EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

By John Thomas Kiramis

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

FOSTER CITY IS BELOW SEA LEVEL AT HIGH TIDE AND PROTECTED FROM IMMINENT FLOODING ONLY BY OUR LEVEE; WE ALSO SIT ON ENGINEERED LAND-FILL IN BETWEEN TWO ACTIVE EARTHQUAKE FAULTS AND WE'RE DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE ONLY FLIGHT PATH OF DESCENT INTO THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE EXISTING MEASURES IN PLACE FOR OUR PROTECTION,THERE IS REASONABLE CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND I BELIEVE THE NEED TO BE PREPARED.

WE HAVE ALREADY WITNESSED, IN NEW ORLEANS MOST RECENTLY,THE TRAGEDY THAT ENSUES WHEN A LACK OF PREPAREDNESS ON BEHALF OF A CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE NECESSARY LEADERSHIP THAT GOES WITH THAT PREPAREDNESS EXISTS. SINCE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS NOT AN OPTION FOR FOSTER CITY, I INTEND TO BRING MY EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND BACKGROUND ON EMERGENCY PLANNING TO THE COUNCIL IF ELECTED.

I RECOGNIZE THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING OUR CITY'S EMERGENCY WORKERS AND I KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED FOR THEM TO SUCCEED IN THEIR EFFORTS. I WOULD WORK TO INSURE OUR CITY STAFF UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER IN CITY HALL TO CONDUCT AS MANY TRAINING EXERCISES EACH YEAR AS NECESSARY SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE ELEMENT OF PERISHABLE SKILLS. IT IS ONLY THROUGH CONSISTENT TRAINING THAT OUR CITY STAFF CAN LEARN TO DEAL WITH A DISASTER BEFORE IT OCCURS.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS ENTIRELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR CITIZEN'S TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES IN THE EVENT OF A NATURAL DISASTER. IT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE BOTH PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP. I WILL INSURE THIS OCCURS