Ron Pierini,
Sheriff Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

An Ounce of Prevention...

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services--water, gas, electricity or telephones--were cut off? Law Enforcement, Fire Department, and Paramedic personnel will be on scene after a disaster, but we cannot reach everyone right away, and our emergency response resources and capabilities will likely be overtaxed.

As a law enforcement veteran with 35 years of service, I’ve seen first-hand how emergencies and natural disasters can rob families of their homes and belongings, cause major disruptions to businesses, and cost millions of dollars in property damage and economic losses. I also know the negative impacts caused by such events can be greatly reduced if families, businesses, and communities take proactive steps to reduce their vulnerability.

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings as true today as it always has. Please take the time to read and familiarize yourself with this brochure. Learn the many ways to prepare yourselves, your families, your businesses and communities for emergency events, and reduce the likelihood of injury, or loss of property or life.

This Emergency Preparedness Guide was created by the South Lake Tahoe Emergency Management Community Council, a collaborative effort between local fire departments, paramedics, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, The Red Cross, environmental management agencies, and a host of volunteer service organizations. The goal of this Emergency Preparedness Guide is to: 1) raise the public’s awareness of the emergency events and potential disasters that threaten them, 2) educate residents and visitors to the Tahoe basin on what they can and should do to better protect themselves and their property, and 3) motivate them to take those steps.

Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing a family communications plan, are the same for any emergency; however, there are important differences among potential emergencies that will impact the decisions you make and the actions you take. By reading this guide, you will learn about potential emergency events that could happen within the Tahoe basin, and the appropriate way to respond to them.

Emergency preparedness is not the sole concern of public service agencies. Citizens themselves must also be informed and ready. Preparing for and knowing what to do during an emergency is crucial, and may make the difference between life and death in such an event.

I encourage you to read this brochure in its entirety, and take the necessary steps described within the guide to be better prepared for any.

Ron Pierini,
Sheriff Douglas County Sheriff’s Office