Sonoma County sees rise in neighborhood disaster preparedness groups since wildfires

Marilee Jensen and her neighbors had no warning and little idea how to respond when the October 2017 Nuns fire roared into their Bennett Ridge community east of Santa Rosa.

When the flames were finally brought under control and evacuation orders lifted, the disaster's full scope came into view: 92 of 128 homes along the ridgeline bordering Trione-Annadel State Park were destroyed. One person was killed.

Traumatized neighbors sought comfort in each other. Many vowed to be better prepared next time.

“Our friends and our neighbors who have lost everything they own, there was nobody there to warn us,” said Jensen, who has lived on Bennett Ridge for 41 years. “We're ready to take care of ourselves.”

The rural community has made steady progress on an emergency response plan in coordination with local government officials. Across Sonoma County, similar grassroots efforts are underway in residential areas prone to wildfire, flood and other natural disasters.

These neighborhood groups vary in their scope and ambition. But they share a common vision: the recognition that official aid may not be readily available when disaster strikes.

“It's the whole idea of neighbors helping neighbors,” said Priscilla Abercrombie, a nurse practitioner who lives with her husband, Pat, on Fitch Mountain outside Healdsburg. “We know during the fire it was neighbors knocking on your door telling you to get the hell out. It wasn't firefighters or the sheriff because they were busy elsewhere helping.”

The couple spearheaded the creation of a Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies group in their neighborhood. Oakmont resident Sue Hattendorf created the first-of-its kind program in 2004 in response to earthquakes. Santa Rosa adopted the program in 2006.

With no official data, it's difficult to say how many of these and similar neighborhood groups exist in Sonoma County. But they appear to be rapidly growing in number, with about a dozen COPE groups active in northern Sonoma County alone, according to Priscilla Abercrombie.

“They're literally popping up everywhere,” Santa Rosa's Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal said. “We're not only getting called to neighborhoods, we're getting called to apartment complexes, senior complexes, everything.”

Past warning groups

Historically, warning groups in this region focused on earthquakes and giving people the tools and resources to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours. Those “shelter in place” plans have had to be adjusted and updated in the aftermath of fast-moving wildfires, which force people to flee for their lives on a moment's notice, often with little more than the clothes they are wearing.

Such was the case when flames from the Nuns fire raced across Bennett Ridge and residents there were forced to flee on the only road out of the community.

Prior to the fire, gatherings organized by the Bennett Ridge Community Association were mainly social affairs, held two or three times a year for friends and neighbors to catch up. Now, there is frenetic activity around a single purpose: emergency preparedness.

The group's ambitious plans include a radio communication system for neighbors to keep in touch when cellphones don't work, alarms inside homes that can be activated by anyone during emergencies and clearing defensible space around houses. Residents also are homing in on an alternative escape route and seeking official designation as a “firewise” community.

“I feel that we are safer now, but we have a lot more to do,” Jensen said.

Jensen spoke as she and her husband, Joseph Taddei, were on their way to another meeting with Cyndi Foreman, a fire prevention officer for Sonoma County Fire.

A Fitch Mountain plan

At Fitch Mountain, residents also are working closely with fire prevention officials on their own preparedness plan. An iconic landmark of north Sonoma County, Fitch Mountain boasts views of Healdsburg and easy access to the Russian River. Hundreds of homes, many valued well into the millions, are nestled in the forest.

The neighborhood's exclusivity also raises the red flag of concern: What would residents do if a wildfire suddenly erupted?

“We need to have options, because we only have one road in and out, and part of that road is in bad shape,” Priscilla Abercrombie said.

She said 340 houses are in the Fitch Mountain area. A significant percentage are vacation rentals or second homes, adding to the challenge of getting neighbors together to prepare for the worst.

The COPE program entails a census to document residents' contact information, special needs or health concerns, and useful equipment, like chainsaws or generators. Residents record other information, such as location of gas, water and electric shut-off valves, and how to manually open their garage door.

The Fitch Mountain group is working on getting two-way radios for residents to use during emergencies. On red flag days, Pat Abercrombie, president of the community association, e-blasts members of the group with reminders to have emergency bags ready.

He and his wife also fly a red flag outside their home as a visual reminder.

Neighbors attend regular meetings with city and county officials to share information and to get updated on emergency plans.

One such meeting held recently at the Healdsburg Fire Department focused on whether residents could - or should - use the Russian River as an escape route if all other routes are blocked during a disaster.

The presentation was led by Cal Fire Battalion Chief Marshall Turbeville, who also is chief of the Geyserville Fire Department.

Lowenthal said emergency plans for neighborhoods are not one-size-fits-all, and that each must be tailored to fit specific areas and needs.

The fact so many residents are accepting the challenge has not gone unnoticed among local emergency planning officials, who applaud the effort.

“I'm impressed by the staying power of many of these community groups and neighborhood groups,” said Christopher Godley, Sonoma County's emergency services manager. “It's very easy to come together after an event and say we should have a block captain. But a lot of these groups are engaged, and for a long time.”