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County News: Mono Red Cross- ready to serve |
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Wednesday, 21 February 2007 |
By Stacey Powells
Special to the Mammoth Times
When we hear the term 'Red Cross' being tossed around in the media we envision disasters that happens somewhere else, but few places on this planet have the potential for several different kinds of disasters than Mono County. We live amongst a forest that can burn. We live in close proximity to a sleeping volcano that by all accounts, can wake up. Finally, we are geographically located in an area that has been known to get more than 50 feet of snow in one season, with the possibility of 25 percent of that snowfall dropping within a few days. The Red Cross is as invaluable in Mono County as water coverage is to the Owens Lake bed.
California law mandates provision of shelter and care for tourists and residents who become displaced. Because of this law counties in California have a Red Cross chapter. Historically, Mono County is assigned to the Red Cross chapter in Los Angeles, but the relationship between the two has been strained so moves are being made for Mono County Red Cross to be reassigned to the chapter in Northern Nevada which would be much more practical and convenient in the event of an emergency.
In December of 2006 the job of Shelter Coordinator for Mono County fell to longtime county employee Kathy Watkins. She set about the task of bringing together all the pieces needed for a localized, functioning Red Cross chapter in Mono County. To have a Red Cross shelter, three things have to be in place: a signed agreement between the Red Cross and the shelter owner; trained and available volunteers ready to go at a moment's notice (this includes trained mental health workers); and a locked area where supplies are stored.
The Town of Mammoth Lakes and the Mammoth Lakes Police Department are ready to mobilize in case there is a localized emergency in the town. The fire department, the Town and social services have thrown together their resources to pay for a trailer full of supplies, manpower and generators in the event of an emergency. If the disaster in town is a fire and evacuation is essential then the fire chief will call the Sheriff's dispatch to start the shelter process. If it's a snowstorm and the roads are shut and there are 40,000 people in the town of Mammoth Lakes with nowhere to go, then the MLPD will request shelter set-up through dispatch. Kathy Watkins will be notified by dispatch to set up the shelters in the designated locations. A public health official will be on hand if it is a public shelter to oversee food and waste issues. One lesson to come from the Katrina disaster is that security is needed to prevent crimes within the shelters and that security will also be provided by the local police department.
No matter where the emergency is in Mono County, Watkins will eventually get the call from dispatch. She will be told where the disaster is, how many people need to be evacuated and to what location. The Red Cross trained, predesignated shelter managers are called and from there they start the 'call-out' procedures for help. Shelter Managers keep in touch with the Shelter Coordinator throughout the set-up process and arrangements are made to make sure all shelters have food available for those displaced.
Since Watkins has come aboard the local Red Cross chapter for Mono County now has signed shelter agreements with every community center in Mono County including Walker, Lee Vining, Bridgeport, June Lake, Benton, Crowley and a shelter agreement with Topaz Ranch Estates in Douglas County, Nev.-a smart move if Coleville had to be evacuated and they couldn't go south on U.S. 395. There are more than 60 trained shelter workers countywide, including health and mental health workers, and 15 actual Red Cross-card carrying volunteers. Additionally, the Mono County Red Cross also has DAT teams (Disaster Action Teams) in place that can respond to single family events and it has also partnered with many hotels and restaurants that will step in the event an emergency situation occurs.
For more information on the Mono County Red Cross, please contact Kathy Watkins at (760) 924-1793.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 19 August 2007 )
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