November 20, 2019
Public Safety Meeting Minutes
Carolyn Burgess Welcome
⦁ Introduction of Antonio Nunez, 2020 Census Representative
a. For the first time ever the Census will be online!
⦁ Want to increase representation– each person counted means $1,000-$2,000 in government funding
⦁ Spread the Word!
b. Join The 2020 Census Team. They are looking to fill 8,000 jobs for a variety of field and office positions
⦁ Field Supervisors have own team and make $27.50/hour
⦁ Numerators $25.00/hour
⦁ Employee Status (not contractor)
⦁ 3 months to 8 week employment contracts
⦁ Must be 18 and US Citizen
⦁ Over the Phone Interview–Apply Now!
c. Census Office near Oracle Arena in Oakland
d. Apply Online at 2020census.gov/jobs
e. Call 1-855-JOB-2020 for more information or help in applying
⦁ Lessons Learned Discussion started with Key Areas of Concern:
a. Communication – Trouble with Cell Phones, Land Lines, and Internet
b. Food – Preventing Food Spoilage
c. Safety – Police and Fire Briefings
d. Neighbors – Check In! Get Together and Plan
e. Evacuation – Know More Than One Way Out
Communications – Alternatives to Phone and Internet: Hand Held Radios
⦁ Introduction of Radio Communications Experts Gary Potner and Doug Mosher
a. Gary is President (Doug is Member) of Oakland Radio Communication Association, ORCA
b. 90 Members of ORCA, Meet First Saturday of the Month
c. PSPS – Power Safety and Power Shutdown Activated RACES – Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
⦁ RACES Observe traffic, parked vehicles, trees and branches coming down, fire safety in East Bay Hills
⦁ RACES Coordinate with Police and Fire through Radio Messaging on Commercial & Digital Radios
⦁ Amateur radio message goes through main control center and the Office of Emergency Services OES
⦁ RACES is also active on 4th of July & Red Flag Warning Days
⦁ Doug is also Program Manager of Oakland Fire Safe Council, OFSC
a. Practicing Emergency Preparedness in Oakland Hills for 15 Years
b. Presentation of FRS, Family Radio Service, personal hand-held radios
⦁ Great way to check in with neighbors once a week, set a time for everyone to check in
⦁ Police still use radios because cell phones may not work in emergency
⦁ FRS radios 1/2 mile – 1 mile range, depending on terrain
⦁ FRS radios cost $50-$60/pair
c. Presentation of GMRS, General Mobile Radio Services, hand-held radios
⦁ Better than FRS, $90 for 10 year License, 5 watt to 50 watt & can use repeater
⦁ Broader Range: 1-3 miles, depending on terrain
⦁ Great for Neighborhood Groups to Community Organize in and Emergency!
d. For more information on FRS and GMRS please see their attached presentation
CORE Update
1. Currently not available but Fire Chief White is trying to restart program in January
a. Rest of Counties calls it CERT
b. Manuals are available for self teaching
c. CERT training is currently available in other bay area communities, like Marin
Disaster Preparedness Presentation by Vivek Bhatia, Principal of The Bhatia Group
1. Mr Bhatia has done a study on solar power and storage for his families personal use.
See: https://www.thebhatiagroup.com/16-months-of-solar
2. Power & Electricity in an Emergency
a. Consider Capacity – You’ll Need Approximately 4 kwh per day during PSPS – What do you need to power?
⦁ Refrigerator for food and medicine – Ice
⦁ Lighting for safety – Coleman battery operated lanterns work great
⦁ Alarm for security – He tied his to a motorcycle battery!
⦁ Communication – Cell phones and phones need power too – Telecom Companies lost power.
⦁ Radios for information- Most have battery compartments as well, turn them over
⦁ Entertainment
b. Solar without Battery (power during daylight hours only) vs. Solar with Battery – Powerwall by Tesla
c. Gas Generators – 1 Gallon of Gas only lasts 8 Hours and they are loud and smell
d. Large Battery – Goal Zero.com – $3,500 for 3KWH battery
3. Everyone Check In With Your Neighbors and Build a Better Community
a. Invite your neighbors to a social
b. Contact your neighbors in an emergency – 1 to 2 per person is all it takes!
c. Gas Shut Off Valves – Get One and Make Sure Your Neighbor Does Too!
⦁ Shut Off Gas in and Emergency
⦁ New Fire Prevention Code will require a Gas Shut Off Valve in ALL new construction
d. Community Bulk Order for Emergency Kits – Check out his website:
Oakland Fire Department Presentation by Assitant Fire Marshall Manny Watson
1. Activation of EOC for PSPS was flawless
a. When trees went down units worked together to make safe
b. Sent small fire trucks into hills to monitor safety and various situations
2. Be Careful of Wires! EVEN when power is OFF the WIRES ARE LIVE!
3. Garage Doors Are A Safety Hazard – Learn How to Open During a Power Outage/Emergency
a. Pull Door Slowly Up and Use Broom to Keep It Open
b. See attached for more information to Prevent Death! Getting trapped kills!
4. Solar System & Batteries – Isolate which things you want/need
5. GENERATORS SHOULD NOT BE CLOSE to the HOUSE
a. Carbon Monoxide gets into vents!
b. To Prevent Dying of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Place Generator 100 Feet from House
6. Natural Gas Generators – Note that Gas will be turned off in Emergency
7. Medication – Make sure you have enough! Keep Current.
8. Phone System Down – TEXT – it still works
9. Have CASH on hand small bills
a. ATMs don’t work in a power outage!
b. Small Bills – No $100 and No $50 Bills
10. NO CANDLES – They Set Fires!
11. Prep Food
a. Freezer to Cooler – Move things around to keep cold
b. Dry Ice or Large Ice Blocks or Ice Bags – Remember to place a Plastic Bag around the ice for when it melts
c. Cook anything that you can’t keep cold
12. Have a Neighborhood Signal!
a. ONE Long Car Horn (or Bull Horn or hand held air-horn)) means WARNING
b. THREE Long Car Horns (or Bull Horns) means IMMEDIATELY LEAVE!
c. Have a Neighborhood Meeting/Command Center – Know where you’ll all meet up and take attendance
13.City Emergency Sirens WILL WORK generator backups.
14. Every Fire Station has a back-up generator
15. AT&T did not have a back up supply and so they have been called out to fix this problem in the future
16. BE SAFE AND EVACUATE when told!
ECO-BLOCK – UC Berkeley
1. Gary Potner Brought Up Pilot Study of Solar Farms & Micro Grids in East Bay
Police Presentation by Area 2 Police Captain Chris Bolton
1. Worked with All Departments at Central Command Center: Fire and Police including Public Works, PG&E and EBMud
2. Extra 40 officers and volunteers patrolling hills
3. In 15 Minutes, 80 reports of fallen trees and limbs, 34 reports were on WIRES Due to 70 mph Winds
4. EOC activated and used ICS with OFD dominating and confirming/identifying issues
a. PG&E Chopped Trees
b. Public Works was Key Player
5. Crowd Management & Warning – Contingency Plans for Fire in Different Parts of Oakland
a. 3 L-RADS (Public Address System) for emergency notification
b. Can place L-RADS on Car to Notify Residents to Evacuate
c. Evacuation Routes were chosen and planned for
d. Identified high priority intersections ahead of time – Traffic Lights Go Out!
⦁ Officers deployed at high traffic stop signs and bad intersections
⦁ “Ready” Stop Signs Placed
6. Grid Lock & Evacuation Advise – Contingencies
a. Leave Early
b. In evacuation goal is:Keep traffic moving downhill and out
c.Planning Possibility : Open Up Both Sides of 13 to go in ONE DIRECTION
7. * Not One Single Burglary or Vandalism Incident Reported during PSPS.
a. Due to staffing increases and patrolling, they were confident of maintaining safety
b. For future, they will set up Check Points and License Plate Readers at Key Locations to Protect Property
c. Bhatia bought a 12 volt motorcycle battery and 110 decibel horn for house alarm to increase protection
d. Batteries in your security alarm systems go out after approximately 8 hours
8. Parking in Berkeley and Oakland Hills
a. Parking is being addressed with regard to evacuations
b. New Fire Code: 20 feet for Emergency Vehicles to get through
c. OPD Enforcement of 20 foot minimum width to start
⦁ Police will patrol neighborhoods and ticket cars that prevent evacuation!
⦁ 60 % of people living in hills today were not here in 1991 Fire
⦁ New residents may not know what to do in an evacuation or have historical memory of what to do
⦁ New residents may not realize a poorly parked car could mean life and death
9. Berkeley had 3 Practice Evacuation Events. Let’s PLAN ONE for Oakland!
10. Lucky Market in Montclair had in a very Large Generator this last PSPS – They Still Had ICE!
a. Visit and Shop at your local stores that planned well!