Central County Fire Department is dedicated to keeping our communities
prepared and resilient by providing information that will allow them to serve
not only themselves but their neighborhood and beyond. This e-Newsletter is to keep
 you informed. Preparedness and resilience starts with you.

Emergency Preparedness Event for Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities

Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Menlo Park Senior Center
110 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park

Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities is hosting an Emergency Preparedness Event for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities! If you are interested in attending, RSVP by email at [email protected] or by phone at 650-645-1780 ext 202.
 



  
13th Annual Disaster Preparedness Day
  
Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 10:00am - 2:00pm
San Mateo County Fair, 1346 Saratoga Ave, San Mateo
 
 
CCFD Annual Pancake Breakfast
 
Saturday, June 17, 2017, 8:00am-12:00pm
Fire Station 34, 799 California Dr., Burlingame
 
Join Central County Fire Department for their annual Pancake Breakfast on June 17th. This fundraiser will benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation which is a non profit organization dedicated to burn prevention and survivor assistance. For more information go to Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation

 

  
 
 
Earthquake Kit Making Session
  
Saturday, June 24, 2017
990 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame
 
 
The Burlingame Neighborhood Network as well as the Burlingame Lions Club will be hosting an Emergency Kit Making Session. You will learn how to assemble emergency kits for your family, home and workplace. 
  
Is Your Location in Burlingame at High Risk During an Earthquake
  
Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:00pm
Burlingame Recreation Center
850 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame
Speaker: Thomas Brocher, Ph.D., Research Geologist at USGS
 
Please join Burlingame CERT for this evening's free presentation by Tom Brocher, Ph. D, the Team Chief Scientist on the Earthquake Hazards Team and recent Coordinator for Northern California Earthquake Hazard Investigations for the USGS in Menlo Park where he has worked for 23 years. Using maps, Tom will be highlighting areas of our city which are potentially more prone to damage during an earthquake. What can you expect if you live or work in these areas and what can you do to mitigate the risks?
  
Please RSVP to Rik Kasuga, Burlingame CERT Volunteer Program Coordinator, at [email protected] by July 10, 2017



Newest CERT Members from Spring 2017 CERT Training



 



On May 20th, we completed our Spring session of CERT Training and we added 7 new CERT members to our CCFD CERT Team. We look forward to adding Melissa Andrade, Alexandra Kromelow, Justin Kromelow, Patrick McKee, Audrey Molettieri, Jennifer Sepulveda, Krista Zitnick, to our CERT family.


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Silver Dragon XI
by Marge Colapietro, Millbrae CERT Public Information Officer

A great shout-out to all of our Emergency Preparedness Volunteers who participated in the San Mateo County SILVER DRAGON XI EXERCISE on April 20, 2017. Millbrae had 41 participants consisting of: CERT, LEND Radio, MARC (Millbrae Amateur Radio Club) and SVIP (Sheriff's Volunteering in Policing) volunteers who devoted a total of 224 hours plus an additional 8 individual partners from CCFD, SMC Health Department, SMC Mosquito and Vector Control Department, SMC OES and MCTV - our Press in the ICP (Incident Command Post) and in the neighborhoods throughout the entire exercise. Grand totals: 49 participants, 250 hours!  We also welcomed Millbrae's OES Coordinator Bill Reilly to our 9th year of participating in the County Silver Dragon exercise. Bill Reilly and Dino DeRanieri made a great team and both expressed sincere gratitude to Millbrae volunteers. They also commended us for being able to adjust routes when a couple of volunteers weren't able to participate at the last minute. Though there were a few minor glitches we used them as improvement goals for next year. Without a doubt, we all remain very proud of each other and of the almost 200 Emergency Preparedness Volunteers who have gone through Communications and Emergency Preparedness Training Programs provided by former Millbrae Firefighters and current CCFD Firefighters. To view a 3.5 minute of the Millbrae Silver Dragon XI exercise you may log on to: MCTV-TV  - on the home page simply scroll down to the photo frame: "2017 CERT Silver Dragon Emergency Response Exercise" and be sure to turn on your speakers. When finished we invite you to "like" the production.
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Millbrae LEND Monthly Ratio Net
by Marge Colapietro, Millbrae CERT Public Information Officer

The year of 2007 was the beginning of gathering a small group of about 10 community volunteers who wished to learn about how to assist in our neighborhoods when disasters occur and when our first responders are called to major incident areas - not able to tend to the smaller needs throughout the community. Radio communications is the basic essential and vital skill during disasters. Every month since 2007 all community volunteers trained to use a simple "walkie-talkie" hand radio plus some MARC ("ham operators") began a ten-year journey to stay connected via a "radio net." The home base is in the ICP and the volunteers respond from their homes. We have 89 volunteers who have taken the radio communications class with about 75%-80% who regularly connect! If anyone is interested in witnessing the Millbrae LEND Monthly Radio Net you are invited to join us on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:45pm in the David J. Chetcuti Community Room at 450 Poplar Ave., Millbrae 94030. The Roll-Call usually ends by 7:30pm.

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Are You Ready for Wildfire Season?
  by Kim Giuliacci, Fire Prevention Specialist
 
Every year, wildfires burn across the U.S., and more and more people are living where wildfires are a real risk. But by working together, residents can make their own property - and their neighborhood - much safer from wildfire by creating a defensible space.
  
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Action steps for around your home:
  • CLEAR leaves and other vegetative debris from roofs, gutters, porches and decks. This helps prevent embers from igniting your home.
  • REMOVE dead vegetation and other items from under your deck or porch, and within 10 feet of the house.
  • SCREEN in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.
  • REMOVE flammable materials (wood piles, propane tanks) within 30 feet of your home's foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. If it can catch fire, don't let it touch your house, deck or porch.
  • PRUNE trees so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground. Wildfire can spread to tree tops.
  • DISPOSE of debris and lawn cuttings quickly to reduce fuel for fire.
  • INSPECT shingles or roof tiles. Replace or repair the shingles that are loose or missing to prevent ember penetration.
  • COVER exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent sparks from entering the home.
  • ENCLOSE eaves and screen soffit vents using 1/8 mesh metal screening to prevent ember entry.
The more actions a community takes, the more fire adapted it becomes. Learn how you can make a difference in your community. Visit http://www.fireadapted.org/ for more information.

 
As always, stay involved and stay connected. The Burlingame and Hillsborough Neighborhood Networks have excellent ways of getting to know your neighbors and what each of you can do to make your neighborhood a better and safer place.
For Burlingame Neighborhood Network go to BNN 
For Neighborhood Network and go to HNN.
 
 
Central County Fire Department
1399 Rollins Road, Burlingame
650-558-7600

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