The La Honda Voice

Know Your Zone

The Zonehaven Evacuation Platform

Know Your Zone – myzone.zonehaven.com

I attended a recent presentation of the Zonehaven Evacuation Platform used in the August CZU fires as well as the recent Debris Flow advisories and evacuations in the South Coast burn areas. The information was presented by CalFire Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox and Charlie Crocker, CEO of Zonehaven.

Two years ago, fire chiefs in San Mateo County agreed they needed to do something to reduce the time between a call for evacuation and when the public becoming notified or started moving. In consultation with other counties and jurisdictions, they found Charlie Crocker and Zonehaven. Fires have been getting worse in recent years, and evacuation planning was in need of revisions because of how fast and differently these fires are behaving. Traffic congestion emerged as one of the most critical aspects of evacuations.

Previous evacuation decisions were made ad-hoc standing around maps, but the information didn’t translate well to the public and didn’t get out quickly. They went to the Board of Supervisors for funding to prove the viability of the Zonehaven platform. The goal was to automate the process of getting information out through all channels immediately once a decision has been made. Key components for the software were: agency coordination, a single real-time map, compatibility with existing communications channels, input area for local knowledge, speed, and community accessibility.

The result was to put all of San Mateo County into zones. Zones are managed by first responders as to number of people, where they can travel, traffic congestion, etc., can print plans for firefighters and first responders, and status can be changed and communicated to the public.

• “Smart” Zones are scaled to handle a certain amount of population based on ingress/egress, number of structures, type of fuel, and risks in the region.
• Supports collaboration with other counties and jurisdictions.
• Single Source of Truth: the same information is put into news releases, Twitter, WAZE, community.zonehaven.com, Google, firefighters managing assets in the field and others.
• Allows first responders to prepare and build pre-plans, and understand the unique aspects of each individual zone. They can use it to train, run fire simulations, and during an actual event change information regarding shelters, road conditions, etc. The information is immediately available through a variety of channels.
• Continuing outreach to the community: Billboards, Know Your Zone (write it down!).

There are two versions of the application, one for first responders, the other for the public. The public will not see all the information available to first responders. First responders can see what’s going on in other counties – how they are dealing with traffic control points, what’s their progress, and how to prepare to support them.

For First Responders: Information is available about schools, hospitals, temporary evacuation points, traffic control points, and more. The most current information can be made public to reduce confusion about old data. They can look at individual zones or combine zones to get a bigger picture of traffic congestion for example. Pre-plans with special considerations and other important info can be downloaded as a pdf to their phones or other devices. Work that used to be done with phone calls and someone sitting at a desk can now be done in the field.

For the Public: Zones are color coded as to normal, advisory, evacuation warning or order, shelter-in-place, or clear to repopulate. Temporary Evacuation Points are indicated with a flag. The platform was developed for San Mateo County, but is now providing similar support to Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and other counties.

And She’s Off!

Jane's Gone AWOL

By Karen Christian

On Friday, May 24, the “A Team”, the “Creme de la Creme” as Jane calls them, gathered to celebrate the culmination of months of planning and to send Jane Sullivan on her way to take the American Walk of Life.

Who are these people and what were they thinking?

As a result of a New Year’s Day chat, Will Johnson, Adda Quinn, Karin Bird, Trudy Schoneman, Bill Bishop, Lisa Chupity, Karen & Rob Christian, Neil & MaryPanton were brought together by Jane to help execute her goal of walking across America. From our very first meeting, there was no doubt this goal was going to become a reality. The perfect storm was created by combining Jane’s enthusiasm and passion with friends who were dedicated to working out the details.

Hard at work for the past year, the A Team has been gathering data and information, researching places to stay, oddities to see and people to meet as Jane makes her way across America. Each of us with our selected states searched high and low for the best coffee shops, the diveyest dive bars and the most unique American experiences we could find. We’ve had meetings about safety, communication, travel logistics, insurance and packing lists. We’ve met with the architects of the American Discovery Trail and contacted authorities on all sorts of subjects.  And now she’s on her way.

After treating us all to a full English breakfast, Jane and Tim headed off in their RV, the Mary Joyce. They will take 10 days heading east to her starting point in Lewes, Delaware. From there, on June 3, she begins the adventure walking and biking across the United States.  Members of the A Team, family and friends will be hopping on and off the trail to meet up with Jane on her journey, sharing the fitness challenge and helping drive the Mary Joyce. This trip is sure to be full of amazing experiences for everyone involved, particularly for the Americans that encounter Jane along the way!

From a New Year’s goal to the realization of a dream - Jane’s Gone AWOL!

Keep track of her progress on Instagram (janesgoneawol) and You Tube (Jane Sullivan).

San Gregorio Beach Cleanup Sat. April 27th

Saturday, April 27th from 9am-12 will be a cleanup day at San Gregorio State Beach. Join your friends and neighbors, bring your kids, and play a part in keeping our beautiful area beautiful! Parking is free for volunteers, and SGERC (San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center) will sort all the trash and recyclables. Bring re-usable buckets and gloves, dress in layers and bring sunglasses and sunscreen just in case! We'll have extra garbage bags and gloves for anyone who needs them.

This is always a fun event and provides instant gratification.  SGERC, in partnership with State Parks, will hold cleanup events each year in May, July and September as part of the Adopt-A-Beach program. We look forward to seeing you there!

La Hondans Support “Jane Goes AWOL”

by Adda Quinn

In the last month’s Voice, Neil Panton interviewed Jane Sullivan about her upcoming great adventure walking, biking, and driving across the US to inspire, motivate and encourage others to live life to the fullest.  A number of La Honda residents have volunteered to help her realize this dream.

JANE AND TIM

Tim and Jane Sullivan will be driving East in their rig, the Mary Joyce, across country the end of May, following portions of the American Discovery Trail (ADT) that she will be using on her trip returning West. Her trip starts in Delaware where local La Hondans Karin Bird and Will Johnson join her.

JANE AND KARIN, THE LA HONDETTES

Karin is a friend who wants to bike ride with Jane part of the journey and who undertook all of the planning for the first two states:  Delaware and Maryland. You probably know these friendly ladies as the La Hondettes, who perform with our local bands. 

WILL JOHNSON

Will Johnson is a local La Honda fixture frequently found grazing on bagels and coffee at the village market when he’s not knee deep in ranch chores or playing with his ham radios. He is one of the instigators of Jane’s decision to make her epic trip, along with Neil Panton.  Both gentlemen said they would help her with logistics if she would make the trek. Will is the designated driver for both Delaware and Maryland.

Will Johnson and Adda Quinn were the planners for the next two states, West Virginia and Ohio.  Mary Joyce will be driven across West Virginia by Jane’s brother Bill. Her nephew Reuben will accompany Jane on the trails in West Virginia.  We want Jane to have as much company while on the trails as possible for safety sake. There are two or three states for which we still need hiker/bikers and drivers.  We have potential driver volunteers for Ohio but nothing confirmed yet, and hoping to find some hiker/bikers for this scenic leg of the trip.

If you have not traveled much, you would be in for a treat if you can join Jane for portions of her odyssey. The planning has been a trip in and of itself. We are all learning so much about our country.  It has really been an educational experience.  Below follows some of the highlights Jane will be seeing in her first four states:

Delaware June 3-6, 2019

The journey begins after we rendezvous on June 3^rd in Lewes Delaware, the farthest Eastern point of the American Discovery Trail.  The following morning, Jane will walk about 15 miles to Milton, Delaware. Milton is an important ship building town first settled in 1675 by English colonists.  As it turns out the local pub in Milton has Karaoke on Tuesdays so watch out Milton… the La Hondettes are coming to town. Day 3 is an 18 milewalk to Bridgeville, Delaware.  That evening they will drive to Stevensville on Kent Island to stay at the home of acquaintances.  Stevensville is another town of historical note with over 100 historical structures in the downtown area.  The last day they will head into Washington DC to spend a couple days touring the nation’s capital.

Maryland June 7-14, 2019

After DC, Jane heads to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, also known as the C&O Canal or the Grand Old Ditch.  It operated from 1831 to 1924 along the Potomac River and runs about 185 miles to West Virginia.  The canal served as the main form of transport in the area providing food, mail, building materials, booze… you name it, to the towns along the way. 74 locks were built to accommodate changes inelevation.  The canal and towns along the way have a distinctly European character.  Jane and Karin will be riding bikes along the path adjacent to the canal for about a week before they reach West Virginia.

West Virginia June 15-21, 2019

On the Allegheny Front, Jane will be in the Monongahela National Forest, 3500-4000’ where
snow might fall any day of the year. This segment is the highest elevation that the Discovery Trail will reach east of the Rockies.  Here she will find out why West Virginia is called the Mountain State. Beautiful waterfalls, lakes, canyons, and forests to be explored. It also has Abe Lincoln’s mom’s homestead to visit!

They will then drive to Wolf Summit where they will bike the next 60 miles to Walker. The Discovery Trail follows the North Bend Rail-Trail, a National Recreation Trail through one mountain valley after another, with 10 tunnels and 37 trestles. Along the route are cottage industries of hand blown glass, old asphalt mines which produced material for many of Europe’s first paved roads, and nice parks. They drive to Parkersburg at the Ohio border for a side trip to the Blennerhasset Island Historical State Park to visit the mansion and to take a stern-wheeler river boat ride.

Ohio June 22-30, 2019

The Discovery Trail route is in the southern part of the state which has spectacular scenic attractions. In 1803, when Ohio was the first state to be carved out of the Northwest Territory, first settlers discovered that 95% of the land was covered in hardwood forest.  Much of the area the Discovery Trail passes through is still heavily wooded.  The Appalachian Plateau in eastern Ohio has narrow valleys, steep hills and many caves. The Hocking Hills State Park alone sounds like a 2-3 day stay for its activities and natural beauty.  There are parks about every 30 miles on the route with lakes and hiking.

Heading south and west from there are numerous forest parks in the Little Smokey Mountains to be explored.  The Discovery Trail will be driven the last leg to Cincinnati where the trail crosses into Indiana.  The Indiana leg is being managed by La Hondans Bill Bishop and Trudy Schoneman from whom you will be hearing in the future, along with other La Honda volunteers for this project.

JANE SULLIVAN. AS HERSELF

If you want to be part of this great adventure, email [email protected].  Follow Jane on Instagram @JanesGoneAWOL; Facebook at JanesGoneAwol and YouTube: Jane Sullivan Janes Gone A.W.O.L..  Even if you are unable to join Jane on any part of the cross-country venture, we hope you will join us all August 31, 2019, on the very final leg of the trip when we will be hiking from Sears Ranch Road down into La Honda.  Hold that date and let’s make it a big party in town! Enjoy being part of Jane’s epic odyssey!

 

EMERGENCY PREP and the new SMCAlert

The La Honda community is rightfully discussing emergency evacuation plans in light of recent wildland fires in California and several contained nearby. The sobering loss of life in Concow and Paradise appear attributable in part to poor preparedness and lack of communication with residents. Read the sad and scary story in the Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-camp-fire-tictoc-20181118-story.html. It’s estimated that only 30% of residents had signed up for an early alert system. The town had a prior evacuation 10 years ago that illuminated their vulnerabilities, but few steps were taken to rectify the situation. We can’t avoid all disasters, but odds are greatly increased with a bit of planning. I’m hopeful our community will organize some simulated evacuations to explore what may happen in a real emergency. Even though a well-planned exercise can go reasonably well, things quickly get chaotic when panic sets in.

An early warning system is possibly the best defense against panic and chaos. Some residents may have had issues with SMC Alert in the past, but I encourage everyone to take another look at San Mateo County’s new Emergency Alert System (https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert  or SMCAlert.info). An earlier version was replaced a few years back and some users got caught in both old and new systems. The county sent letters to subscribers to update their accounts, but apparently response was low. It’s difficult to design large scale systems that will please everyone, but San Mateo County’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) has been steadily improving the system the last two years, listening to comments from our community and other users of the system. An efficient system relies on both end-users and the folks sending out alerts to understand and be smart about its use.

Our first responders and emergency coordinators are the ones who enter information into the system. During an incident, they make a lot of quick decisions about their best response. It may involve attention to saving a life or safety in the immediate area. Sending a text alert may be a secondary priority. We may not immediately get all the info we’d like, but remember, they’re learning to use the system too.

SMCAlert and NIXLE

For our part, we can spend time tailoring alerts to our needs. If you’re already a subscriber to SMCAlert, log in again and check your info https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert or search SMCAlert.info. There may be some things you want to update in your profile. If you haven’t yet subscribed, there are now a couple of ways to utilize alerts. If you’re leery of entering a lot of information into the system, you can now sign up for alerts using NIXLE. You can subscribe to NIXLE by texting 888-777. You won’t need to give an address in order to receive text alerts.

If you subscribe to SMCAlert, you can choose which number(s) or email(s) you’d like to receive alerts on, as well as communities of interest in San Mateo County. I’ve chosen communities along the coast as well as Skyline, Portola Valley and Woodside. If you have special skills or equipment that could be utilized in an emergency you can enter that too. Lastly you can choose the types of alerts you wish to receive. I believe everyone receives Public Safety Emergencies alerts, but you can add Crime Alerts, Wildlife Alerts (ie: Mountain Lions), and Major Road Closures.

You may register up to five addresses in the alert system such as your home, work, child's school or a relative’s residence. The information you provide is protected and will not be used for any other purpose other than emergency notification. You can stop receiving at any time by removing your contact information from your profile.  

Why should I enter my address?

When you enter an address, it’s geocoded within the mapping system.  The mapping system allows emergency personnel to focus alerts to a specific neighborhood or an entire city.  If you don't include at least one address, you may miss an important alert.  The system allows circles or lines to be drawn around specific areas rather than just distance-based notices (ie: 100ft, 500ft). This is important, because sometimes the nearest neighbors are fairly far away and should get notice, but the entire town doesn’t need to know.

And please, get to know your neighbors! You must take care of yourself and your family first, but think about any neighbors who may have mobility issues, or may not have received an alert. Take a minute or two to think about who else may need assistance getting out of the area. Amidst the sad and horrifying stories from recent fires, heartwarming stories of rescues and thoughtfulness are beginning to emerge. Together and informed, we are strong.

Sept. 15th Coastal Cleanup Day at San Gregorio State Beach!!

Join us Saturday, September 15^th 9am - 12noon at San Gregorio State Beach to help clean up our local beach. Each year volunteers remove hundreds of pounds of trash and recyclables.

Parking has always been free for cleanup volunteers. Bring sturdy shoes or boots, layered clothing, sunscreen, and the whole family!  We encourage plastic buckets, reusable water bottles, and heavy gloves for cleanup, but we'll have plenty of supplies on hand.

There are additional cleanup locations along the coast and inland.  Visit smc health (https://www.smchealth.org/general-information/coastal-and-bay-cleanup-day) to find more information about the event and cleanup sites.

San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center (SGERC) is proud to have been site captain for cleanup at the beach since 2003. SGERC has also assisted in cleanup efforts at Pomponio and Tunitas Creeks. The organization adopts a stretch of highway on Hwy 84, keeping that area clear of trash since 2007. SGERC has also been removing invasive plants such as pampas/jubata grass and stinkwort since 2016. To find out more about SGERC, call their office at (650) 726-2499, or visit their website sgerc.org. 

New Invasive in Town!

Now that the Kick Pampass sheriffs have rounded up most of the Jubata plants in town, a new invasive has arrived to challenge the authorities. Dittricia graveolens (aka Stinkwort) is rapidly moving onto roadsides and pastures all around the Peninsula. Stinkwort is a short, yellow-flowered annual blooming in late Sept.-Oct.

Few plants have been spotted in La Honda or San Gregorio, but the Pampas team has turned its attention to identifying and removing Stinkwort before it gains a toehold in our area. One local horse pasture with a sizeable infestation is being tackled by the owner and our team this month, hopefully before the plants flower. Even now, the horses get sticky foliage on them causing issues with their hair.

A native of southern Europe, Stinkwort grows to about 3 ft. tall with sticky and aromatic foliage. These invasives take advantage of disturbed soils, roadsides, overgrazed pastures, drained wetlands, washouts, service line corridors, etc. Removal is quite easy either by cutting or pulling (in soft soil) or using a rogue hoe or pick axe. If cut or pulled before flowering, the plant can be composted in place and will not return the following year. Once buds have formed, all plants should be bagged since viable seeds will still develop from the pulled plants. The life of the seeds is about 2 years.

Be on the lookout, and either remove plants yourself, or report to the appropriate authorities (in this case, San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center [email protected] or 650 726-2499). As always, feel free to contact us for assistance in removal of Pampas, Jubata or Stinkwort on your property or volunteer to join our team. Our enthusiastic volunteers love seeing native plants have a chance to thrive in the San Gregorio watershed.

What DON’T You See?

It’s hard to see what’s not there!  As you drive along our coast, it’s easy to see Jubata/Pampas grass taking over hillsides and ranges. What’s harder to see is when it’s NOT there. Look along La Honda Rd. between the coast and La Honda.  Also look along Stage Rd. between the General Store and Highway 1.  You will not see Jubata/Pampas grass growing along the roadway (except for a few unsafe to reach). 

That’s due to the efforts of the “Kick Pampass” team, a dedicated bunch of volunteers in the community interested in keeping invasive grasses from taking over San Gregorio Valley. The spread had become all too evident, particularly along Stage Rd., where over 430 plants were recently removed. On Hwy. 84 between La Honda and San Gregorio nearly 100 plants have been removed.  On private property in Cuesta, La Honda and San Gregorio more than 100 plants have been removed. This was done entirely using manual methods, no herbicides.

Flowering plants (photo N.P.)

Most would agree these are beautiful ornamental grasses. Pampasgrass from South America was sold in nurseries for decades. Without nearby male plants, female pampas can be kept under control.  Jubata grass, on the other hand, spreads like crazy on it’s own.  This is the grass that predominantly populates the coast from San Diego northward.  It’s an invasive opportunist, crowds out native plants, and affects the ecology and wildlife that depend on native species.

There are alternatives! Check out ornamental grasses at Yerba Buena Nursery or California Invasive Plant Council web sites, or search for non-invasive ornamental grass:

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/search.php?bot=&com=grass&exp=0&wat=0&typ=0&search=Search

http://www.cal-ipc.org/landscaping/dpp/plantpage.php?region=bayarea&type=Ornamental%20grasses

What can you do?  The next phase for our Kick Pampass team will be to help landowners interested in removing plants from their property.  If you have plants you‘d like removed, or have interested neighbors, feel free to contact us.  In addition, this is the time of year that tall seed heads develop.  If you see plants we've missed, please let us know. You may want to join us!  You can reach Neil at: (650) 726-2499 or [email protected]

Many thanks to our hard-working Pampass team: Liz, Gary, Ellen, Denis, Jane, Ellen, Hilary, Sasha, George and Neil – plus the many landowners who have allowed access to their properties or taken steps to eliminate the plants themselves! We also thank Cuesta La Honda, Caltrans, State Parks and the County of San Mateo for permission to remove plants on their property or right-of-ways.

Stage Rd. removal (photo N.P.)

Let’s Kick Pampas!!

Volunteers wanted to remove Pampas & Jubata Grass from our San Gregorio Valley.

Plant removed near Lower Reservoir in Cuesta La Honda

Let’s control these grasses so they won’t spread as they have in Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, and along the coast. SGERC has received permission from Caltrans to control and remove invasive Pampas and Jubata grass along Hwy. 84 between Hwy. 1 and La Honda. If you’re interested in helping with this project, please contact Neil Panton, (650) 854-8038 or [email protected].

We use manual methods, no chemicals. We plan to clear the Hwy. 84 corridor, but since a number of plants exist on private property as well, we’d like to help interested landowners remove these invasive plants from their property. For those who’d like to keep ornamental grasses on their property, there are several non-invasive alternatives, like these suggested by the Native Plants Society and Yerba Buena Nursery:

http://calscape.cnps.org/loc-California/cat-Grasses/ord-popular?srchcr=sc56a0f45be321b

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/Avail.php

Anyone 16 years or older can participate. We’ll schedule several morning work days over the coming year beginning in April. All safety and other training will be provided. Removal of seed heads is the first step in preventing further spread.  Next we cut back vegetation to control plant growth, and finally remove the plant. Smaller plants come out in a few minutes.  Larger, established plants take more effort, but can be removed with pick axe and shovel. The root balls are amazingly small and shallow considering the size of these plants.

The biggest concentration of plants is around the 2.0 and 3.0 mile markers on La Honda Rd. With team effort, we should be able to remove the remaining plants along the highway in short order.  After that, we just monitor for new growth.

Feel free to pass this information along to anyone you think may be interested.  We can use help on work crews, communicating with neighbors, and identifying remaining plants in the watershed. With your help, we should be able to remove Pampas and Jubata grass from San Gregorio and La Honda completely in a year or two. As one of our community leaders says “It Takes a Village”!  We look forward to hearing from you!

La Honda Food Pantry

On Sunday afternoons you'll find the doors open at a rustic shed under the redwoods at the edge of the parking lot of Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in La Honda. From this unimposing building, between noon and 2 PM, members of St. Vincent de Paul distribute to our local community, food supplied by Second Harvest.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide group of lay Catholics who serve their local communities on a person-to-person level, helping anyone in need, maintaining confidence and dignity. Second Harvest is the largest local food bank serving Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Second Harvest works with local organizations that can distribute the food to the people who are in need. The small church community of Our Lady of Refuge originally tried starting their own St. Vincent de Paul conference (as the local groups are called), but found that there weren't enough people to hold the required officers positions. Fortunately the parish church, Our Lady of the Pillar in Half Moon Bay, has a very active and supportive St. Vincent de Paul conference. Partnering, they hope to get food to La Honda residents.

The La Honda pantry distributes grocery bags of non perishables like rice, beans, cereal, canned goods as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, protein items such as fresh eggs, frozen ground turkey or chicken, and occasionally, exotic items like dragon-fruit-flavored Pepsi Cola.

They also have had sheets and towels donated by local large chain stores. There is no charge for anything. Second Harvest requires a name and address so that they know the food has been given to a real person, but this information is never entered into any database or put on any list.

Deacon John McGhee is always looking for a way to help the community. "If there are people who need help, we want to be there," he says. In an area like La Honda, with no regular public transportation and limited shopping opportunity, it's important to have access to basic foods, but it isn't easy to organize a program with potential volunteers spread out as widely as the people they want to serve.

Our Lady of Refuge is what is known as a mission church--part of the parish of Our Lady of the Pillar in Half Moon Bay, as mentioned above. So La Honda has looked to its sister organization in Half Moon Bay for help. St. Vincent de Paul volunteers at Our Lady of the Pillar in Half Moon Bay take delivery of the Second Harvest items and bag them up for La Honda. A La Honda volunteer with a large enough vehicle then picks up the bags (and boxes of additional items) and delivers to the pantry in La Honda. Volunteers also handle the Sunday distribution. This takes some amount of coordination.

Shella Bordi has been instrumental in scheduling the Sunday workers who are there from noon until 2 PM. She has also been scheduling the food pick-up from Half Moon Bay, often doing it herself because a truck-size vehicle is needed. She is grateful to "have access to resources in the Half Moon Bay St. Vincent de Paul" since they have, she adds, "the ability to supply the the food pantry as well as interface with the community for other needs. Because our goal is to reach out to people in any capacity that we can." By partnering with the larger St. Vincent de Paul at Our Lady of the Pillar, the food pantry in La Honda can also expand simply by requesting more bags of food as the need arises.

Spring will bring changes to the look of the pantry: new signs on the outside, new flooring and paint on the inside. The goal is to be there every Sunday so that the people who count on them know that they can get the help they need.

For those who can't get to the pantry or need other assistance, St. Vincent de Paul of San Mateo County has a hotline phone number. Usually a home visit will be required for these other services, but this will be carried out by someone from Half Moon Bay and one of the local La Honda members of St. Vincent de Paul. The number is 650-343-4403.

Other service besides food can include financial help for utilities and rent, referal to shelters for the homeless or abused, job training or service to anyone in need.

La Honda pantry hours are every Sunday, noon to 2 PM.