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Woodside Fire Protection District reports new hire, training and neighborhood 'nodes' readiness program
Summary
At the April 2 meeting, Woodside Fire Protection District staff reported hiring Grace Chow, outfitting a Type 3 engine, a March 24 vegetation response, recognition of firefighter-paramedic Amanda Dale, and outlined a WPV Ready 'nodes' neighborhood program funded by EPIC with upcoming communicator training on April 21.
Representatives from the Woodside Fire Protection District briefed the Portola Valley Emergency Preparedness Committee on staffing, recent responses, training and a neighborhood readiness program called 'nodes'.
A district representative said the department filled a finance technician position with Grace Chow, who began March 2, and that a Type 3 engine is being prepared for service at Station 7. The representative described the department’s response on March 24 to a vegetation fire in a state-responsibility area on the district border, estimating the incident at about half an acre with a few spot fires; crews contained the blaze quickly.
The district representative emphasized the role of the county alert system in those incidents. As Selena put it during the meeting, “the SMC alerts when we push them out it is not a FYI; it is whether we want them to take an action,” and she urged residents to "monitor WatchDuty and fire and dispatch" for accurate incident information.
The committee also heard that firefighter‑paramedic Amanda Dale was recognized by the Peninsula Council of Lions Club on March 27 for lifesaving work during a sudden cardiac arrest. The district reported about 30 people attended recent WPV Ready training and a full-scale exercise that utilized victim volunteers and an incident-management exercise to simulate response roles.
A major focus was the WPV Ready 'nodes' program, a low‑tech neighborhood connection system adapted from a model that originated in Seattle after a 2006 windstorm and later adapted in San Jose by David Moore. The nodes concept pairs small neighborhood teams with a simple 'node-in-a-bag' kit (forms and instructions) to help neighbors request and offer help after a disruption; the district plans to provide kits to neighborhoods that sign up. The committee was told EPIC will fund the node kits and that the district will post materials on its website, share the presentation via group lists and host a communicator training session on April 21 at Station 19 (6:30–9:30 p.m.).
District staff said they will post the recorded node presentation and other training materials after light editing to make them available to residents online. Committee members urged simpler outreach materials, neighborhood recognition (e.g., a 'ready neighborhood' designation), and closer coordination with Firewise and HOA channels to recruit local leaders for nodes and CERT efforts.
What’s next: the district will post training recordings and continue outreach; the committee offered to help coordinate neighborhood recruitment and requested a follow-up on the node exercises and communicator training.
