PALA SEEKS COMMENTS ON MULTI-HAZARD PLAN

The Pala Band of Mission Indians has updated its Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan to ensure disaster preparedness and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) compliance. The Tribe is now looking for feedback from the Pala Reservation Community on the draft plan before submittal to FEMA.

The updated Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan will be available for public review between May 11th and May 18th. It is located conveniently in three places on the Reservation, at the reception areas of the Pala Administration Building, the Pala Fire House and the Pala Library. There are feedback forms available in these locations as well. The Tribe hopes that many members of the Pala Reservation Community will take the time to review the plan and provide feedback. All feedback will be reviewed by the Pala Emergency Response Committee (PERC) and included in the updated plan.

Public participation is a key element in mitigation planning and one that FEMA requires. The Tribe held a community meeting on March 12, 2009; they introduced the plan updates to the Pala Reservation Community. Additionally, a questionnaire was distributed to all participants at the meeting and to PERC members at their meeting held on the same day.

Questionnaire results indicate that the majority of people who completed the questionnaire have lived on the Reservation for twenty years or more. Their biggest priorities include protecting critical facilities and reducing damage to utilities. The Tribe has begun to bury power lines which will reduce the instances of loss of power due to high winds, wildfires or earthquakes. When asked to identify the greatest hazards to the Reservation, respondents identified, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, house fires and landslides in that order.

The updated Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies nine critical facilities on the Pala Reservation, including the Pala Casino Spa Resort and the new Fire Station. It also examined natural hazards, technological hazards and lifelines. The highest risk hazards include flood, earthquake, landslides and wildfires.

The PERC has identified nineteen mitigation strategies to add to the twenty-four strategies from the original multi-hazard mitigation plan written in 2006. Since 2006, twenty of these strategies have been implemented or are underway.

Top priority strategies for the updated plan include:

1. Develop a Pala Reservation Community Emergency Response Plan. The plan should include an evacuation plan for employees as well as a recall plan for employees.
2. Form a Tribal Emergency Response Team (TERT).
3. Clear brush in outlying areas around the entire Reservation boundary.


The Pala Emergency Response Committee (PERC), which consists of the Tribal Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Pala Fire Chief, Battalion Chief, Security Chief, Assistant Security Chief, Business Manager, Environmental Director, GIS Specialist, Casino Director of Guest Safety and Surveillance, and Casino Director of Risk Management, has worked in conjunction with Jamie Caplan Consulting LLC on this draft plan.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians consists of 1,117 members with 650 living on the reservation along the Palomar Mountain range, located along 5,000 square miles of California’s desert and approximately 30 miles northeast of San Diego on Interstate 15. Pala Casino, a 185,000 square foot, $115 million casino, entertainment and dining complex owned by the Pala Band, opened in April 2001.
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QUICK WITH A HOE!

Max Mazzetti, an old-timer of long standing in Valley Center (he was last year’s Western Days parade grand marshal), an 87-year old gentleman who uses a can to help him get around.
But to Susan Sawyer he’s a hero.
Sunday night Sawyer, who lost a beloved dog a couple of weeks ago to a rattler bite, saw another of the slithery reptiles on the front porch at her home on Mazzetti Lane, north of the casino, near the hillside.
It was a 5-foot red diamond, a big one.
She screamed and Mazzetti came over in his stocking feet with a hoe and dispatched the snake before the firefighters arrived.
“I thought I’d better get over there before it gets away,” he told The Roadrunner. “I chopped it up.”
The fire department arrived shortly too.
“They are very good. They showed up real fast,” said Mazzetti.
Mazzetti has been taking care of rattlers for ages and it used to be a summer tradition at The Roadrunner for him to bring one of his latest trophies over to the paper office for a photo.
“Van Quackenbush [the publisher at that time] used to joke and tell me I was bringing over the same snake!”

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

An annual tradition, the prayer at the flagpole, will be lead by Fifth District Supervisor Bill Horn tomorrow (Thursday, May 7) at the County Administration Center.

See details below:


Supervisor Horn and the Annual National Day of Prayer at the County Flagpole

Who: Fifth District County Supervisor Bill Horn

What:  Commemorating the Annual National Day of Prayer at the County Administration Center (CAC) Flagpole

Where: County Administration Center (CAC), 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego (east side of building near fountains)

When: Thursday, May 7, 2009, 12:30 P.M. - 1 P.M.

Why: This year, as in past years, the Board of Supervisors has recognized the National Day of Prayer with a proclamation. In 1952, the United States Congress established an annual day of prayer and in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May.

Supervisor Horn is inviting people to commemorate the National Day of Prayer at the CAC flagpole. The theme for the 58th annual National Day of Prayer is “Prayer! America’s Hope.” The commemoration is a personal, not a government function and is for those who choose to participate during their own personal time.

HOLIDAY DONATIONS ARE NEEDED

Our local Paradise Community Sevices is in need of more donations of food
and toys for needy families this Christmas. If any of you would like to
donate, call Mimi at 751-8692/home or 877-6979/cell. The Paradise Comm.
Services office is in the small building behind Shoemaker Realty.

OBSERVATORY CLOSED THIS WEEKEND

Palomar Observatory will remain closed this weekend and possibly Monday while the staff digs out from this week's heavy snow fall.

According to Scott Kardel, the observatory's public information officer: "The observatory staff is still working to dig out from the recent large snowfall. We have not yet been able to safely clear ice from our public walkways or remove the snow from the public parking lot."

ROAD CLOSURES FROM RAIN

The San Diego County Dept. of Public Works reports that Cole Grade Road is closed at the dip, which is, of course, where the San Luis Rey River flows over the "Arizona Crossing" near Pauma Elementary School.

On Palomar Mountain eight inches of snow have been recorded today although the road is open. CHP is making their usual requirement that motorists carry chains to get up S6 or S7. Always use extreme caution when driving on mountain roads during heavy rain and snow.

BURN AREAS WATCHED CLOSELY DURING RAINS

BURN AREAS WATCHED CLOSELY DURING THIS WEEK’S RAIN
Once again emergency responders are closely watching the burned areas from last year’s extensive wildfires—attuned to the possibility that rainfall could trigger devastating mudslides, particularly in parts of Pauma Valley and Palomar Mountain that were denuded of vegetation about a year ago.
On Monday and Tuesday flash flood warnings were issued for the burn areas.
Local residents who want to find out for themselves how these areas are viewed as this week’s expected heavy rainfall hits will find much information at the National Oceanic and Aeronautical Administration (NOAA) Web site.
Click to www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/kml/mappedweather.php?wfo=sgx
Then click one of the four boxes. Example: regional temperature and precipitation.
One the right side click Burn Area 2007 and San Diego RTP Precipitation
This will give you an overview of how much rain the burned areas received today.