Working the Emergency Call Center

Working the Emergency Call Center

A couple of our CERT Disaster Service Worker (DSW) volunteers are taking the opportunity to work at the SCU Lightning Complex call center this weekend. The call center is located at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.

We’re answering calls from people who want an update about returning to their homes and ranches, about the fire situation in this area (the second largest fire event in CA history), traffic in the fire areas, and generally asking who to talk with about things that concern them.

Barbara, from Garden Valley Fire Dept., is one of the Public Information Officers (PIO) with this incident. She’s giving us our first incident briefing.

Barbara, the Call Center Manager, helped at the call center as it was being staffed up (22 Aug). She said the calls grew over time to 800-1,000 calls per hour at its busiest. As of today the calls are slowing as people are getting access and information. (Media: see the contact info below!)

The call center is getting information as fast as it’s being made available by verbal updates, new incident action plans (every 12 hours), new maps (online and big printed maps), and general references. Here’s a great twitter link for you to follow.

As volunteers, we were well taken care of with meals, snacks, lots of coffee and water. We were also visited by Micah, a comfort dog with the local Light of the Valley Lutheran Church members, in support of OUR work.

Easy reference information
Newly updated maps!

Helpful Info & Links

Fire info line: 916-618-3195

Media line: 925-588-6809
Media Email updates: https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/communications/news-release-subscription/

Incident information: http://fire.ca.gov/current_incidents

Evacuation map: tinyurl.com/scu-evacmap

Be Prepared: www.readyforwildfire.org

About the SCU Lightning Complex

The SCU Lightning Complex started on August 16th with multiple fires within the complex. These fires have since merged into one major fire which is broken into two branches, Branch I and Branch II. Warm and dry weather continued overnight above the marine inversion layer for locations above 2000 feet. Humidity values hovered from 15-30% for the higher slopes while the incoming marine layer brought cooler temperatures and good humidity recovery to the lower slopes below 2000’. For the planned burn operations in Branch II the conditions continue to look favorable. Warm and dry above the 2000’ level with humidity lowering to 22-32% through the day. Large columns of smoke will be visible during these operations. Prevailing winds will be from the West to Southwest pushing smoke and fire eastward towards the main fire area. The warm ridge will keep the marine layer compressed to 2000 feet or less with continued warm and dry conditions overnight into Saturday morning. Continue to expect nighttime lowering of the humidity from around 2am-6am, especially above 2000’ which can lead to rapid increases in fire behavior during the pre-dawn hours from fuels burning out or burning operations. (source: CalFire)

UPDATE!
Cal Fire thanks CERT Volunteers for staffing a call center for the SCU Lightning Complex Fire

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