Reflections on service, resilience, and community. Over the years, I had the privilege of working with Chief Paul Tomasi through the Carmel Police Department and our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program. From the beginning, I admired his kindness, steady leadership, and deep commitment to serving others. He’s one of those people who lead quietly but …
A local leader’s guide to wildfire safety, and what fuels his commitment. As wildfire risks continue to grow in California, understanding Defensible Space, Home Hardening, and the new Fire Hazard Severity Zones is more important than ever. I had the opportunity to sit down with Division Chief Justin Cooper of the Monterey Fire Department to …
Eaton Fire 2025 Deb Halberstadt and her husband, Jon Hainer, have been longtime residents of Altadena, a community they have loved and called home for decades. A seasoned news photographer, still photographer, and videographer, Deb built a career working for major outlets such as AP and NBC. Over the years, she developed strong relationships with …
Finding Peace During the Holidays The holiday season can be a magical time of year – filled with twinkling lights, family traditions, and the joy of giving. But let’s be honest, it’s also one of the busiest times. With so much going on, it’s easy to feel stretched thin, and the last thing anyone wants …
Facing the Flames: A Journey through Wildfire and Preparedness In 2020, nearly 200,000 acres were burned, and more than 100 structures were destroyed in the Dolan, Carmel, and River fires in Monterey County, California. My friend, Author Meredith May, and her wife, Jenn, a retired Police LT, were among those who had to evacuate as …
Discover the Story Behind Carmel’s Journey to Preparedness and Resilience I am honored to be featured in this article highlighting the incredible work of Carmel Prepares! https://ci.carmel.ca.us/carmel-prepares It’s a testament to the power of community and collaboration. Inspired by the trailblazers at Bainbridge Prepares, we’re dedicated to building resilience through disaster preparedness, community response, and …
A Journey of Preparedness As a country girl at heart, there’s nothing that brings me more joy than slipping into my boots, donning my blue jeans, and sitting up against a fire in the fireplace warming my back. I love to share stories with family and friends while relishing every moment. But amidst the …
A Route to Car Travel Preparedness With the holidays just around the corner, you might have travel plans that will take you on the road. Much like a journey abroad, setting out on a holiday road trip during this special season demands careful planning, and unwavering preparedness. Every year, we witness stories on the news …
The Essence of National Preparedness Month: Why It Matters As September winds to a close, National Preparedness Month concludes, leaving us with more than just checklists and emergency plans. It leaves us with an awareness of something profound, our vulnerability and desire for security. National Preparedness Month often conjures images of meticulously organized disaster kits, …
A Guide to Traveling Abroad – Summer Adventure Awaits! Traveling to another country is an exhilarating experience, filled with new sights, sounds, and flavors. It’s an opportunity to immerse ourselves in different cultures, broaden our horizons, and create lifelong memories. While the excitement of exploring foreign lands is undeniable, it’s essential to remember the importance …
Wildfire Preparedness: Keeping you and your home safe Wildfires are a destructive force of nature that can cause immense harm to people, property, animals, and the environment. As the summer months approach, it’s important to prepare for wildfires and take the necessary steps to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Preparing for wildfire season …
Prepare for a storm – NOW! While it is wonderful that California is seeing the rain that we need, it is so important to prepare ahead of time for the storms ahead of us. Wind, rain and potential flooding have all the trappings of life-threatening dangers. Let’s start the new year off with safety in …
Why protecting your home from wildfires requires protecting your community from wildfire We’ve all read the news reports or seen the interviews of firefighters describing the unprecedented size and intensity of wildfires the past few years. When a firefighter, with decades upon decades of wildfire experience, uses terms like “fire behavior like I’ve never seen …
Disaster Preparedness and your children Disaster preparedness is not necessarily a hot topic at the family dinner table, but it can be a great time to introduce it. Whether your child is an adolescent, teenager or young adult, there are simple steps you can teach them. Having these discussions ahead of time can reduce fear …
The resqme® is a great car escape tool but sometimes people get confused on how to use it. Now presenting the ultimate, most comprehensive and up to date guide on how to use our beloved lifesaving seatbelt cutter and window breaker keychain! Where is the resqme® made and with what material? The resqme® car escape …
June is Pet Preparedness Month! Natural disasters are now part of our lives and we are vulnerable. This makes our pets vulnerable as well. Whether it’s earthquakes, wildfires or tornadoes, we need to prepare our family. It is important to prepare for a disaster and it’s equally important to include your pets in your emergency …
Disasters can strike anybody at any time. We don’t like to think about it, but we are all just one car accident away from potentially catastrophic loss. A scary thought, right? Loss of property, loss of income, and most importantly, loss of life, are all possible. What is also possible is your ability to be …
Organization – It’s What Marie Kondo and VLES Have in Common A place for everything, and everything in its place…it makes operating in an emergency fast, efficient and less stressful. When we designed the VLES GO-bag we drew heavily on our experience and other first responder’s experience. The simple takeaway was to make sure everything …
Happy Holidays Everyone! The end of the year means celebrations and with that comes decorations. As you light your menorah or deck the halls this year, we want to make sure you are fire safe. Lights and candles can make your home more festive, but they can also pose a danger. Follow the tips below …
October conjures up memories of me practicing to drop, cover and hold on under a desk as a child in an earthquake drill. I always giggled with my classmates but carried this lesson with me. Growing up in California I have had my share of earthquakes. At home, my family taught me to run for …
Tales from the Front Line The Search for Augusto Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue June 28, 2021 It was late in the afternoon on April 5 with the sun setting behind the nearby peaks creating dark shadows across the snow and boulder fields. At 7100 feet in elevation Augusto felt comfortable in the high-altitude …
– Preparedness and Hiking – Summer is still here and many of us have enjoyed venturing out this year on to the trails to get exercise, reduce stress and spend time with friends and family. When most people hear the word “preparedness,” they think of planning for disasters or emergency situations. Preparedness applies to many …
California Wildfires It was Friday June 18 sitting outside on the porch of the Wagon Wheel restaurant in Carmel Valley with my good friends and CERT teammates Wanda Vollmer and Deme Kastros when the recognizable alert tone sounded and a text came in. PER SGT OWEN * SAR MISSION * FOR FIRE EVACS TO BE …
Winter Weather Safety A belated Happy New Year to you all! Just weeks ago we rang in 2021. Our winter has been very quiet so far as we Californians do our rain dances and watch the hills. Well, it worked. This coming week we are expecting some significant rain so let’s get ready! An Atmospheric …
Halloween Safety Recommendations Here we are, end of October and Halloween just a few days away. COVID -19 has not disappeared and this leaves many with questions on what to do this year. With careful planning and preparation, Halloween 2020 does not have to be a complete disappointment. The health department is not recommending door …
Coping with Stress during Wildfires The past few days in Monterey County have been incredible. Three fires burning, two caused by lightning storms and one was arson. The River Fire, Carmel Fire and Dolan Fire. Here in the community, we have grown accustomed to watching, with concern, other counties be affected by the devastation of …
Disasters don’t take a day off, why should I? Many people ask me about Peace of Mind Preparedness and how we can help them become disaster ready. We do so in many ways. We visit families with one-on-one-sessions, give presentations on preparedness to businesses/service organizations and we do special projects/contracts with partnering agencies with the …
Pet Preparedness for July 4th July 1st is here and we say goodbye to June where we learned the importance of Pet Preparedness. Now, we are days away from July 4th. In all of my years of having pets, I have yet to meet one that enjoys fireworks. If you live in an area that …
Disaster Preparedness What have we learned from COVID-19? It was mid March, right before the Shelter-In-Place was enacted here in California. That seems like a lifetime ago. Do you remember the panic? The grocery store shelves being cleaned out, the emotions we experienced, oh, and the toilet paper! I am still trying to understand that …
We are a well informed society. News at our fingertips and screens. On demand, 24 hours a day. We are talking to our friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers and the lady in line behind us at the grocery store with 85 cans of chicken soup. Many are asking, “What is going on?” I don’t know …
It’s March 2020. Shelter-in-place orders have just been instituted in Monterey County, California, and the Carmel City Council realizes this new reality could have serious consequences for at-risk populations. Jeff Baron, Carmel City Councilman, knew the organization needed credible, trained experts to organize a concerted effort to care for the community, and he contacted me …
In all my training and years of emergency management experience, I would never have imagined that our global community would be in the position it’s in today; hiding in our homes, afraid of our neighbors and friends, in fear for our jobs and our livelihoods, and unsure of what might come next. I’ve become acutely …