​Our History 2000-2014 2015-2024 2025-​

2000-2009

• SSEPO was started in 2000 by a group of residents concerned that the community was not prepared for major natural disasters. One of the first of the South Skyline residents to recognize the need for an organization to respond to a variety of emergencies was Irene Long. Eva Blum, Sherry Niswander, Tom Anderson, Judy Grote, Chuck Schoppe, Dr. Bill Fowkes, Dr. Rich Lee, and Barclay Slade together with Ken and Heather Broome, were some of the founding members.  Early on the group obtained grants from the Silicon Valley foundation to start buying radios for distribution in the neighborhoods to facilitate communication in an emergency, as well as setting up a container full of medical equipment.  This started two focal areas that have stayed with us:  neighborhood communications and medical preparedness. 
  

2010-2014

• By the early 2010s the focus had broadened to really look at neighborhood organizing as the key building block, providing appropriate training to residents, improving infrastructure useful for local emergency response, and furthering closer connections between the community and local fire departments.  This concept is about getting neighborhoods to become aware of how they would communicate in an emergency, what the escape routes are, how to get first aid. To this end we try to find a member in each neighborhood to help organize discussion with their neighbors on these topics.   The goal is to create neighborhood level plans for what the residents deem might be needed in a real emergency situation.  Neighbors are encouraged to work with and seek out advice from local first responders, and to stage regular drills via phone trees, ham radio, and GMRS radios communications.  We support this activity with training materials, first aid training, as well as by providing grants for radios to enable neighborhood communications.  This focus has continued to the present, with established efforts in many neighborhoods: Rocky Creek/Clouds Rest, Oakridge, Fox Run, Highway 236/9 corridor, and Portola Heights/Castanea Ridge. 

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