Patchwork of volunteers bring vital supplies to snowed-in California residents
A large and growing volunteer-led donation relief effort, operating for days out of parking lots and living rooms and now dubbed “Operation Mountain Strong,” has brought vital food and supplies to people snowed in and stranded in their homes in the San Bernardino Mountains, amid criticism from some that law enforcement and other local government agencies haven’t pulled their weight during the crisis.
Nearly two weeks after a record-breaking storm dumped more than seven feet of snow in some mountain areas, many residents remain trapped in their homes.
They write messages in the snow. They beg and plead in local Facebook groups for rescuers to dig them out.
Although there are county-run rescue operations with shiny badges and command centers, it’s the unpaid effort led by locals in grocery store parking lots and Facebook Messenger groups that some residents say is getting the job done.
“None of us are being paid to do this,” said Lisa Griggs, a Lake Arrowhead resident and one of the main local relief organizers. “We’re just a community. We didn’t have any experience in this…this is just community.”
The effort, dubbed “Operation Mountain Strong” by organizers, is a collaboration between local churches, businesses, and dozens of volunteers — who say they are mostly on their own.
“We have had not much cooperation from the sheriff, the county, or the state,” said Crestline resident and Operation Mountain Strong organizer Max Strawn.
“If anything, they’ve created obstacles.”
The relief efforts organized by volunteers have been mostly separate from those organized by San Bernardino County.
A hotline organized by the county has seen mixed results and many complaints.
Several organizers have seen a limited presence from the Sheriff’s Department, and a hesitancy to collaborate with the volunteer groups that, they say, seem to be efficiently delivering supplies.
“It’s sad. We have animals running loose, people that can’t get their medications,” said Dawn Diggle, another Operation Mountain Strong organizer.
“Where are we seeing the sheriffs? I’ve seen one (California Highway Patrol officer) escorting a truck up here in 12 days, and that’s it. I’m not seeing any sheriffs. The only people I see are the fire department.”
Operation Mountain Strong has collaborated primarily with Sandals Church in San Bernardino, using their parking lot as a base of operations. For the past several days, volunteers have organized runs from the church into mountain communities by car, foot, and helicopter. The group has created a detailed map with dozens of addresses of homes that may need to be dug out or checked on.
The helicopters came primarily from CalDART, a nonprofit organization that sends volunteers with privately owned helicopters into disaster zones needing humanitarian aid. 10 helicopters have been registered with CalDART to help so far, with other private helicopters pitching in.
After a brief miscommunication with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the organization has been able to run helicopters carrying hundreds of pounds of supplies up the mountain.
“Collaborating with the sheriffs that first day was a little rough,” said CalDART president Paul Marshall. “It’s been a good conversation. Everyone wants to operate safely. Everyone has different input.”
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department could not be reached Monday for comment. County officials and local law enforcement officials have said previously that they are doing all that they can to ensure the safety of residents in the aftermath of the storms.