Local emergencies remind us to be prepared
To help keep the Mendocino Coast Community informed of Coronavirus updates, Dr. William Miller, Mendocino Coast District Hospital Chief of Staff; and Tabatha Miller, Fort Bragg City Manager (no relation), have teamed up for The Miller Report, a hyperlocal, weekly column on the progress of COVID-19 within our community. The two Millers will be trading off writing the column each week; this week is Tabatha Miller’s turn.
The Oak Fire that threatened homes and lives last week in the Brooktrails community reminded many of us that we need to be prepared not only to shelterin-place, but also to evacuate at a moment’s notice. There are a few easy things — find them at listoscalifornia.org — that can be accomplished in an evening that will better prepare you to evacuate if it becomes necessary.
First, sign up for the MendoAlert, this is the primary system used to notify the public during emergencies and disasters in Mendocino County. The system allows you to register to receive phone calls, text messages and emails based on location. This means you can register to receive notifications about your workplace, home, kids’ school or other family member’s location.
Second, make a plan to protect your family. Remember, your family is your people and may include pets and close friends. Communication is key to that plan. Make sure you have contact information and note that local cell and data connections may get overloaded and not work in an emergency. Often it is easier to contact someone outside the area than locally. Designate an out-ofthe-area person who can relay messages between your family. My person is my little sister who lives in the Midwest. Consider establishing a meeting place and a backup plan if that location is unsafe.
Third, pack an emergency “go-bag.” There are couple of versions of a gobag. One type assumes you have a vehicle and some room and another that you want to be able to carry with your person, such as what can fit in a pack bag. Start simple and include important documents such as identification, passports, insurance information, medical prescriptions, a credit card and contact lists.
Also important is spare cash, keys, phone, charger, medications, eyeglasses or contact lenses, and maps. Extra clothes (including jackets), flashlights, batteries, sleeping bags, comfortable shoes, a tent, food and water are items to keep in your vehicle.
A rule of thumb is to have three days’ worth of supplies for each household member. If you have kids or pets, plan for their needs with pet food, leashes, toys and entertainment. Also remember to pack hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and facial coverings for each family member.
A good source of information on preparing to evacuate in case of wildfires is www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-forwildfire/get-set/. If you want information on preparing for any type of emergency, ready.gov is a great resource. Track local air quality at www. iqair.com/us/usa/california/fort-bragg.
Water emergency declared
As everyone (at least in the city limits) should be aware, the City Council declared a Stage 2 water emergency on Aug. 31, and implemented mandatory Stage 2 water conservation measures.
Stage 2 water conservation measures target a 20 percent reduction in water usage. For information on the city’s water sources and uses, including daily tracking, check out the city’s website at city.fortbragg.com. This last week, the cloud and smoke cover and lower temperatures raised the water levels in the Noyo River, allowing the city to pump more water. That, plus reduced usage, kept the city’s 22.6 million gallons of storage at capacity.
High tides are expected this week starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Tuesday, Sept. 22 and may detrimentally impact the city’s ability to take water from the Noyo River. If water storage levels can remain stable, staff will recommend that the City Council reduce the water emergency to a Stage 1 on Sept. 28.
As a side note, the most common water conservation question this week has been whether you are allowed to wash the ash and smoke off your vehicles. The answer is yes, so long as you use a hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle, or better yet a bucket of water. Another option is to go to the car wash, where the water comes from a well with storage on-site and not from the city’s water supply.
The Coronavirus in Fort Bragg
The city’s last three tests of the sewer for COVID-19 have resulted in none detected for both strains of COVID-19. The most recent test was pulled on Sept. 1. Consistent with that result, Mendocino County Health &
Human Services reported that as of Sept. 11, there were no reported positive cases of COVID in the 95437 zip code.
Election news
There has been a lot of news about how elections, ballots and polling places will change this November as a result of COVID. Just a reminder, City Hall is an official drop off spot for mailed ballots. Once the County installs the “Ballot Drop Box Here” signs out in front of City Hall, you will be able to place your ballot in the city’s dropbox 24/7.
The City Clerk and one other person will be responsible for checking the dropbox for ballots several times a day, including weekends. Two persons are required at all times to do the daily counting of ballots and transfers from the dropbox to the sealed ballot box. Ballots are tallied and recorded on a County ballot form and dropped into the sealed box which is maintained in a locked and secure location at City Hall until an employee of the County Elections Office comes to pick them up.
For more information, check the Mendocino County Elections webpage.