Agency: San Diego County Fire Authority/CAL FIRE Branch

Description: The San Diego County Fire Association/CAL FIRE Branch Protection District is seeking volunteers to help distribute 75,000 copies of BEFORE THE THREAT, a new and unparalleled program in wildfire education and preparedness.

The BEFORE THE THREAT campaign combines an old fashioned door-to- door outreach effort with high-tech packaging of life-saving information. The preparedness packages contain printed material and a DVD presentation of the wildfire dangers in San Diego County. Or residents can view the DVD on their home computers and download additional preparedness information.

On Distribution Days, scheduled for July 25 and August 1, volunteers will be trained and oriented to their tasks which include door-to-door canvassing of residents and one-to-one outreach on the program’s educational components. In joining this effort, volunteers will be taking part in an historic and countywide movement with special benefits and extensive media coverage.

Our current wildfire “high alert" demands unprecedented efforts in preparedness, report County fire officials. Drought, diseased or dying brush, and Santa Ana winds can combine to create the “perfect firestorm” throughout the County. The San Diego Fire Chiefs Association, the County Office of Emergency Services, and Farmers Insurance have therefore joined forces to launch this massive and unified wildfire prevention and preparedness effort: “Before The Threat 2009.”

This project is approved for volunteers with the following restrictions: Allow Pending Members

Impact Areas: Disaster Relief Services, Community Enrichment: Community Events, Disaster Relief Services

Interests: The interests recommended for this project are:
Types of Volunteering: Short-term / One-time Opportunities, Issue Area: Volunteer Issues, Population Served: Youth, Types of Volunteering: Service-Learning, Types of Volunteering: Family, Types of Volunteering: Group Opportunities, Issue Area: Civic Engagement, Issue Area: Disaster Prevention / Recovery / Relief

Skills: The skills helpful for participation in this project are:
Professional Skills: Volunteer Management