Firestorm 2007? (San Diego, Belmont, Imperial: for sale, rental market, condos)

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

I mean no disrespect here: but; if the SD fires get much worse-------can someone say California's Katrina?

Actually, you might call this the Anti-Katrina. The local and state governments have responded with efficiency and energy. Many lessons were learned from the 2003 fires. Unlike during Katrina, in San Diego, police and emergency workers, instead of abandoning the city with their families are showing up to serve regular 12 hour shifts. This despite that their own homes may be endangered. Mutual aid in firefighting is well established and is coming in to help. The people in the evacuation centers are courteous and well-behaved. However, it also helps that electricity and water service have remained intact and the evacuation centers were reasonably prepared to accept the people who arrived.

FEMA is arriving today to support the rescue and relief efforts of the local authorities. So the big difference between the two events is that local government collapsed utterly during Katrina, and the Louisiana state government seemed more concerned about protecting its turf than accomplishing relief. If FEMA supports energetic and prepared local authorities (Florida 2004), FEMA works. If it's assisting local governments that are directionless it's pushing against a string. FEMA isn't leadership, it's a portable support staff.

While San Diego may be laid-back, it isn't apathetic, though people often mistake the two. When things go wrong as they did in 2003, people expect change. They don't get really worked up about things - it's against our nature - but we do expect government to reform and address previous errors. Louisiana seemed to accept that things could never change and it appears the political leadership bought into the low expectations of its people.

In San Diego people's expectations are high and it still works as a community and as a city.

[Imperial1904]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Actually, you might call this the Anti-Katrina. The local and state governments have responded with efficiency and energy. Many lessons were learned from the 2003 fires. Unlike during Katrina, in San Diego, police and emergency workers, instead of abandoning the city with their families are showing up to serve regular 12 hour shifts. This despite their own homes may be endangered. Mutual aid in firefighting is well established and is coming in to help. The people in the evacuation centers are courteous and well-behaved. However, it also helps that electricity and water service have remained intact and the evacuation centers were reasonably prepared to accept the people who arrived.

FEMA is arriving today to support the rescue and relief efforts of the local authorities. So the big difference between the two events is that local government collapsed utterly during Katrina, and the Louisiana state government seemed more concerned about protecting its turf than accomplishing relief. If FEMA supports energetic and prepared local authorities, FEMA works. If it's assisting local governments that are directionless it's pushing against a string. FEMA isn't leadership, it's a portable support staff.

While San Diego may be laid-back, it isn't apathetic, though people often mistake the two. When things go wrong as they did in 2003, people expect change. They don't get really worked up about things - it's against our nature - but we do expect government to reform and address previous errors. Louisiana seemed to accept that things could never change and it appears the political leadership bought into the low expectations of its people.

In San Diego people's expectations are high and it still works as a community and as a city.

I just saw on the news, Rep. Duncan Hunter said there is one word to describe the people of San Diego County... character.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Actually, you might call this the Anti-Katrina. The local and state governments have responded with efficiency and energy. Many lessons were learned from the 2003 fires. Unlike during Katrina, in San Diego, police and emergency workers, instead of abandoning the city with their families are showing up to serve regular 12 hour shifts. This despite that their own homes may be endangered. Mutual aid in firefighting is well established and is coming in to help. The people in the evacuation centers are courteous and well-behaved. However, it also helps that electricity and water service have remained intact and the evacuation centers were reasonably prepared to accept the people who arrived.

FEMA is arriving today to support the rescue and relief efforts of the local authorities. So the big difference between the two events is that local government collapsed utterly during Katrina, and the Louisiana state government seemed more concerned about protecting its turf than accomplishing relief. If FEMA supports energetic and prepared local authorities (Florida 2004), FEMA works. If it's assisting local governments that are directionless it's pushing against a string. FEMA isn't leadership, it's a portable support staff.

While San Diego may be laid-back, it isn't apathetic, though people often mistake the two. When things go wrong as they did in 2003, people expect change. They don't get really worked up about things - it's against our nature - but we do expect government to reform and address previous errors. Louisiana seemed to accept that things could never change and it appears the political leadership bought into the low expectations of its people.

In San Diego people's expectations are high and it still works as a community and as a city.

Very well said. All of the local govt's are working in tandem with one another and that indeed makes working with state & federal agencies much easier. If you'll remember Katrina, there seemed to be a LOT of indecisiveness from the mayor's office to the governor's office to senator's office and on up to federal level. Our local govt seems to be on top of things and Arnold is still here today (he arrived yesterday) and declared a state of emergency right away which got things rolling.

Just heard about some police officers who were knocking on doors who noticed a family's keepsakes (framed photos & such). They packed the car in the driveway & then put the rest in the back of their patrol car. Then they pushed the family car into the middle of the street to prevent it from catching fire from the houses. That's heart.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

Very well said. All of the local govt's are working in tandem with one another and that indeed makes working with state & federal agencies much easier. If you'll remember Katrina, there seemed to be a LOT of indecisiveness from the mayor's office to the governor's office to senator's office and on up to federal level. Our local govt seems to be on top of things and Arnold is still here today (he arrived yesterday) and declared a state of emergency right away which got things rolling.

These guys are coming off like complete pros compared to the LA govt during Katrina. Time will tell, but at least thus far, I think the combination of the reverse 911 system, the wide-ranging mandatory evacuations, and the frequent and constant communication to the press will be seen as a model for Emergency Management going forward.

[MotleyCrew]

Thoughts and prayers coming your way from AZ.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

There is almost zero chance a fire like this would ever impact the [inner] city itself. These fires are in rural and suburban areas with lots of brush and scrub.

But what about the fire of 1978 that swept up Texas St. into the inner city, following a midair plane collision over ~Mission Valley ??

[tet tea]

Hope you and all your families are out of harms way and in a safe location.

Kudos to the wonderful firefighters and law enforcement officers out there ... stay safe!

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by bloom

But what about the fire of 1978 that swept up Texas St. into the inner city, following a midair plane collision over ~Mission Valley ??

But it started in Mission Valley, yes? That's just up the road from Texas St.

I think Sassberto might be referring to the unlikely scenario of the current fires spreading into the innercities/mid-city areas because of the topography here compared to the topography of the effected areas.

Most of our neighbors are of the same opinion; everyone's prepared to move out but don't feel it will happen just because of where we're situated.

[grindin]

As a former resident of San Diego, my thoughts and prayers are with you all. We have a couple of friends that live in Rancho Bernardo and I have no idea whether or not if their house burned down. We tried calling them and it went straight to voicemail...

[eastsandiegobornandraised]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

But it started in Mission Valley, yes? That's just up the road from Texas St.

I think Sassberto might be referring to the unlikely scenario of the current fires spreading into the innercities/mid-city areas because of the topography here compared to the topography of the effected areas.

Most of our neighbors are of the same opinion; everyone's prepared to move out but don't feel it will happen just because of where we're situated.

there's alot of canyons in the "inner city", especiallly along the freeways. Still, it will take ALOT for it to really make an affect.