Firewise neighborhoods in SLV.

Storm Stories discusses ways the SLV community reacted and responded to the winter storms of Jan-April 2023. Hear about crowd-sourcing efforts to communicate road closures; neighborhoods using radio communication to stay connected and informed; recovery resources for private roads. 

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Eric Bither joins us to explain Cal Fire's role in the state and locally; Defensible Space Inspections; RCD's Spring Chipping Program; Firewise; Examples of property improvements 

Our first "hybrid" meeting, in person at the Felton Branch Library's Community Room and online in Zoom. Reports on several upcoming events, and then members share what's in their Go Bags. Find out what you could add to yours, be it clever, practical, thoughtful, or necessary.

Lisa Ehret from Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience tells us about how the county is organizing to respond to disasters. Watch the video (left), and download the presentation (.pdf, below) for its great resource links.

Preparedness Presentation 

Felton Fire Chief Bob Gray is our guest for the topic of Winter storms and Winterizing. Discusses the big winter storm in December.

Wherein we consider how to start neighborhood organization, such as FireWise or Map Your Neighborhood. How Bonny Doon solved emergency communication needs across many small neighborhoods using MURS radios. 

Nancy Macy from the Environmental Committee of the Valley Women's Club speaks about our current issues including the risk of the electrical distribution wires in the valley. 

Report on Flu Vaccination.

It's been a dry winter; what should we be doing to prepare for the 2021 fire season? Guests from Santa Cruz organizations Fire Safe Council and Firewise join us for tips & inspiration.

Rosemary Anderson, formerly of Santa Cruz County Office of Emergency Services, talks about her achievements, and  her transition to and role in CERT Auxiliary Santa Cruz. It's a great perspective on the progress of emergency preparedness & response in our county.

Current Covid-19 status and concerns for holiday gathering and travel; NOAA weather forecasts for debris flow; Flu Shots; holiday psychology; and household dangers (prevent Christmas tree fires)

Winter weather is coming to San Lorenzo Valley and the burned areas may create additional damage threats to our communities. Debris flows, mudslides and flooding could be outcomes of heavy rains on burned and bald terrain. We view a presentation on Debris Flow and look at the WERT report, discussing concerns in San Lorenzo Valley. Also discusses weather radios with the S.A.M.E. feature.

Home Hardening for Wildfire, starting with the 0-5' zone and expanding our thinking outwards to include our neighborhoods. Our guest speaker is LizAnne Jensen, Bonny Doon resident and Vice President of the non-profit Santa Cruz County Fire Safe Council