General meeting
Thursday, 27th July, 2017 17:00 – 19:00

Agenda:

1. Digital media
a. Website : http://saratogacert.org
b. Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/certsaratoga (note this is a corrected URL)

2. Division layout / opportunities
a. Map : http://saratogacert.org/map
b. Leaders
c. Phone tree to determine members interest

3. Organization http://saratogacert.org/files/CERT-OrgChart-20170726.pdf 

(Note: the Organization chart has been updated with the new division organizers and a MedOps group at http://saratogacert.org/files/Cert-OrgChart-20170727.pdf )

4. Budget http://saratogacert.org/files/excel.png

5. Recent activity review

  1. Car show (July 16th, 2017)
  2. Communications refresher (June 22, 2017)
  3. CERT Academy graduates (July 2017): Christina Chui, Rachel Wong, Irene Chang
  4. Generator testing / Cache cleanup / Inventory (May 20th, 2017)

6. Fall exercise planning

Meeting minutes:

  • Attendance:
  • Brent Hailpern, Jeff Walker, Michael Taylor, Wendy Lynn, Ray Froess, Stephen Ng, Lori Stafford, Irene Change, Karen Burley, Jessica Fullmer
  • Meeting began at 17:05 and ended at 18:50
  • Digital Media:
  • Jeff identified the outbound emails are intended to be few in numbers (like once per month and more of a newsletter feel). Michael is the sender of these mails from the city’s Constant Contact bulk email system.
  • Brent reviewed our website and the beginnings of a Facebook presence.
  • Division layout / opportunities
  • For the divisions, even though we do not have well-defined boundaries or folks who will step up and run each division, we still need to move forward. To that end, we had a few members step forward and accept the first step of determining who is active in the Saratoga CERT program.
  • We will divide the membership roster up into the divisions shown on the map and ask that each volunteer for that division try to speak to each of them to gauge interest. During this meeting, we thought of the following questions to use as a starting point for any conversation.
    • Do you recall when you graduated?
    • Are you still interested in participating?
    • Do you still live at this address?
    • DSW (Disaster Service Worker card) current?
    • Aware of our newsletter / website?
    • Receiving our emailed missives?
    • Medical knowledge?
  • Organization
  • Michael indicated the Jim Yoke has resigned from the Santa Clara County Fire Department effective in June of 2017. Additionally, Captain Gluhan will be active with the CERT management in SCCFD through September 2017.
  • We also learned that CERT overall management will be shifting to the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services. I suspect that means: leadership and administration for all the CERT programs in the county report to SCC OES. All training for the west valley communities still will be provided by Santa Clara County Fire Department.
  • Michael Taylor is the city’s risk manager and is our city representative that we interface with.
  • Below that, we have a leadership team that is comprised of Jeff Walker as the CERT captain, Reshma Hyder running IT, Brent Hailpern handling membership, Jessica Fullmer handing recruitment, Lori Stafford looking after all things medical, Don handling Ham radio communications, and, finally the most important part: a number of volunteers to startup and gain interest in the divisions (Jim, Wendy, Jessica, Ray, and Tom).
  • Budget
  • We reviewed our needs that we are aware of and also the possibility of a number of members who might not have received their backpacks and starter equipment. The following budget items were placed out for approval and was passed with all ayes.
  • Standup banner for our various events: $279.00
  • Generic business cards: $20.00
  • New member supplies (ball caps, backpacks, hard hats, etc): $1000.00
  • Generator repair (one 5.5KW generator has a fuel leak): $100.00
  • IT (two known WordPress plugins to assist in bridging between FaceBook, etc): $300.00
  • Total spending authorization approved $1699
  • Other discussion / notes
  • Inactive members who have basically fallen off the grid will require an appointment with Captain Gluhan to review skills and/or take CERT or refresher again. (through Sept 2017 only)
  • DSW (Disaster Service Worker) cards will only be issued under the following conditions:
  • (1) For existing DSW card holders: as a replacement for an about to expire or just recently expired, make an appointment with Lori McKenna
  • (2) For new members: Your DSW paperwork will be sent to the City where it needs to be signed by the Risk Manager and the City Manager. From there, it will be photocopied and sent to your home address. You will be required to make an appointment and bring the paperwork with you.
  • (3) For folks outside of these two conditions, you will need to speak to Michael Taylor to see if your DSW paperwork is properly on file.
  • On September 14th and 15th, Santa Clara County is having a drill. Saratoga will open up it’s EOC and radio communications (9/14 09:00 – 12:00).  Michael Taylor will send an alert to all Saratoga CERT members.  The alert will ask you to press 1 to acknowledge the alert and also if you are free to visit a defined rally point with your backpack to simply check-in / out (between the hours of 09:00 to 10:00)