All Hazards
100 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsInterviews with California and national emergency response leaders who talk about what they've learned from the most challenging moments of their careers.
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Episodes
Geared Up for "Super Thursday" at CSTI Hazmat Training
June 05, 2018 22:12 - 15 minutes - 21.4 MBAlex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI Superintendent Jim Tate, CSTI Emergency Management Coordinator Instructor-2 In this episode (#46) we take you to Super Thursday, a sort of “final exam day” for students attending the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) Hazmat Specialist course. We talk with Alex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI Superintendent about the uniqueness of the course, its hands-on approach and the facility in which it takes place....
Filling the HazMat Response Capability Gaps in California
May 15, 2018 15:00 - 28 minutes - 39.2 MBCal OES and 12 assignee local government fire departments are parties to a contractual agreement permitting the use of the Cal OES Type II HazMat Response Vehicles for local emergency response, out-of-service HazMat vehicles, training, exercises, and other needs. In return, the assignee fire departments are required to dispatch the Cal OES Type II HazMat Response Vehicles anywhere in the state staffed by the required number of HazMat-trained personnel as requested through the California Fi...
The Thomas Fire: Critical Public Information During California's Historic Wildfire
April 24, 2018 16:00 - 33 minutes - 46.5 MBFrom December 4th to December 22nd, 2017, the Thomas Fire cost more than 177 million dollars to fight, and forced the evacuation of more than 104 thousand people and had 8,500 firefighters from 22 states simultaneously working to contain it. But let’s not forget about the public information efforts. Imagine what any large disaster would be like if you kept the affected communities in the dark, giving them zero information. No doubt you’d now have to deal with confusion, panic, anger and so ...
Six Months After the NorCal October 2017 Wildfires
April 10, 2018 20:15 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBIt's been six months since the October 2017 wildfires ravaged Northern Califorina. Through coordination with California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and in close partnership with FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, Cal EPA and CalRecycle, all major work for the removal of fire and ash debris has now been completed in Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma and Yuba counties. So far, nearly 1.7 million tons of debris, across all seven counties, have been removed...
Sentinel Response 18 FSE and Interagency Cooperation
March 27, 2018 01:20 - 22 minutes - 31 MB(SGM Gerald Davis, center, looking at camera) In recent months, California and our nation has been no stranger to devastating natural and man-made emergencies. So, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) joined the California National Guard’s Homeland Response Force (HRF) and 95th Civil Support Team, along with multiple State/Federal Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces, CAL FIRE, FBI, the Department of Energy, and several other elite emergency response agencies for...
Active Shooter Incidents and Leaving the Patches on the Table
March 13, 2018 17:31 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBThe term active shooter has been in the news a lot lately, unfortunately. Whether it’s Parkland, Florida, Marshall County, Kentucky, or Yountville, California, armed attacks often leave a trail of dead and injured and shock the communities in which they happen. It’s the kind of tragedy for which law enforcement trains yet can’t always prevent. In this episode, Cal OES Law Enforcement Chief Mark Pazin, talks about how the agency has increased and improved its active shooter program, the tr...
Haiti, Japan, Northridge and Loma Prieta Earthquakes and the Evolution of US&R
February 27, 2018 15:50 - 48 minutes - 78.2 MBDeputy Chief Larry Collins is the Cal OES Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Chief of the Special Operations and Hazardous Material Unit, having joined Cal OES in November, 2016. He oversees the State Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response Program which includes response, training, terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destructions related operations, flood and swiftwater rescue operations, and hazardous material unit. Chief Collins joined Cal OES Fire and Rescue Division after serving 36 years in all rank...
Haiti, Japan, Northridge and Loma Prieta Earthquakes and the Evolution of US&R
February 27, 2018 15:50 - 48 minutes - 78.2 MBDeputy Chief Larry Collins is the Cal OES Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Chief of the Special Operations and Hazardous Material Unit, having joined Cal OES in November, 2016. He oversees the State Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response Program which includes response, training, terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destructions related operations, flood and swiftwater rescue operations, and hazardous material unit. Chief Collins joined Cal OES Fire and Rescue Division after serving 36 years in all rank...
Leaders React to Major Milestone After October 2017 Wildfires in Sonoma County
February 13, 2018 01:43 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBThe inferno unleashed on Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties, as well as several other northern California counties, left behind the kind of devastation many have only read about in the history books. Thousands of structures and homes were destroyed, entire neighborhoods left in ruins, and of course the 44 lives lost. There is one neighborhood that symbolizes the destruction and a community’s resilience to bounce back — Coffey Park in Santa Rosa. In this episode, we hear from four leaders ...
Amber Anderson: At Home with the Santa Barbara Mudslide
January 24, 2018 00:46 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBWe sit down with Amber Anderson, an 18 year veteran firefighter, and 10 year veteran of the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. She’s a member of the Santa Barbara County Type-3 Incident Management Team, a fire inspector and investigator and public information officer. In this episode Amber talks about the fire community always learns from previous disasters; this time it’s the Thomas Fire and the ensuing flood and mudslide which devastated her county and the community of Montecito. She als...
Contractors & Recovery: Disasters Bring Out the Best in People, the Worst in Some
December 19, 2017 15:35 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBWith tens of thousands of homes that need rebuilding after the fire sieges in both northern California and southern California, survivors will need reputable, licensed contractors. And contractors will be looking for work; there’s plenty of that to go around. So, both homeowners and contractors will need reliable information and the warnings that go along with it; and agencies need info too. Whether it’s a community hit by wildfires, or one that’s been devastated by severe weather or m...
Contractors & Recovery: Disasters Bring Out the Best in People, the Worst in Some
December 19, 2017 15:35 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBWith tens of thousands of homes that need rebuilding after the fire sieges in both northern California and southern California, survivors will need reputable, licensed contractors. And contractors will be looking for work; there’s plenty of that to go around. So, both homeowners and contractors will need reliable information and the warnings that go along with it; and agencies need info too. Whether it’s a community hit by wildfires, or one that’s been devastated by severe weather or m...
Butte County Dispatchers Evacuate but Continue to Answer-the-Call During Oroville Spillway Evacuation
October 03, 2017 20:02 - 23 minutes - 31.7 MBBeing a dispatcher is stressful enough, but imagine being one when your entire county must evacuate? In this episode, Cal OES Public Information Officers Robb Mayberry and Monica Vargas chat with two dispatchers from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office about what it was like when evacuations were ordered for Butte, Sutter, and Yuba Counties this last February. Dispatchers Jenifer Honea and Trina Valeigh speak openly about their experience and what was going through their minds during the O...
Captain Pace Stokes Takes the Helm on the Ghost Ship Fire
September 19, 2017 17:05 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBCaptain Pace Stokes, Alameda County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, sat down with Shawn Boyd at the Alameda County Emergency Operations Center in Dublin, California. Their recording session took place on day-1 of Urban Shield. For this year’s exercise Capt. Stokes was the deputy incident commander, where he said this was the first year that CERT was actively involved in the exercise and that there was a competitive element to their training. Capt. Stokes also talks about...
Public Information Officers: Old Dogs, New Tricks
August 22, 2017 23:11 - 33 minutes - 45.5 MBRight to left: John Larimore, Shawn Boyd, Adria Wells, Monica Vargas Press releases are starting to become a thing of the past, while podcasts, videos and infographics are becoming the future. Why? Information overload, smartphones and packed schedules (among many other reasons) is nudging traditional communications to adapt and change the way information is packaged and shared. Now don’t get it wrong, press releases have their place – but there is always room for change, especially when i...
Pyrocumulus Clouds, The Six P's and Safety on the Modoc July Complex Fire
August 09, 2017 00:51 - 22 minutes - 30.4 MBDave Welch is a 24 year veteran of the Rohnert Park Police Department (Department of Public Safety) and has been with Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District in Sonoma County where he’s currently a part time battalion chief. He’s serving as a Type I and Type II safety officer on the Modoc July Complex fire in Modoc County, California. Links Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District Modoc July Complex on InciWeb Levels and Types of ICS Management Type 5: (very small wildland fire only) ...
Large Scale Disaster Management with Bob Fenton (encore presentation)
July 18, 2017 16:00 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MBImagine this situation — the first time you visit New York City it just happens to be on 9/11. The second time you visit is during Hurricane Sandy, and the third time, would you even go back? The man we’re going to talk to today experienced that string of disasters and suddenly found himself leading the initial emergency response to those historical events. He’s a UC Davis alum and 5th generation San Franciscan. Robert J. Fenton, Jr. was appointed Regional Administrator for FEMA Region IX ...
Lake Tahoe's Angora Fire Commemorated with 10 Year Anniversary
June 27, 2017 19:05 - 13 minutes - 18 MBIn this episode we travel to South Lake Tahoe to talk with Chief Tim Alameda of the Lake Valley Fire District. We caught up with him days before they commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Angora Fire. According to an article in the Lake Tahoe News published September 13, 2016, "Alameda was a division chief and the fire marshal for North Tahoe Fire Protection District prior to joining the LVFD in 2016. Alameda got his start as a firefighter reserve in Meyers in the 1980s. At that time i...
The Age of Massive Data Breaches
June 06, 2017 20:20 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MBFrom Left to Right in Photo: ELI OWEN, Deputy Commander, California State Threat Assessment Center THOR EDEN, California Cyber Security Integration Center MICHAEL CREWS, Cal OES Information Security Officer For this episode we brought three of California’s cyber security gurus who talk about some of things you and your agency/company can and should be doing to protect yourself from cybercrime. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month which is an annual campaign to raise aw...
What We've Learned from Our First Year of Podcasting Can Benefit You
May 24, 2017 00:14 - 48 minutes - 66.2 MBIn this episode of the All Hazards podcast Cal OES Deputy Director Kelly Huston takes over the mic and interviews host Shawn Boyd. At almost 30 episodes Mr. Huston thought this would be a good time to grill Mr. Boyd about what this foray into the podcasting world has taught us. The Cal OES Office of Public Information employs what’s called “multi-modal communications” to get our messaging out to stakeholders and the public. So launching our own podcast seemed to be a logical avenue but one ...
Going Nuclear with Cal OES's Radiological Preparedness Unit
May 09, 2017 16:00 - 39 minutes - 53.9 MBIn this episode (28) we talk with Bill Potter, Senior Emergency Services Coordinator for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. He’s been with Cal OES for 15 years, all with the Radiological Preparedness Unit as lead for the Nuclear Power Plant program. In 1979, following the accident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, the California State Legislature mandated that the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), together with the California...
Knowing Before Feeling the Shake, Rattle and Roll of an Earthquake
April 11, 2017 23:39 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBThis is Episode 27 and today’s is Earthquake Early Warning Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention, Tina Curry talks about Earthquake Early Warning. As the Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention, Tina Curry oversees the Cal OES Earthquake and Tsunami program. The Cal OES Planning and Preparedness Branch develops and maintains state-level emergency plans and guidance that engage the whole community by using an all-hazards planning process that represe...
Tsunami Preparedness - Saving Lives and Protecting Property
March 28, 2017 21:49 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MBRyan Arba is the branch chief for the Cal OES Earthquake and Tsunami Program. In this episode, Ryan talks about the program, its federal partner NOAA and the focus of this year’s Tsunami Preparedness Week events. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Earthquake, Tsunami and Volcano Program is continuously researching, learning, and collaborating with science, industry, and academic experts to develop and confirm the latest, best available knowledge base to help make Ca...
Just Push Publish and Other Great Government Podcasting Advice From Ray Ortega
March 14, 2017 19:04 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBGuest: Ray Ortega; ThePodcastersStudio.com; RayOrtega.com; Ray Ortega is the host of The Podcasters’ Studio and Podcasters’ Roundtable … both shows are podcasts about podcasting. He launched his first podcast in 2007 which was called Produce Picker Podcast. In 2009, he created The Podcasters’ Studio to share what he had learned while producing his first podcast and to teach himself audio-only podcast production. Podcasting quickly became a full-time hobby and eventually his job – more a...
Cal OES PIOs Talk Disaster Experience, Relationships and More in Team Chat
January 31, 2017 17:09 - 45 minutes - 62.2 MBWhat does a typical day on the job look like for Cal OES public information officer? Well, the answer to that is – there is no typical day. One thing you can count on is that it’s likely there won’t be a press release in draft mode; only for special occasions are press releases written. More often than not, our PIOs are busy creating more engaging forms of communication, from short and longer form videos, to daily blogs to podcasts and social media. Our PIOs also get their hands dirty to g...
Taylor-Made to Advocate for People with Access & Functional Needs
January 17, 2017 06:55 - 46 minutes - 64.5 MBIn this, the 23rd, episode we sit down with Luis “Vance” Taylor, who is the Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. He is a person who has not let Muscular Dystrophy or his limited mobility slow him down in his personal or professional worlds. You will find out how his determination, experience and mom’s words of wisdom has helped him excel in the world of emergency management. As chief of the OAFN Vance is responsible for ensuring...
Taylor-Made to Advocate for People with Access & Functional Needs
January 17, 2017 06:55 - 46 minutes - 64.5 MBIn this, the 23rd, episode we sit down with Luis “Vance” Taylor, who is the Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. He is a person who has not let Muscular Dystrophy or his limited mobility slow him down in his personal or professional worlds. You will find out how his determination, experience and mom’s words of wisdom has helped him excel in the world of emergency management. As chief of the OAFN Vance is responsible for ensuring...
Keeping the Deck "STAC-ed" Against Threats in California
December 13, 2016 16:51 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBThis episode brings us to the topic of homeland security in California. The State Threat Assessment System (STAS) describes its mission as Protecting society through shared information and communication. It fosters a collaborative effort to enhance the reporting, tracking, analysis, and assessment of criminal threat information and suspicious activity, produces and shares timely and actionable homeland security information, and enhances the safety of the citizens of California, while r...
FEMA's Kelly Hudson: Facilitating Unity Between the States and the Feds
December 06, 2016 16:56 - 46 minutes - 63.4 MBKelly Hudson is an external affairs officers with FEMA, and is based in Region IX, Oakland, California. She’s worked for FEMA for 12 years, with ten of those in Region IX. In this episode (#21) she reflects on the many major disasters she’s worked and talks about the challenges of each and lessons learned. She was still a newbie when Hurricane Katrina hit and was dispatched to help with communications as on-scene public information officer. She and her team were escorted by armed guards du...
Radiation Ready and Zealous with Zika in SLO
November 22, 2016 18:02 - 23 minutes - 32.7 MBEpisode 20 was recorded on the road in San Luis Obispo during the 2016 Ingestion Pathway Exercises, a multi-day testing of state and local counties by FEMA for nuclear incidents at Diablo Canyon. We talk with Dr. Penny Borenstein, the Health Officer for the County of San Luis Obispo. She talks about how her health department and others might get involved in nuclear incidents immediately following a radiation breach. She also talks about other hot topics in SLO such as antibiotic resistance...
Preparing for Diablo: The Devil's in the Details
November 08, 2016 16:44 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MBFor Episode #19, we traveled to San Luis Obispo County, the home to Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, where Cal OES as well as many other local, state, and federal agencies were participating in a radiological training exercise. These types of exercises are held every two years and evaluated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The exercises assist in the development of emergency response plans to ensure that the health and safety of the public is protected in the event of a...
The Challenge is People, The Reward is People
October 25, 2016 23:27 - 36 minutes - 50 MBThis episode (#18) Cal OES Deputy Chief Paul Tassone sits down at the mic with us. Chief Tassone is going on his 34th year in law enforcement, and his 6th with Cal OES. His career began with a tour of duty in Air Force when he got out of high school. While in he received medical training and when he got out he began working as an EMT2 while going back to school. It was during that time he became interested in law enforcement. He attended the Sacramento Sheriff’s Academy in 1982 and spent th...
Cal OES Cyber Guys' Protection Advice for October as Cyber Security Awareness Month
October 11, 2016 15:54 - 36 minutes - 50.8 MBFrom Left to Right in Photo: ELI OWEN, Deputy Commander, California State Threat Assessment Center THOR EDENS, California Cyber Security Integration Center MICHAEL CREWS, Cal OES Information Security Officer For this episode we brought three of California’s cybersecurity gurus who talk about some of things you and your agency/company can and should be doing to protect yourself from cybercrime. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month which is an annual campaign to raise aware...
Bringing Order to Chaos for 9/11, Katrina and Sandy
October 04, 2016 13:13 - 38 minutes - 52.2 MBImagine this situation — the first time you visit New York City it just happens to be on 9/11. The second time you visit is during Hurricane Sandy, and the third time, would you even go back? The man we’re going to talk to today experienced that string of disasters and suddenly found himself leading the initial emergency response to those historical events. He’s a UC Davis alum and 5th generation San Franciscan. Robert J. Fenton, Jr. was appointed Regional Administrator for FEMA Region IX ...
From WWII to the Northridge Earthquake: Retired LA Battalion Chief Remembers Moments of His Storied Career
September 20, 2016 22:06 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBRetired Los Angeles City Fire Battalion Chief Larry Schneider's long and storied career began during World War II. He didn't retire until 2007, just shy of his 80th birthday; he says he could have performed his job well for another five years but felt it was time for him to settle down. We met Mr. Schneider at his home in the hills of LA and spent a wonderful afternoon talking with him about everything from the early days of his career to the Northridge Earthquake. Take some time to liste...
Managing Disasters In California's Coastal Region
September 07, 2016 00:40 - 36 minutes - 49.6 MBIn this episode Cal OES Coastal Region Administrator talks about the merging of data science and technology and how emergency managers and responders get surprisingly effective help from free phone apps. She also talks about how the state was able to reduce the financial impacts of the Napa quake and keep the important wine industry flowing. Plus, she candidly discusses her way of handling emotionally draining disasters such as the San Diego Fire Siege of 2007 and the San Mateo Floods in 20...
Manage a Disaster Without a Playbook
August 23, 2016 16:07 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBIn this episode we sit down with Andrew Lockman, Tulare County Emergency Manager. Lockman has been on the front line in the drought battle, with California now enduring its 5th year. Tulare County, specifically the town of East Porterville, is considered the epicenter of this natural disaster; it's where several thousand people have been without drinking water in their homes because their wells went dry. Emergency officials from the county and state, as well as non-governmental and voluntee...
Saving Fire Stations, Lives and Guitars After the Northridge Earthquake: Fire Chief Jim Hone
August 09, 2016 14:54 - 37 minutes - 51.3 MBIn this episode retired Santa Monica fire chief Jim Hone reflects on the Northridge Earthquake and the challenges that kept hitting them, one after another. Whether it was the need to evacuate a major hospital, an incident command that had no power, major delays in mutual aid, or his own fire station that was on the verge of burning down, Hone and others kept their eye on the ball in order to stay in front of it. Hone joined the Santa Monica Fire Department in January of 1980, and served ...
Mona Lisa Bontty - A Comforting Smile Behind Disaster Response in SoCal
July 26, 2016 18:18 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBIn this episode (#11) we sit down with Mona Lisa Bontty. She serves as the Southern Regional Administrator, which includes managing emergency management and response operations in a region that spans 11 counties, nearly 65,000 miles and serves a population of over 21,000,000 residents. Mona talks about the challenges of managing emergency response in a region as large and diverse as hers. She also talks candidly about her unique ability to relate to citizens with Access and Functional Need...
Overcoming Major Medical Challenges at Stadium Shelter for 2007 San Diego Fire Siege
July 12, 2016 16:16 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBMore than 350,000 households were evacuated at the height of the siege, meaning the evacuation could have included more than 900,000 people. Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, became the evacuation center for thousands of people. It was a brilliant move but not without its many challenges, including how to treat the many who suffered from health and medical problems. Dr. James Dunford was the chief medical doctor there, the medical incident commander if you will, and ...
The Erskine Fire: Beyond the Lines
June 28, 2016 15:17 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBAs of this publishing, crews continue to get a handle on the Erskine Fire in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County. But as they do there are still concerns and challenges facing them -- hot, dry and windy weather; difficult terrain; safety for everyone involved including the public; and much more. At this point the response phase of the attack is slowly gearing down, and the recovery phase is gearing up. Members of the Cal OES public information team were on the ground talking with leader...
Chargers' Stadium Became Home to Thousands of Fire Evacuees
June 14, 2016 22:56 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MBIn late October 2007, Southern California experienced an unusually severe fire weather event characterized by intense, dry, gusty Santa Ana winds. This weather event drove a series of destructive wildfires that took a devastating toll on people, property, natural resources, and infrastructure. During this siege, 17 people lost their lives, 10 were killed by the fires outright, three were killed while evacuating, and 140 firefighters and an unknown number of civilians were injured. A total of...
Jerry Haleva: The Dude & The Dictator
May 31, 2016 14:45 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBJerry was born Jerome Michael Haleva in May of 1946. He served as chief of staff for Senator Bill Campbell (namesake for the Cal OES HQ building) from 1975-1990. But he’s more recognizable as an actor in his comedic roles as Saddam Hussein, especially due to his resemblance to the now deceased Iraqi dictator. He says he’s a “rock star” among "Achievers," fans of the movie "The Big Lebowski," taking his place at the autograph table at annual Lebowski Fests alongside The Dude himself, Jeff Br...
Jerry Haleva: The Dude & The Dictator
May 31, 2016 14:45 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBJerry was born Jerome Michael Haleva in May of 1946. He served as chief of staff for Senator Bill Campbell (namesake for the Cal OES HQ building) from 1975-1990. But he’s more recognizable as an actor in his comedic roles as Saddam Hussein, especially due to his resemblance to the now deceased Iraqi dictator. He says he’s a “rock star” among "Achievers," fans of the movie "The Big Lebowski," taking his place at the autograph table at annual Lebowski Fests alongside The Dude himself, Jeff Br...
California's Search and Rescue Top Cop
May 17, 2016 15:00 - 17 minutes - 24.4 MBMatt Scharper is a Deputy Chief with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services - Law Enforcement Branch and is the California State Search and Rescue Coordinator. Matt is headquartered out of the Region V office, located in Fresno, CA and is also the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator for Region V. In this episode Scharper takes pride in lives saved over his 30+ years with SAR, and talks about one of the most recent rescues and how it nearly turned into a recovery missi...
Easter Quake Took Lives, Rattled Nerves, Challenged New Fire Chief
May 03, 2016 15:00 - 32 minutes - 44 MBAt 3:40 in the afternoon on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, the Baja California earthquake struck, registering a 7.2 magnitude on the moment magnitude scale. It's epicenter was 16 miles south of Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, Mexico. It's said to have lasted about a minute and a half. The strongest shaking was felt in the ejido of Alberto Oviedo Mota, in the municipality of Mexicali, Calexico, and Guadalupe Victoria. Most of the damage in this earthquake occurred in the twin cities of M...
Sheriff James Mele: Big Role in a Small County
April 26, 2016 18:00 - 41 minutes - 56.8 MBJames Mele was elected as Tuolumne County Sheriff in 2006. He comes from a family of law enforcement professionals. His father spent 35 years with the LAPD. Mele is says while he’s a sheriff in a small county he still often finds himself in meetings with the governor, US senators and representatives and other high-powered officials. Early on he struggled finding his “self” but took a proactive approach to fixing that. He also says his ego sometimes got in the way of success, as it does with...
Oklahoma City Bombing: California Sent its Best to Midwest Terror Response
April 19, 2016 15:00 - 1 hour - 93 MBOn April 19, 1995, a yellow moving truck parked in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building; at 9:02 AM, it exploded. The death and devastation it left in its wake was like nothing ever seen in the U.S. The blast killed 168 people and injured more than 600 others; it destroyed half of the building that was full of employees. The enormous and dangerous rescue and recovery operation began immediately and Oklahoma officials called on California for help. Mark Ghilarducci and Kim Zagaris ...
Eric Lamoureux: Managing Disasters Face to Face
April 05, 2016 14:30 - 33 minutes - 60.5 MBEric Lamoureux has served the State of California in multiple communications assignments. He’s served in his current position of Inland Region Administrator at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) since August, 2013. As administrator he leads emergency and disaster response coordination efforts for the State of California. From November 1999 through September 2007, Eric worked his first stint for Cal OES where he served as chief of the department’s Office of Public Informat...
A Shot in the Sun: Jerry Sanders Orders Sniper to Take Out Shooter in McDonald's Massacre
March 23, 2016 22:53 - 19 minutes - 36.5 MBThe premiere episode of the All Hazards Podcast features an interview with retired San Diego SWAT Commander Jerry Sanders. He recalls the day his pager went off on July 18, 1984 when more than 40 people were injured or killed in the McDonald’s massacre perpetrated by 41-year-old James Huberty. Sanders and his contingent of police officers were up against a number of challenges when deciding tactics including poor visibility due to the sun and windows that had been “spidered” by gun shots...