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In October 2007, 20 wildfires raged across Southern California, forcing
the evacuation of over 500,000 people and resulting in the loss of at least 1,500
homes. Fires burned for 19 days, creating simultaneous challenges of evacuation,
response, and early recovery. All six impacted counties had active 2-1-1 service
at the time of the fires, responding together to answer nearly 130,000 calls in five
days. On the peak day, Southern California 2-1-1s answered over 41,000 calls,
representing 764% of baseline.
The attached Trial by Fire report recounts the role 2-1-1s played in responding to
the fires, supporting first responders, and getting accurate information to the
public. The report opens with a letter from Sara Matta, national leader in building
2-1-1 as a partner in disasters, sharing the story of her personal experiences
during the wildfires. Throughout, the report reinforces the need for an integrated,
statewide network of 2-1-1 centers capable of providing uninterrupted, high quality
services during a disaster anywhere in the state.
Please share this report widely.
Trial by Fire: How 2-1-1's Regional Response to the 2007 Wildfires Underscored
the Need for a Statewide Network
See Report.
Southern California 211's Report on their role in the 2007 Firestorms at a CPUC
workshop. See Presentation.
www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org helps connect people across the state
with volunteer opportunities in their own local community. The website consolidates volunteer opportunities from a wide variety
of volunteer matching websites and makes them available through a single website. Volunteers can search by location, issue area
and other criteria to find an opportunity that meets their personal interests and time availability.
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