Forum on the Road: One Year After the Fires, Are We More Prepared?

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Michael Krasny

Oct 9, 2018 at

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A firefighter watches smoke billow as flames approach a residential area in Sonoma in California on October 10, 2017. Firefighters battled wildfires in California's wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless in neighborhoods reduced to ashes. (Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images)

One year ago, when deadly fires ripped across Sonoma County, emergency response officials were disorganized and ill prepared, according to a report from California’s Office of Emergency Services. Many residents were not informed that they should evacuate and people needing help could not get their calls through to emergency call centers. On the anniversary of the fires, Forum broadcasts from Santa Rosa and looks at whether the region is more prepared to handle disasters today than it was year ago.

Has your community improved its emergency response systems since last October’s #NorthBayFires? https://t.co/eKsf7tnhxW #NBFires

— KQED Forum (@KQEDForum) October 9, 2018

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Guests:

Mike McGuire, California state Senator for District 2

Christopher Godley, interim emergency manager, Sonoma County

Sukey Lewis, reporter, KQED<br />

Tony Gossner, fire chief, Santa Rosa<br />

Shana Jones, Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit chief, Cal Fire<br />

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