By Niccolo Caldararo
Reading about the fires in Hawaii and how people in paradise are reliving the recent wildfires is terrible. However, it must be clear to most people that we are beset by multiple disasters, most a result of climate change, our lives, our towns and our county safety are threatened.
Cal Fire’s new risk map points out that the frequency, extent and intensity of wildfire is growing. We should be preparing for the worst in the old Civil Defense spirit. Everything I am suggesting would be voluntary. It would offer information in the neighborhoods and organization in emergencies.
But as we are threatened with a number of crises, not just wildfire – also disease, earthquakes and violent storms – the task seems overwhelming. All of these threats demand resources to limit or check their effects. Unfortunately our towns and county have limited funds to address them. What we need to do is to create a more organized emergency system. Over the past 30+ years I have attended meetings in Fairfax and the county aimed at doing just this. However, little has been accomplished. Fairfax, where I live, has a vibrant volunteer group but its efforts are limited. We need a greater effort of volunteers with a neighborhood focus and organization. In my neighborhood people have come together to clear roads, cut blocking trees, open drains, and help others when emergencies occur. But this is done on an ad hoc basis with no planning or specific support.
In a recent Marin IJ article (April 11, 2023) Giuseppe Ricapito writes of an effort begun by County officials and neighborhood groups in Mill Valley to organize community events and means of responding to challenges. This is a constructive beginning. It reminds me of the 1960s “Block Parent” program that began in Canada and spread to the USA. It was organized through local community groups like the PTA and police to provide safe houses and refuges from harassment for children and women. The House Parent program expanded in the 1970s and reached over 300,000 households, but went into decline by the 1990s and in recent years has almost disappeared even from Canada, though it has been revived in recent years.
I suggest we create a neighborhood “Ranger” group for each neighborhood, from the ancient tradition of forest stewards who ranged on the land as caretakers. These individuals would be volunteers who would train and gather necessary equipment to address a variety of emergencies on the local level. This would include flooding, identifying exit routes, helping families and individuals with special needs and individuals who live alone. These “Rangers” could also keep an eye on town-owned properties that are often the target of dumping garbage, encroachment and private use.
While these “Rangers” would act in support of police, fire and town public works employees, they would also be able to spread information and act as vital links in communication when emergencies occur.
Our neighborhoods used to be more vibrant, but all across the country towns are experiencing a loss of community due mainly to increased vacation rentals and investors buying up units.
Covid has also had an effect as has increasing inequality leading to violence according to a recent study by John Burn-Murdoch (The Financial Times, 2023 “Collapsing trust is driving US gun violence,” May 12). This is producing what is called “neighborhood deserts” with low numbers of permanent residents, reduced children for schools and reduced business spending. Luckily the two rental ordinances Fairfax has passed will slow this process down. The state of California and other towns have made similar acts. But we need to prepare for disasters on every level, but we should not neglect the neighborhood level or the power of volunteerism.
The lack of community is also a disaster, ideas of crime increasing are growing by recent reports as for San Francisco, yet trust in the community is an essential element for city health and citizen participation is crucial for a well functioning government. Neighborhoods are at the core of the way to counter this lack of trust.
(Niccolo Caldararo is a resident of Fairfax. To write a Marin Forum piece or a shorter letter to the editor, contact Publisher Sherman R. Frederick at ShermFrederick@gmail.com.)
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