Lessons learned from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, followed by the 1991 East Bay Hills fire that ravaged over 3,000 homes, compelled the City of Berkeley to implement an emergency supply cache program through a bond measure passed in 2000. With the help of Truitt and White, the program will be fully implemented by July of 2004.

During the East Bay hills fire, many untrained civilians were drafted to train fire hoses on a break line established by the firefighters. This effort kept the fires from reaching the other side of the hill and claiming more homes. “From this we learned that if we put tools and equipment in the hands of civilians, we might greatly reduce our losses because the neighborhoods are willing and able to lend a great deal of assistance,” explains Carol Lopes, Berkeley’s Disaster Resistance Program Coordinator.

One of many, this year's program involves selecting one of the neighborhood organizations within each of its eight council districts to host emergency supplies. The eight winning neighborhoods were ranked through a Citywide competition and awarded three Job Box style emergency supply containers filled with professional first responder equipment, including fire suppression, search and rescue, medical first aid, a 5000 watt generator as well as other emergency tools. The emergency supply containers hold equipment designed to respond to large disasters, such as fires, earthquakes, and smaller emergencies as well.

This is where Truitt and White enters the picture. In 2000, we made a commitment to the City of Berkeley to be an active partner in the Disaster Resistant Berkeley Program. Among other things, we provided the City special price breaks on the emergency equipment valued at $15,000 for each of the eight neighborhood caches. Truitt and White also volunteered to organize the supplies as well as deliver and establish the large job boxes in each of the eight neighborhoods.

With the basic equipment in place, the neighborhood will receive training by the fire department in order to assist their neighborhood and surrounding regions. “Once we get all of the neighborhoods established by July, we will begin holding large disaster drills throughout the City to train on the use of the equipment,” say Lopes.

The City of Berkeley continues to seek volunteers to help in this effort to create ‘centers of resilience.’ “We believe in empowering citizens,” says Lopes. “Whatever we can do up front will help us to minimize losses in disasters and promote a smoother recovery.”

Following the city’s lead, the Berkeley Unified School District is setting up its own preparedness program as well. Skip Ruhl, a Truitt and White employee and one of the original team members that put Berkeley’s program together, is helping further their efforts by donating Truitt and White equipment and providing his consultation expertise.

Valuing our community and dedicated to helping our neighbors succeed, here at Truitt and White we will continue to participate in this worthwhile program. “The leadership and teamwork that have been exhibited by all involved has been excellent,” says Brad Jennings, Truitt and White ambassador for the disaster program. “Let us hope the awareness will spill into other communities and they get the same support the neighborhoods of Berkeley have received and will continue to receive.”