In this episode (#97) we talk with Cal OES Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Marshall. With an impressive 30 plus year background in emergency management, Chief Marshall has been serving with Cal OES since 2019. With California heading into its peak fire season, our discussion with Chief Marshall couldn't have come at a more relevant time. He provided us with valuable insights into how Cal OES is meticulously preparing to ensure a safe and secure fire season for everyone in the state. The episode takes you on a journey through Chief Marshall's remarkable career, which had its origins in Kern ..read more

This episode (#96) of All Hazards gives us a view of Cal OES’s mission through a legal lens. We sit down with Cal OES Chief Counsel Jennifer Bollinger. She covers everything from how she became an attorney, and how she came to Cal OES and why she’s here for the long term. Daily life as a lawyer for state government is one thing - life at Cal OES is another; it’s fast paced, exciting and very challenging. Jennifer goes over all of it, from the time she joined the agency as a staff attorney to now as chief counsel.   Fun fact - Jennifer has a weight bench in her office!   Jennifer L. B ..read more

This episode (#95) takes us to Greenville, California, where efforts to recover from the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires are accelerating as the finish lines comes into view. We talk with Cole Glenwright, Cal OES Recovery Operations Section Chief, who gives us some hopeful news about the final stretch in the marathon that is recovery in Plumas and Lassen Counties.  The Dixie Fire erupted near Dixie Road in Butte County. It grew to an enormous wildfire that also burned in Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, and Tehama Counties, The fire began in the Feather River Canyon near Cresta Dam on July 13 ..read more

  In this episode (#97) we talk with the new Cal OES Law Branch chief Donald O’Keefe. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed O’Keefe in December 2021, building on a distinguished career in law enforcement at both the local and federal level.   In 2012, O’Keefe was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the United States Marshal for the Northern District of California. In this capacity, O’Keefe has been responsible for the management, administration, and direction of U.S. Marshal Service Operations throughout the Northern District of California. His overall responsibilities have inc ..read more

California experiences numerous unique disasters that first responders and emergency managers must be ready to respond to at any moment. Training is a critical part of that process in which the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) builds confidence in their ability to respond to whatever comes their way.   Over the last 50 years CSTI has trained thousands of emergency responders not only in California but nationwide.    In this episode (#92), we sit down with CSTI Superintendent Alex Cabassa and Dr. Lawrence Heiskell, provider for CSTI’s tactical medicine training. W ..read more

La Oficina de Servicios de Emergencia, o Cal OES por sus siglas en inglés, ha implementado cambios en la tecnología, transformando el sistema 9-1-1 de análogo a digital, y permitiendo con ello, un mejor proceso de comunicación y asistencia a emergencias. Y aunque el cambio no será identificado por el público en general, la diferencia será enorme para todos los elementos que diariamente trabajan en pro de resguardar el orden y la seguridad de la comunidad. En el departamento de policía de Roseville, platicamos con el oficial Carlos Cortés quien se emociona con esta evolución de la tecnología, y ..read more

  This episode (#90) brings us up to speed on Next Generation 911 in California.  911.gov explains: “Because most 911 systems were originally built using analog rather than digital technologies, public safety answering points (PSAPs) across the country need to be upgraded to a digital or Internet Protocol (IP)-based 911 system, commonly referred to as Next Generation 911 (NG911). A variety of non-technical resources are available to help explain what NG911 is and how it will help public safety leaders improve the safety of civilians, patients and first responders. Learn more about ho ..read more

  In this episode (#89) we talk with Jerry Sipe, recovery manger for Dixie and Beckwourth Complex Fires in Plumas County. He talks about how the utter devastation in Greenville, a town of about 1,100 in Plumas County, has left a debris field from one end to the other, as well as destroyed homes scattered throughout the area. While crews are making good progress debris cleanup and removal of hazardous waste caused by the fire, there’s still a large number of homeowners who have not signed a right of entry (ROE) form to allow crews to access the property to clean it. And that’s a problem, e ..read more

The Dixie Fire was a tough one. It started on July 13, 2021, and is still burning (as of this post on Oct. 12) on the Plumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and in five counties: Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama. It has burned 963,309 acres and is currently 94% contained. The town of Greenville, population just over 1100, suffered catastrophic damage due to the Dixie; most buildings and many homes were destroyed. In this episode (#88) we met with the resident fire chief, Bob Orange, at his new, though temporary, fire house to talk about the fire ..read more

In this episode (#87) we talk with an expert on disaster mitigation. He is Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Disaster Mitigation Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. We had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Nishikawa about the topics that connect Japan and California - natural disasters. We each have a long history of disasters and as such, we each acknowledge we are disaster-prone. However, we don’t just accept that fact; we are both actively involved in research and the development of new ways to mitigate, respond to, and recover from those emergencies. In fact, we have shared informa ..read more