Ready San Diego Blog

Heads Up For Disaster Readiness Billboard Campaign

 Allstate Foundation-Sponsored Signs Urge Residents to Prepare by Visiting County Website

The billboard features the words, "You can’t predict, but you can prepare" against a dramatic image of a firefighter emerging from a smoky wildland area. Many San Diego County residents learned this lesson firsthand in 2003 and 2007. The outdoor public service campaign was made possible through an $80,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation and employed by the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services to prepare residents against wildfires and other emergencies.

    "Allstate and the Allstate Foundation have been strong partners in supporting the County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Day and producing public service announcements that are currently broadcast on local television," said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.

Eleven billboards have been placed along local freeways in the County with the goal of reaching more residents with the public service announcement.

    "Allstate cares about our communities, and the information provided in all this public outreach will serve as an important reminder that emergencies do happen. Each of us can prepare in order to protect ourselves and our families," said Phil Telgenhoff, Allstate Assistant Field Vice President for California.

Don’t let a wildfire or other emergency catch you unprepared. Learn what you can do to lessen your risks for various hazards, including having a disaster plan for your family and signing up to receive emergency notifications on your cell phone by visiting  www.ReadySanDiego.org.

 

 

RESIDENTS URGED TO REVIEW FAMILY EMERGENCY PLANS

Campaign Aims To Help San Diegans Understand What It Truly Means To Be Ready

September is National Preparedness Month and the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services is encouraging individuals, families, businesses and communities to prepare for emergencies.

"San Diego regional emergency managers and fire personnel are bracing for a potentially dangerous fall season for fires due to a prolonged drought that has dried out much of the natural vegetation in the County's rural areas. The conditions accentuate how critical it is for residents to take steps now to assess the fire and other hazard risks at home, work and even on their commute," said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. "By identifying hazards in those places where you spend the most time, you can develop a plan to reduce, and in some cases, eliminate those threats."

This year, National Preparedness Month is focused on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and asking "Are You Ready or Are You Ready?"

To learn more about wildfire awareness and general preparedness, please visit www.ReadySanDiego.org.

National Preparedness Month focuses on promoting preparedness on an individual and community level. The County of San Diego has participated in the campaign for 25 years.

Before the Threat DVD Online

More than 55 fire agencies and thousands of volunteers participated in the July 25 "Before the Threat" fire preparedness campaign kickoff.

The San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association and the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services partnered with Farmers Insurance Group to bring the campaign to the region.

Farmers Insurance Group provided a $200,000 grant that was used to produce and purchase preparedness materials that will be distributed to 400,000 homes throughout San Diego County.

Firefighters and volunteers will continue the delivery of the preparedness materials on Saturday, Aug. 1 in high fire-risk communities.

To view the "Before the Threat" DVD, click here to go to ReadySanDiego.org. You can also find some of the "Extras" included in the disc on our site.

Fire Agencies Need Volunteers to Deliver Preparedness Materials

As part of the "Before the Threat" regional public education effort, the City of Carlsbad Emergency Preparedness, San Diego CERT Program, Deer Springs Fire, Lakeside Fire, Montezuma Valley Volunteer Fire, Pala Fire, San Diego County Fire Authority/CAL Fire Branch, San Miguel Fire, and Vista Fire all need your help in delivering valuable fire preparedness information to homes in their high fire-risk communities this Saturday, July 25, 2009 or Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009.

On July 25 and August 1, San Diego County residents will take to the streets, back roads, byways and highways in a Summer of Service for wildfire preparedness. "Before The Threat" volunteers will reach up to 400,000 households in areas of high risk for wildfire.

Having experienced two catastrophic Fire Sieges in only four years, San Diego's first responders and volunteers will fight back in 2009 by joining forces and going door-to-door with "Before The Threat" - a toolkit offering life-saving information on preparing home and family for firestorms. Along with brochures and printed materials, the packet features a handsomely produced DVD which individuals are encouraged to share with neighbors and friends.

To learn how to assist in this regional public education effort, please follow this link.

Massive Countywide Door-To-Door Preparedness Campaign Gets Underway

Beginning this Saturday, July 25, 2009, from one end of the County to the other, 400,000 “Before The Threat” DVD prevention and preparedness packages will be delivered door to door in the County’s high-risk urban interface areas. 

A continued drought, 500,000 acres of aged unburned brush throughout the County, and cutbacks in fire service have put us all on high alert. 

Teams of First Responders from 55 fire agencies will be joined by an army of as many as 3,000 volunteers from all areas of San Diego County. Local fire agencies and volunteers will rally at Qualcomm Stadium for the kickoff. Prior to a 10 a.m. news conference, agencies will be able to pick up the prevention and preparedness packages, volunteer T-shirts and B4TT carry bags. Volunteers from the Farmers Insurance Group will provide a free breakfast for all volunteers.

“The fires of 2003 and 2007 will never allow us to forget the importance of a well- prepared, well-educated community,” said Augie Ghio, President of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association. “After reviewing the Before The Threat preparedness package, residents will have a better understanding of what to do before, during and after a wildfire.”

This first-time regional effort is made possible through a $200,000 grant from the Farmers Insurance Group.

“Farmers Insurance is proud to be a supporter of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services and the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association,” said Steve Feely, Farmers Senior Vice President of State Operations and a San Diego resident. “We know this program will save lives and property in San Diego County and working together, we can all make a difference.”

“The County urges residents to take the time to view the DVD and accompanying materials and then make a plan to get prepared before the next big wildfire,” said Ron Lane, Director of the Office of Emergency Services. “A fire- prepared region starts at the individual level and builds to the community level.”

Volunteer San Diego is also joining the Partnership by helping to organize the massive number of volunteers this project will depend on.

For more information,  please go to our website.

Ramona Fire Seeks "Before the Threat" Volunteers

Farmers Insurance Group has partnered with members of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association, the CalFire/Ramona Fire Department and the Ramona West End Fire Safe Council in ramping up its “Before the Threat” preparedness and prevention campaign. 

This public education effort combines digital information with door-to-door contact. Packets contain a DVD which has life saving, property saving information on what to do before, during and after a wildfire. 

This year we are hoping teams of community volunteers join our Firefighters in a door-to-door campaign in the Ramona Municipal Water District/Fire Department’s high hazard urban interface areas.

Two major fires in four years have shown all of us the need to be prepared and the need to create defensible space, to have an evacuation plan, and to have the supplies necessary to take care of your families for up to a week. Currently Fire Departments countywide are planning two major indoctrination days on Saturday, July 25, 2009 and Saturday, August 1, 2009. 

Volunteers will be given “Before the Threat” T-shirts and delivery bags. If you are able to service your community in this volunteer effort please contact: 

CalFire/Ramona Fire Department Station 80

760-788-2250

www.ramonafire.com

West End Fire Safe Council

Kristi Mansolf

760-445-8545

kmansolf@gmail.com

Fire Agencies Gearing Up To Deliver "Before the Threat" Information

San Miguel Fire spokesman Leonard Villarreal talks to Channel 10 News about this Saturday's "Before the Threat" countywide delivery of fire preparedness information.

This weekend, San Diego County fire departments will hand out a fire preparedness kit that includes a DVD to help residents ready themselves for possible wildfires. For the past six years, wildfires have wreaked havoc on many homes and lives around the county. Rancho San Diego resident Greg Daunoras said he hopes his home does not become a part of that history.

See this video clip and this link to see and hear about "Before the Threat."

Video: KUSI News Features "Before the Threat" Campaign

KUSI News recently featured the Before the Threat campaign on its San Diego People program which was broadcast on July 12. Program host Paul Bloom discussed the regional fire preparedness efforts with San Diego County Fire Chief's Association President Augie Ghio, Jerry Davies, Farmers Insurance Group Director of Media & Public Relations for North America, Sue Carter, Executive Director of Volunteer San Diego and San Diego County Office of Emergency Services Director Ron Lane.

On July 25 and August 1, 2009, firefighters and volunteers will go door to door in the County's and cities' highest fire risk communities with critical information to help residents prepare for a wildfire.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Volunteers are being sought to help deliver packets to homes. If you are interested in assisting, contact your local fire department to offer to help or visit VolunteerSanDiego.org and check their Before the Threat project board. Visit our Before The Threat site for more information about the campaign. 

Media Coverage of Before the Threat Campaign

The San Diego Union-Tribune interviewed Cal-Fire officials about the upcoming fire season and the importance of preparing properties and families in the event of a wildfire. Below is an excerpt:

Officials emphasize that firefighting equipment has limited usefulness during the high winds that drive major fires.

“The real key is individual preparedness,” Windsor said. “People need to get out and do those things to help protect themselves and their community from a fire.”

As part of a county program called Before the Threat 2009, beginning in mid-July, 400,000 packages that include a DVD will be delivered door-to-door in areas with a high fire risk.

The packages, which contain information about how to protect houses from wildfires, will be delivered by teams from 65 county fire agencies and about 3,000 volunteers. A $200,000 grant from Farmers Insurance will pay for the program.

To read the entire article click here.  Photo courtesy of Cal-Fire.

Media Coverage of Before the Threat

Here is some of yesterday's local news coverage of the Before the Threat campaign.

In the North County Times:

SAN DIEGO ---- After being distributed to 10,000 homes last year, a wildfire prevention video is getting a countywide release in July.

Volunteers working throughout the county will hand deliver 400,000 copies of "Before the Threat," a 16-minute video created last year by the San Miguel Fire Consolidated Fire Protection District and Farmers Insurance Group. This year's distribution also is supported by the county's Office of Emergency Services, the San Diego County Fire Chief's Association and the state's Emergency Management Agency.

Officials said at a news conference Tuesday that they hope the public education campaign will better prepare the residents for the kind of deadly firestorms that scorched the region in 2003 and 2007.

You can read the entire article here.

On Channel 8, click here for two videos. Note that the Channel 8 website incorrectly states in the web text that the door-to-door campaign would start today, but it will be done on July 18 and July 25.