Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Preparedness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carmel-by-the-Sea volunteers urge home hardening at wildfire-preparedness event; council approves AV upgrades
Summary
At a June 20 meeting, a CERT co-captain outlined a series of community wildfire-preparedness events and described small, practical home-hardening steps; the council also announced it approved audiovisual upgrades for the council chambers.
An unnamed council member opened the June 20 meeting of the Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council by introducing Wanda Bomer, CERT co-captain, who discussed community wildfire safety and the village’s “Carmel prepares” outreach series.
Bomer, a volunteer leader with the local Community Emergency Response Team, described a program starting the following day — billed as “ready, set, defend” and scheduled for 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. — that will include a talk by Chief Cooper on defensible space and home hardening, a fire-extinguisher training demonstration, a question-and-answer period, breakfast and a raffle. She also outlined additional events: a September session on disaster kits and first-aid training and a Nov. 8 session on winter-storm preparedness and hands-only CPR.
“Just start small,” Bomer said of home-hardening efforts. She described measures she has taken at her own home, including installing ember-resistant mesh around vents and under a deck and creating a 0-to-5-foot defensible space zone around the house. She also said she trimmed small redwood limbs near eaves after receiving notice from her insurance carrier.
The council’s recent adoption of new wildfire maps was mentioned during the discussion; speakers framed the outreach series as a way to translate new mapping and fuel-load reduction efforts into practical steps residents can take.
Separately, the meeting included an announcement that the City Council approved audiovisual improvements for the council chambers. The upgrades described include new microphones aimed at audience members, a new screen, a projector and new cameras. The transcript does not provide mover/second or vote tallies for that approval.
The council also noted administrative details for upcoming meetings: the packet for June 30 and July 1 will be prepared next week. Bomer closed by encouraging residents to attend the events and to approach home-hardening incrementally rather than all at once.
The remarks about wildfire preparedness occurred during the agenda discussion and were not recorded as a formal adoption of new regulations in this meeting; the session focused on outreach and education and on notifying residents about steps they can take to reduce fire risk.
