On Aug. 27, officials, elected and otherwise, gathered on Zoom to deliver a message of support to their constituents facing losses in the face of the Walbridge and Meyers fires. The approximately two hour meeting covered what resources were being brought to bear for fire victims at the local, state and federal level, and provided guidance for things like insurance filings, opening of Local Assistance Centers (LACs) and timelines for clean-up and re-entry
Senator Mike Thompson brought news of the national disaster declaration being approved and bringing with it access to SBA disaster loans for individuals, businesses and non-profits. The declaration also allows tribal and local governments to receive federal dollars for cost-sharing on infrastructure repairs. Though the current split is 75/25, Thompson has introduced a bill to make it 90/10.
Watershed and debris
Assmeblymember Jim Wood reminded listeners that the fire isn’t out yet, and brought up a recurring concern toughed on throughout the night, watershed protection.
“Sadly, it seems we’ve had a disaster every year and we are getting really good at coordinating as it comes to recovery,” Wood said. “One thing that is important is to continue to pay attention to law enforcement and first responders, this is still an active fire situation. One of the things that’s going to be very important going forward is how we protect our watershed throughout this event. I’m very concerned about this, with the steep terrain, history of landslides and possible contamination. Watershed recovery is critical because of our water source and protecting that as well.”
Deputy Director of the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Ryan Buras touched on the debris removal process, especially as it pertains to hazardous materials. He too expressed concern about contamination of the watershed come rainy season.
“Two things are critical. Currently, we’re in Phase 1 for the removal of household hazardous waste,” Buras said. “The watershed is a top priority of ours and this incident is complex. The rains should be later in the year, but who knows what that looks like in 2020. My lens says phase us in as quickly as possible.”
Buras said three task forces have been set up: housing, debris and watershed protection and Cal OES is working with Watershed Emergency Response Teams (WERTs) to see how best to mitigate impacts in the watershed.
“Phase 2 is cleaning the rest of the (non-hazardous) debris. Collectively, we’ve done this together for too long, and there have been a lot of lessons learned. The metric we met (for speed of cleanup in 2019), I want to beat it. Speed is our friend on this particular one.”
Once that happens, other cleanup categories can get tackled, including any possible damage to hospitals, schools, culverts roads and more.
Another ongoing theme was the importance of victims registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as that will be the best way to get the ball rolling on accessing resources for recovery. Enrollment can take place in person at LACs, over the phone at 800-621-3362 or by downloading the FEMA app on your smartphone or tablet.
Insurance Pointers
Amy Bach from the nonprofit United Policy Holders and TonyCignarale, deputy state insurance commissioner, both gave tips on starting the insurance process, though both admitted it will be a long and challenging process for most policyholders.
“Insurance is complicated, whether you’re facing a complete loss or slight loss, the department of insurance is here to assist you through the process,” Cignarale said.
He provided a few tips and legislative information, including that State Insurance Commissioner Tony Lara had issued a notice that insurance companies should pay an up to $25,000 advanced payment on contents, to allow people to get things like clothes and other necessities right away, and also require that insurance companies provide an additional four months of living expenses for things like hotels, food and travel, that would have not been expenses acquired if you were able to return home.
“File your claim as soon as possible, document all your phone calls and in-person meetings and keep a paper trail,” he recommended. “If you get off a call with an adjuster and you aren’t sure about something, follow up with email and ask for a commitment as to what was agreed upon. This allows the department of insurance to have a good road map to ensure the company doing what it is supposed to do.”
He also recommended not rushing into a settlement and reminded viewers that his department is always available for questions, and that at the end of next week they will be planning an “insurance town hall.”
LACs and Shelter
Two LACs will be open starting this weekend to assist victims of the Walbridge Fire. One will be at the Healdsburg High School gymnasium and the other at the Bank of America Building in Guerneville. These are envisioned as a “one-stop shop” for everything from registering with FEMA, to seeing what assistance is available from local non-profits, to working with county agencies on document recovery.
Services and written materials will be available in both English and Spanish, and it was emphasized that ICE would not be operating at the LACs nor would immigration status be considered. In addition, families with children who are U.S. citizens are eligible for FEMA assistance, though the application will be made on behalf of the children.
The plan is to have the LACs open about a week, with a current expected closing date of Sept. 4, but that if needed they could potentially stay open longer. COVID-19 safety guidelines of masks and social distancing will be in effect at LACs.
In addition, the shelters operating at the fairgrounds and Sonoma State University will continue to operate until people sheltered there have been returned home, or placed in alternate housing.
Initial Damage Assessment
Cal Fire has released a map of properties damaged and destroyed in the Walbridge and Meyers fires. All data is preliminary and numerous sites still require confirmation. View the map here.
Safety Assessment
Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment, also known as RESA, is an important step in assessing the damage and safety concerns of structures after a natural disaster. The assessment allows people to use safe homes and businesses and ensures that people are prohibited from entering unsafe structures after a disaster. RESA Inspectors are experienced building construction and engineering professionals who have been certified through the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
RESA Inspectors will be clearly identifiable and able to present agency credentials upon request. The county is currently working on the RESA inspections, and will share a map here when the data is available.
Inspection Tags:
Green (Inspected) – Buildings can be damaged, yet remain safe – the safety of the building was not significantly changed by the disaster.
Yellow (Restricted Use) – There is some risk from damage in all or part of the building that does not warrant red-tagging. Buildings with yellow tags have limited use, with case-by-case restrictions.
Red (Unsafe) – Buildings are damaged and pose an imminent threat to life or safety under expected loads or other unsafe conditions.
Before returning to your home or business, please review information on safety when returning to your home or business after a fire.
