(Photo by Iryna Ishchenko)
WATSONVILLE — In the wake of a series of hurricanes that slammed the East Coast, and a pair of earthquakes that ripped through Mexico earlier this month, Santa Cruz County residents are starting to wonder when the disaster will strike closer to home.
It was after the second major temblor in Mexico that locals began to think about how they could help, said American Red Cross of the Central Coast Disaster Programs Manager Patsy Gasca.
“That’s when the calls started coming in,” she said.
Gasca said the organization trains individuals or groups to assist in disasters ranging from fires to earthquakes to floods. Duties can include helping to feed victims and find them temporary shelter.
While the Red Cross frequently assists when single families or small numbers are affected by a calamity, the organization specializes in situations in which large numbers need help.
This is still the case in the coastal regions of Florida and Texas, which were recently hit by hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
At one point, some 24,000 people sought shelter, Gasca said.
“That’s when we need lots and lots of boots on the ground,” she said.
Gasca stressed that, while the organization needs assistance in the immediate aftermath of catastrophes, it also needs long-term help, both financially and physically, since it can take years for communities to recover.
It took years to help victims rebuild from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Gasca said.
“I always say we’re supporting these people now, because next time it could be us,” she said.
The county’s Certified Emergency Response Team training program recently restarted training in South County after an eight-year hiatus, said Santa Cruz County Emergency Services Manager Rosemary Anderson.
But such training is occurring across the county.
A recent two-day drill in Bonny Doon tested the mettle of a group that had just completed its own CERT training, Anderson said.
That event included search-and-rescue drills, medical triage practice and logistics, she said.
“It was really amazing,” she said.
The training is adapted by geographic region, since mountainous communities will have different problems and needs than those close to the coast, Anderson said.
Training is currently underway in Watsonville, with 40 people learning how to help their communities, and themselves, in the event of a disaster, Anderson said.
More sessions are planned for the future, as more people look for ways to help themselves and others.
“It makes sense for all of Santa Cruz County residents to be self-reliant and prepared,” she said.
The idea, Anderson said, is for residents to be prepared to survive for four days after a disaster strikes.
“The reason why (CERT) was created in the first place is that first responders will not be able to reach many people for 96 hours,” she said. “It’s a really good way to be proactive and give people a reality check. That self resilience and reliance is going to be critically important.”
Such training is also a chance for neighbors to meet each other and learn to work together, Anderson said.
“The premise for me is about building relationships and community,” she said. “There is no bad reason to take the training.”
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For information on Community Emergency Response Team training, visit www.santacruzcountycert.org.
For information on Red Cross training, call 624-6921 or visit www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal/chapters/central-coast.
