Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Preparedness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Presenter describes annual multi-agency wildland preparedness exercise, urges residents to prepare
Summary
A presenter described a countywide annual multi-agency wildland preparedness exercise involving regional fire, law enforcement and utility partners, outlined drills including hose lays and helicopter water drops, and urged residents — including those in La Mesa — to prepare and sign up for alerts.
The Presenter said the county's annual multi-agency wildland preparedness exercise brings together regional firefighters, law enforcement and cooperating partners to rehearse responding to a real wildfire. “This is our annual multi agency wildland preparedness exercise,” the Presenter said.
Organizers listed participating partners including Imperial County, firefighters from Mexico, law enforcement and utility partners (transcript spelled “SDG and E”; presented here as SDG&E). The Presenter said crews will run hands-on drills that mimic initial attack conditions, including hose lays around structures and brush clearing. “The firefighters will practice doing hose lays as if there's a real fire around a structure,” the Presenter said.
The exercise also focuses on coordination between ground crews and aircraft, the Presenter said, describing practice communications with helicopters for water drops and coordination with law-enforcement partners. The Presenter noted that designated response stations in Heartland will be brought into the training and that crews will go through what responding to an initial attack fire would be like.
While called an annual exercise, the Presenter emphasized that training occurs throughout the year. As an example of local risk, the Presenter said, “Say, for example, this fire happened in 1 of the hills in La Mesa, then they're properly trained for this.”
The Presenter urged residents not to rely solely on fire departments and to take personal preparedness steps: prepare homes, pay attention to alerts and sign up for local emergency notifications. “1 thing we always emphasize is prepare yourself, not just rely on the fire department,” the Presenter said. Organizers said the drills are intended to improve interagency response and public safety during wildfires.
Organizers said the exercise will continue as part of recurring training throughout the year and reiterated the call for residents in wildfire-prone areas to register for emergency alerts and stay aware of local conditions.
