Las Cumbres
Established in 1973 as a planned unit development on 1260 acres in Santa Cruz County, Las Cumbres is a neighborhood of 123 homes. It is located on the west side of Skyline Blvd., approximately two miles south of Castle Rock State Park. The development includes a Community Center building, pool and playgrounds; a self-owned and operated community water distribution system with fire hydrants, and a fire station manned by volunteers (one of two South Skyline Fire & Rescue stations).
In 1990, Las Cumbres established a Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Program that includes an active neighborhood Emergency Response Team. Recent accomplishment include:
- Organized and trained Emergency Volunteer Leaders on every street throughout the community. The Las Cumbres Emergency Response Team (LCERT) is comprised of 40+ volunteers, most of whom have been trained as CERTs or in comparable emergency response procedures. Las Cumbres is divided into 13 clusters, each with about 9-10 homes, and each with a volunteer cluster leader and in most cases, a backup. Each cluster leader maintains a backpack supplied with emergency tools and basic first aid kit. They are equipped with a MURS radio and are responsible for conducting and reporting on the initial house-to-house assessment and overall status of their cluster during an emergency.
- Internal and External Emergency Communication Network: Internal communications include a community website with email capabilities, a dedicated Facebook page, a monthly newsletter, an emergency alert service (Blackboard Connect) capable of simultaneous alerts to all registered cell phones (including text messaging), land-line phones, and email addresses. External communication via ham radio station at the Community Center.
- Established Emergency Operations Center at the Community Center that includes central radio communications (both MURS and ham radio), tools, medical supplies and space for medical operations. An experienced Emergency Operations Team and procedures that directs Las Cumbres immediate emergency response and coordinates efforts with other emergency response entities.
- Established Medical Team comprised of doctors, nurses and medically-trained residents.
- On-going disaster and emergency education and practice drills, including one community-wide drill annually and two or three specialized trainings and/or drills.
- GIS Mapping Project underway to create digital map showing exact location of residences, roads, fire hydrants and other water sources in Ls Cumbres for use by firefighters (and other emergency agencies).
For more information about Las Cumbres, contact Jerry.