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New Committee Has A Mission By Leighton McLaughlin The Four Seasons Beaumont HOA has formed a new committee that could well be a life saver. The Emergency Preparedness Committee will provide help to residents in the wake of a natural disaster or other emergency that affects the community. Board Vice President Loren DuChesne – himself a former policeman – said many committee members are uniquely qualified by experience for emergency work. He said current preparations have three main goals: 1. Community awareness of what is needed to cope with damage to housing and such things as loss of electricity, water, gas, sanitation and fresh food 2. Create an HOA action plan to recruit and train volunteers to help community members and establish communications. 3. To drill and educate all volunteers so they are proficient in their duties. So far, plans to for handling fires and fire prevention, transportation, post-event survey (to find needs and prioritize them), pet rescue and communications have been developed and submitted to the committee for review. Plans for water, sanitation, power, health and safety (first aid) and shelter and cooling are under development. DuChesne, Board liaison to the committee, said the group began forming informally two years ago. It grew out of the Neighborhood Watch program and the concern of resident Anita Worthen – now chair of the committee – about the problems Four Seasons would face in an emergency. At first it was subcommittee of the Safety and Facilities Committee, but DuChesne said it has "grown to need independence, to be closer to management and the Board." Many of the committee members have taken CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training offered by the city of Beaumont. Many of the others have practical experience that is of value to the committee's mission. Laurie Owen, Euclid Management's assistant general manager, is Euclid's contact with the committee. She has experience at two other HOAs with their emergency plans. The vice chair in Jean Sandoval, an RN with a master's degree in nursing and over 30 years administrative experience. Secretary Sharon Geiser is a bookkeeper and former small business owner. Other committee members include Larry Goodreau, who is a retired dentist, served in the Air Force, was a scout master and has studied planning and preparedness; Avi Greene, a psychology PhD; John McLaughlin, retired fire chief; Dick Van Bree, a nuclear physics PhD and ham radio operator for 45 years, and Fred Weck, a civil engineer, Air Force officer who dealt extensively with damage assessment and set up the emergency operation plan at the University of Redlands. DuChesne said he was particularly pleased with the skills of the committee members and expected it to gain in competence as organization and training continue. . Front ROW r-L : Anita Worthen, Jean Sandoval, Juan Diaz, Fred Weck. Back Row R-L: Sharon Geiser, Sally Peterson, Avi Green, Dick Van Bree, Loren DuChesne, John McLaughlin. WE NEED YOU! Come and join one of our preparedness teams so that you will be equipped and ready to go into action should a community emergency occur. We need folks who are interested in pet rescue, communications, fire suppression, first aid, power, sanitation, survey and transportation. Please see Anita Worthen for more information: (951) 769-9858. You'll be glad you did. ~ Cindy Graves Community News | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2013 5

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