Role of volunteers clarified
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Just days before the recent Southern California fires broke out, the Calabasas City Council discussed a set of recommendations for the roles of emergency preparedness volunteers.

The city's public safety committee put together some guidelines to clarify expectations for the roughly 20 volunteers who make up the Calabasas Emergency Response Program.

According to Gary Lysik, the city's chief financial officer, the role of CERP members is to: gain experience in emergency preparedness and first aid techniques in participating in classes; provide communication services through radios during times of emergency and maintain those radio skills; provide basic first aid treatment at medical supply cache units; take periodic inventory of the cache units; make recommendations for improved emergency preparedness for the city; and assist the Red Cross, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the sheriff's department and Calabasas city personnel when called upon.

"I'm glad to see a very specific set of missions and expectations for those people educating that as their role," Washburn said. "When we incorporated in 1991 we didn't have anything- money or experience. There were many faithful and inventive volunteers who stepped up and actually built us an emergency preparedness program."

Mayor Pro Tem Mary Sue Maurer wanted more specific details. "I think we should specify exactly what we expect them to do as far as training goes," she said. "You've given some examples . . . but I'd like to be a little more absolute and make sure they have American Red Cross CPR and first aid training, shelter training, and whatever you deem necessary for that role.

"I think one of the greatest responsibilities of local government, post Katrina, is ensuring that our community is prepared for any type of disaster," Maurer said.

Maurer also recommended the city's commissioners undergo emergency preparedness training. Council member Barry Groveman was concerned about planning for when services aren't available.

"What are we going to do in an emergency when the unified command or the mutual aid pulls all of these contract resources out of our city?" he said. "I think that's an important thing to have a dialogue on. We can envision earthquakes, and we've all seen the fires. We also can envision some serious incident downtown and what's that going to do to our resource?"

Councilmember Jonathon Wolfson agreed.

"Maybe- well, not maybe- we'll get to the matter of under what conditions will contract assets be pulled from the city," said City Manager Tony Coroalles. Maybe we need to have a workshop or side meeting with the county about this."