SSEPO — South Skyline Emergency Preparedness Organization Donate

History & Accomplishments

2025

South Skyline Emergency Preparedness Organization is now in its 26th season. Meetings this year included discussions on dedicated fundraising activities, recruiting volunteers, and learning how to get emergency preparedness information in a timely manner to residents. An update of neighborhood coordinator activities including emergency drill procedures was completed.

Two Community Preparedness Days were held in July and September, co-hosted by South County Firesafe Council, reaching around a hundred neighbors, vendors, and local first responders. Neighborhood coordination, Stop the Bleed class, fire extinguisher training, and home insurance and home hardening were presented. Collaboration was established with the San Mateo County Medical Reserve Corps to bring a Wilderness Medicine Course to the area, and a meeting with Ariba South Coast was held to determine how our trainings may be adapted to the Spanish-speaking community on the coast. SSEPO members managed car traffic and parking control for the Saratoga Summit annual Pancake Breakfast in May.

Our annual Neighborhood Community Drill was held in October, and challenged each neighborhood in a simulated disaster to contact their neighbors in the shortest amount of time. Reports indicate that most neighbors were contacted within the first two hours, with full coverage requiring about a day. Bryan Osborne maintained our mobile communications trailer and introduced DMR (Digital Mobile Radio), which is like a phone call with Winlink.

One of SSEPO’s most important tasks is reaching out to neighborhoods who are new to emergency preparedness and helping them get started. While the organization started with neighborhoods in the core South Skyline area along SR-35 between Windy Hill and SR-9, many mountain neighborhoods share the same needs. In the last year we have worked with groups in Pescadero, La Honda, and the SR-84 corridor west of Skyline Blvd., and engaged with neighbors as far north as Kings Mountain.

Events

2024

  • Goals: Plan more realistic, larger-scale disaster drills; use Train the Trainer technique; utilize mailing lists and website for broader publicity.

  • Community Preparedness Day was developed into a 2-day event in July and August 2024 with South Skyline Firesafe Council. Classes included Stop the Bleed, Fire Suppression, Community Development, CERT Cribbing, AHA CPR/First Aid/AED, Medical Reserve Corps of San Mateo County, and McGyver Medicine. The South Skyline Firesafe Council presented on Preparing for Wildfires and insurance non-renewal. Approximately 45 people attended each day.

  • Assisted Middleton neighborhood in obtaining a grant to fund emergency supplies and infrastructure for a donated trailer to be housed in Middleton.

  • Began discussions with newly organized Lake Canyon neighborhood group to determine communication needs. SSEPO will be available to help South Skyline neighborhoods who want to start neighborhood drills.

  • SSEPO began discussions on fundraising as the usual funding source through SSA is no longer available.

  • The annual emergency drill was held in November, including updating neighborhood emergency contact lists, completing welfare checks, compiling reports, and encouraging use of WhatsApp, RCS text messaging, GMRS, and door-to-door outreach.

  • A Leadership Development meeting was held in November covering new ideas for outreach to Skyline neighborhoods, developing new board members, and educating new homeowners on safety and driving hazards in the mountains.

Events

2023

  • Goals: Scale the organization to handle more events with targeted volunteers; develop a fall drill with Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.

  • Community Preparedness Day in May was coordinated by SSEPO, South Skyline FireSafe Council, and the Redwood Conservation District. 81 South Skyline residents attended.

  • First Arrivers Skills Day was held in September at La Honda Fire. SSEPO hosted 45 community members for classes on calling 911, fire suppression, and dealing with medical emergencies when first on scene. A Stop the Bleed class taught by Ari Delay was also included.

  • An American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/First Aid/AED training was held in July. Ten South Skyline residents received certification, taught by Skyline resident and AHA instructor Don Chislow.

  • A neighborhood emergency drill was held in October with ARES. Radio contact with the SSEPO Communications Center on Castanea Ridge and the DOC in La Honda was established. Each participating neighborhood focused on contacting households and updating resident contact information.

  • A new Conex container was installed at Mid-Pen’s Skyline Ranger station to hold emergency medical and communication supplies, part of a regional effort to professionalize cache maintenance and activation.

  • SSEPO hosted staff from San Mateo County Medical Reserve Corps at a business meeting in August, a collaborative effort to enhance preparedness and response to major medical emergencies.

  • The website was updated to include safety measures for extreme weather and frequent power outages.

Events

2022

  • Goals: Establish effective communication between neighborhoods; set up a system of volunteers to help with training and other SSEPO projects.

  • First Arrivers Skills Day, July 9, 2022. 31 participants learned how to respond to emergency medical situations when encountering vehicular accidents on Skyline Blvd. Cal Fire, South Skyline Fire and Rescue, and CERT instructors provided training.

  • Co-sponsored with Firesafe Council the Community Preparedness Day in August, open to all mountain communities, with significant interaction between agencies and the three counties.

  • SSEPO subsidized an AHA HeartSaver CPR/First Aid/AED training at Las Cumbres Community Center. Ten community members were trained.

  • Created a more scalable approach to emergency supply cache maintenance through a Care and Shelter grant to the La Honda Fire Brigade. Three Conex containers now managed by La Honda, Pescadero, and Skyline Ridge Ranger Station fire departments.

  • A matching donation of $500 was given to help replace radio equipment on Butano Ridge.

  • 30 GMRS radios were approved by SSEPO and funded with the help of SSA.

  • Winlink communication system set up and tested; communication between SSEPO communications station and Santa Cruz County radio operators was established.

Events

2021

  • SSEPO organized South Skyline participation in the October 9 Great Shakeout Drill with ARES and local fire departments. Each neighborhood developed their own plan including GMRS radio checks. The medical trailer was activated at Horseshoe Lake. All but four neighborhoods participated, reaching 25% of the population north of Hwy 9.

  • Bryan Osborne completed the Winlink communication system for emergency use. The American Radio Relay League honored Bryan (KD6UCA) for hosting the Winlink repeater.

  • Pat O’Coffey began attending FireSafe Council meetings representing La Honda Fire Brigade and SSEPO.

  • A PowerPoint presentation on SSEPO was developed for community presentations.

  • Planning began for a decentralized system of available medical supplies and neighborhood training for their use.

Events

2020

  • In November 2020, a CERT class was held online for the first time with 48 participants.

  • GMRS repeater tests and maintenance continued. Middleton Tract and Alpine Road areas were tested successfully for the Long Ridge repeater.

  • A grant for GMRS radios for Middleton Tract was approved and radios deployed.

  • One SSEPO representative sits on the SSA board; emergency preparedness articles contributed to the SSA newsletter.

  • A partnership with the City of Palo Alto Emergency Services was established. A radio scanner was donated to SSEPO. A joint training plan with the city’s command trailer was approved.

  • SSEPO’s Neighborhood Emergency Plan was implemented during the CZU fire in several neighborhoods. GMRS and Ham radio activation was invaluable for residents who evacuated or stayed to protect property.

  • The SSEPO website was updated with practical information related to the Covid lockdown.

  • First Arrivers Workshop was adapted to online format, hosting 40 people. The course, created by Frances Mann-Craik and Rich Lee, covered the Skyline area and what to do if you are first on the scene of an accident. Trunk kits were provided to participants.

  • During the November SET, the medical trailer was set up at Skyline Ridge by Rich Lee for radio communications and community viewing.

  • A grant was approved for encrypted printed communication equipment and a solar panel for the communication trailer on Castanea Ridge.

Events

2019

  • GIS mapping project continued in the South Skyline area.

  • April 2019 CERT class held in King’s Mountain for 30 participants.

  • Phase 2 of the Medical Trailer Project funded by 501c3 donations. Included doubling the solar power and battery capacity, plus extra heating, cooling, and ventilation.

  • Funded a Tarheel 100A-HP HF vertical antenna installed on the Castanea Ridge COMM trailer for helicopter landing communications.

  • Organized media outreach and posted resources for South Skyline residents who have lost home insurance.

  • GMRS repeater tests and maintenance continued. New repeater sharing on Black Mountain being explored.

  • Relationship with Jikoji enhanced as a potential future emergency shelter for South Skyline residents.

  • Planning initiated for the First Arrivals Workshop to be held in Spring 2020.

2018

  • Radio communications expanded. Purchased 10 more Baofeng GMRS radios. Installed a GMRS Repeater in Portola Heights, allowing communication between Monkey Rock, Rosemary Lane, Jikoji, Portola Heights, Rocky Creek, and beyond.

  • Held three CERT refresher training classes: Emergency Preparedness, Medical Care and Triage, McGyver Medicine.

  • Las Cumbres held an earthquake drill exercising cluster triage and radio communications.

  • Contributed to the SSA Newsletter on ARES, GMRS Repeater, McGyver Medicine, the SET Drill, and the Medical Resource Trailer.

  • Participated in San Mateo County earthquake emergency communications drill, testing HAM radio communications with CEOC in Half Moon Bay, La Honda DOC, Pescadero DOC, and SCARES.

  • Supported the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) at Skyline Ridge, sponsored by SC4ARES and South Skyline ARES. South Coast CERT, South Skyline CERT, and San Mateo Large Animal Evac were activated in a post-earthquake scenario.

  • Created a comprehensive Emergency Communications list of phone numbers and websites for South Skyline residents.

  • Provided support in building a new helicopter landing zone in Castanea Ridge.

  • Refurbished a donated Red Cross trailer into a Medical Response Trailer.

  • Gave an SSEPO presentation to the Community Emergency Action Program (CEAP) in Half Moon Bay.

Events

  • CERT Review of Unit 1 — February 24, 2018
  • CERT Review Medical Operations — May 26, 2018
  • CERT Review — McGyver Medicine — September 8, 2018 (see First Aid Kit recommendations)
  • Simulated Emergency Test (SET) — October 20, 2018 — Skyline Ridge Preserve — Summary Report · YouTube Video

2017

  • South Skyline CERT has 21 members sworn in by Santa Cruz County.

  • GIS mapping continues throughout South Skyline neighborhoods.

  • Obtained a retired Red Cross trailer to be outfitted for mobile medical operations.

  • PayPal set up for receiving donations.

  • At the annual SET on October 21, successfully tested ham radio communications from Saratoga-Summit Fire with La Honda, San Lorenzo Valley, and Loma Prieta ARES.

  • SSEPO provided grant money for Monkey Rock/Jikoji, Rosemary Lane, and Portola Heights to purchase additional GMRS radios. GMRS testing successful from Cloud’s Rest to Saratoga-Summit.

  • Preliminary plans established for a Department Operations Center (DOC) at Saratoga-Summit for CERT activations, ham radio, and medical operations.

Events

  • CPR / AED Training Class — August 26, 2017
  • SET (Simulated Emergency Test) — October 21, 2017 — Summary Report

2016

  • Completed the By-Laws and the website.

  • Neighborhoods expanded: Neighborhood Coordinators identified for Monkey Rock, Rosemary Lane, and Las Cumbres; Waterman Gap now part of the SSA community.

  • Las Cumbres conducted a Triage / First Aid Training Class.

  • A CPR / Choking / Triage class was held at the MROSD Skyline Field Office.

  • Several drills setting up communications infrastructure were held at the MROSD Skyline Field Office.

  • The GIS Mapping Project got underway. Portola Heights, Castanea Ridge, Monkey Rock, Rosemary Lane, Rocky Creek, and individual residences completed mapping.

  • Co-sponsored with the SSA Fire Safe Council a presentation by Battalion Chief and La Honda Fire Brigade Chief Ari Delay at the April SSA meeting on Wildfire Preparation.

  • Held quarterly meetings with multi-county OES leaders.

  • Held a nighttime emergency drill.

  • Created the Saratoga Gap CERT (later called South Skyline CERT).

Events

  • Radio Drill at Skyline Ridge Ranger Station — April 16, 2016
  • Coastside Emergency Corp Tent Exercise — August 18, 2016 — Summary Report
  • San Mateo Large Animal Evac (SMCLAEG) Animal Handling Training — August 20, 2016 — Summary Report
  • South Skyline Emergency Nighttime Drill — November 18, 2016 — Summary Report

2015

  • Recruited volunteers at the neighborhood level; identified and trained Neighborhood Coordinators (NCs).

  • Initiated identification of medically trained community members who can help in emergencies; maintained the medical aid station at the MROSD Skyline Field Station.

  • Improved Ham Radio communication links across the South Skyline area, including links with ARES.

  • Organized the first-ever meeting of all three county OES offices to clarify communication and CERT activations.

  • Created the South Skyline Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

  • Conducted local community emergency preparedness drills.

  • Obtained 501c3 non-profit status.

Events

  • South Skyline Emergency Drill — November 7, 2015 — Summary Report

2000–2014

SSEPO was started in 2000 by a group of residents concerned that the community was not prepared for major natural disasters. One of the first to recognize the need was Irene Long. Eva Blum, Sherry Niswander, Tom Anderson, Judy Grote, Chuck Schoppe, Dr. Bill Fowkes, Dr. Rich Lee, and Barclay Slade, together with Ken and Heather Broome, were among the founding members. Early on, the group obtained grants from the Silicon Valley Foundation to start buying radios for neighborhood communication in an emergency and to set up a container of medical equipment — establishing two focal areas that have stayed with us: neighborhood communications and medical preparedness.

By the early 2010s, the focus broadened to neighborhood organizing as the key building block — providing appropriate training, improving infrastructure for local emergency response, and furthering connections between the community and local fire departments. The goal: create neighborhood-level plans for what residents might need in a real emergency. Neighbors are encouraged to work with local first responders and to stage regular drills via phone trees, ham radio, and GMRS radios. We support this with training materials, first aid training, and grants for radios. Established efforts exist in many neighborhoods: Rocky Creek/Clouds Rest, Oakridge, Fox Run, Highway 236/9 corridor, and Portola Heights/Castanea Ridge.