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Block-captain networks credited with speeding recovery; leaders urge stable funding
Summary
Survivors and community leaders said block captain networks provided neighborhood-level coordination that accelerated rebuilding and continue to support prevention; they urged state funding for startup, staff playbooks, and local coordinators.
Brad Sherwood, a Mark West-area resident, Tubbs Fire survivor and block captain cofounder, told the committee block captains serve as the "last mile" for preparedness and recovery: organizing neighbor-to-neighbor support, running needs assessments and acting as a liaison with local, state and federal staff. "It brings people to the table to help rebuild together," Sherwood said, adding that volunteers often paid out-of-pocket to sustain communications and outreach.
Sherwood and other panelists urged the Legislature to consider funding mechanisms for block-captain programs and to formalize playbooks and training for staff and local officials. He pointed to a Los Angeles example where private corporate funding supports full-time coordinators and argued Sonoma County needs similar sustained resources to avoid relying on unpaid volunteers.
Public commenters amplified these requests, describing mutual water companies and small rural neighborhoods that lack startup funding. The committee recorded the recurring recommendation that the state prioritize implementation funding and consider small grants that seed local coordination infrastructure rather than only large, multi-year planning funds.
