Last weekend several dozen volunteers under the direction of the county Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Operations made contact with nearly 400 Joshua Tree residents who were affected by the rain and subsequent flooding that began October 12. This weekend they’ll be out again and they’re looking for assistance from the public. Reporter Mike Lipsitz picks up the story with our continuing coverage of the storm and its aftermath…
County Emergency Operations has again put out a call for volunteers this Saturday. People are needed to help canvass those areas hardest hit by the storm in and around Flamingo Heights, Joshua Tree, Landers, Twentynine Palms, and Yucca Valley. Members from Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters, or VOADs, of Morongo Basin and the Morongo Basin Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, aim to make another 200 to 300 contacts on Saturday and have put out a call for more volunteers able to walk area neighborhoods talking to residents, providing cleanup kits and information packets, and assessing damage. Others will split off to assist with debris cleanup and drywall removal. If you can assist in this recovery, meet at Saturday’s command center at 8 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Onaga Trail and Sage Avenue in Yucca Valley. This is the volunteer staging area and briefing location. Lunch will be provided. If you can assist with recovery efforts but can’t make it this Saturday, contact Shanna at the Office of Emergency Services at 909-356-3998.
