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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed into law three bills that focus on improving protections for California’s workers around mental health and post-traumatic stress for the state’s firefighters and first responders.
The bills will create peer support programs, add post-traumatic stress suffered on the job as an “injury” for worker’s compensation purposes and ensure emergency services remain under public management for appropriate and consistent response to emergency situations.
“The job of firefighters and first responders can be very rewarding, but at the same time, extremely unpredictable. They can experience high-stress situations and traumatic incidents that can push them to the limit both physically and mentally, and we need to recognize and take those challenges head on,” said Gov. Newsom. “These bills are meant to ensure they have access to resources and help in their time of need, in the same way they assist their communities when they need them most.”
AB 1116, the California Firefighter Peer Support and Crisis Referral Services Act by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord), establishes statewide standards for first responder peer support programs to provide an agency-wide network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues.
“In 2017 when our state experienced some of the deadliest wildfires in its history, more California firefighters died by suicide than in the line of duty. Today we offer a life-line to these brave women and men who might otherwise suffer in silence,” said Assemblymember Grayson, who has also served as a critical response chaplain for more than a decade. "I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing AB 1116 into law and joining me in prioritizing the mental health of our first responders.”
In addition, SB 542, the Trauma Treatment Act, by Sen. Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park), will provide first responders with workers' compensation while they recover from their mental health scars.
SB 542 will improve mental health awareness among firefighters and law enforcement officers by establishing a rebuttable presumption of injury for firefighters and law enforcement personnel in instances where they sustain occupational post-traumatic stress.
“Every day, we ask firefighters and law enforcement officers to run into flames and gunfire – but too often, when the weight of these traumas becomes too much for these heroes to bear, we turn a blind eye to their struggles,” said Sen. Stern. “Our nation has lost more public safety officers to suicide than in the line of duty – when just one life cut short is itself too many. Today, California is making clear that post-traumatic stress is not a disorder to be stigmatized. These injuries can be healed.”
Finally, SB 438 by Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) will prohibit a public agency from outsourcing its local emergency dispatch services to a private, for-profit entity – except when pursuant to a joint powers or cooperative agreement.
It also clarifies that a public safety agency maintains the authority to determine the appropriate deployment of emergency resources within the agency’s jurisdiction in order to provide the highest and best level of emergency response for the community it serves.
“The most sacred mission of government at any level is protecting the lives and health of its people. SB 438, which will ensure that the responsibility of public safety agencies to deploy a rapid response in an emergency will not be influenced by anyone’s bottom line,” said Sen. Hertzberg.
Gov. Newsom has taken several additional actions this year to assist firefighters across the state, including:
– Expanded Cal Fire’s health and wellness program to provide medical and psychological services as well as peer support to firefighters.
– Invested nearly $1 billion in the state budget for emergency preparedness and response, including 13 new fire engines.
– Invested $127.2 million to expand Cal Fire’s fleet with C-130 air tankers and modified Black Hawk helicopters for nighttime firefighting operations.
– Signed an executive order authorizing the surge of almost 400 seasonal firefighters to Cal Fire this year.
– Identified and accelerated implementation of 35 priority fuel reduction projects to protect over 200 of California’s most at-risk communities using existing forest health and fire prevention funding,
– Redirected up to 100 California National Guard personnel to create fuel reduction and fire suppression crews that are available to CAL FIRE to undertake priority projects.
– Began overdue modernization of California’s 9-1-1 system.
– Working with California’s congressional delegation to secure the state’s eligibility for $12.6 billion in federal funding for disaster relief.
– Announced the selection of the first two contracts for the Wildfire Innovation Sprint, intended to modernize the way the state contracts for acquisition and development of technology systems, with the goal of getting cutting-edge firefighting technology in the hands of emergency responders by next fire season.
– Supporting local fire operations, including $2 million for the Butte County Fire Department to maintain its current level of service and continue operation of one year-round fire station through its cooperative agreement with Cal FIre.
– Partnered with the federal government to secure state access to remote sensor-based technology to detect wildfire ignitions, including securing delegation of authority from the Secretary of Defense to fly infrared equipped Unmanned Aerial System in support of Cal Fire missions.
– Invested $210 million Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for forest health and fire prevention projects and programs to enable CAL FIRE to complete more fuel reduction projects and increase the pace and scale of fire prevention.
– Developed and implemented the Forestry Corps Program, to operate four Forestry Corps crews that will undertake forest health and hazardous fuel reduction projects in areas of high fire risk.
The bills will create peer support programs, add post-traumatic stress suffered on the job as an “injury” for worker’s compensation purposes and ensure emergency services remain under public management for appropriate and consistent response to emergency situations.
“The job of firefighters and first responders can be very rewarding, but at the same time, extremely unpredictable. They can experience high-stress situations and traumatic incidents that can push them to the limit both physically and mentally, and we need to recognize and take those challenges head on,” said Gov. Newsom. “These bills are meant to ensure they have access to resources and help in their time of need, in the same way they assist their communities when they need them most.”
AB 1116, the California Firefighter Peer Support and Crisis Referral Services Act by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord), establishes statewide standards for first responder peer support programs to provide an agency-wide network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues.
“In 2017 when our state experienced some of the deadliest wildfires in its history, more California firefighters died by suicide than in the line of duty. Today we offer a life-line to these brave women and men who might otherwise suffer in silence,” said Assemblymember Grayson, who has also served as a critical response chaplain for more than a decade. "I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing AB 1116 into law and joining me in prioritizing the mental health of our first responders.”
In addition, SB 542, the Trauma Treatment Act, by Sen. Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park), will provide first responders with workers' compensation while they recover from their mental health scars.
SB 542 will improve mental health awareness among firefighters and law enforcement officers by establishing a rebuttable presumption of injury for firefighters and law enforcement personnel in instances where they sustain occupational post-traumatic stress.
“Every day, we ask firefighters and law enforcement officers to run into flames and gunfire – but too often, when the weight of these traumas becomes too much for these heroes to bear, we turn a blind eye to their struggles,” said Sen. Stern. “Our nation has lost more public safety officers to suicide than in the line of duty – when just one life cut short is itself too many. Today, California is making clear that post-traumatic stress is not a disorder to be stigmatized. These injuries can be healed.”
Finally, SB 438 by Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) will prohibit a public agency from outsourcing its local emergency dispatch services to a private, for-profit entity – except when pursuant to a joint powers or cooperative agreement.
It also clarifies that a public safety agency maintains the authority to determine the appropriate deployment of emergency resources within the agency’s jurisdiction in order to provide the highest and best level of emergency response for the community it serves.
“The most sacred mission of government at any level is protecting the lives and health of its people. SB 438, which will ensure that the responsibility of public safety agencies to deploy a rapid response in an emergency will not be influenced by anyone’s bottom line,” said Sen. Hertzberg.
Gov. Newsom has taken several additional actions this year to assist firefighters across the state, including:
– Expanded Cal Fire’s health and wellness program to provide medical and psychological services as well as peer support to firefighters.
– Invested nearly $1 billion in the state budget for emergency preparedness and response, including 13 new fire engines.
– Invested $127.2 million to expand Cal Fire’s fleet with C-130 air tankers and modified Black Hawk helicopters for nighttime firefighting operations.
– Signed an executive order authorizing the surge of almost 400 seasonal firefighters to Cal Fire this year.
– Identified and accelerated implementation of 35 priority fuel reduction projects to protect over 200 of California’s most at-risk communities using existing forest health and fire prevention funding,
– Redirected up to 100 California National Guard personnel to create fuel reduction and fire suppression crews that are available to CAL FIRE to undertake priority projects.
– Began overdue modernization of California’s 9-1-1 system.
– Working with California’s congressional delegation to secure the state’s eligibility for $12.6 billion in federal funding for disaster relief.
– Announced the selection of the first two contracts for the Wildfire Innovation Sprint, intended to modernize the way the state contracts for acquisition and development of technology systems, with the goal of getting cutting-edge firefighting technology in the hands of emergency responders by next fire season.
– Supporting local fire operations, including $2 million for the Butte County Fire Department to maintain its current level of service and continue operation of one year-round fire station through its cooperative agreement with Cal FIre.
– Partnered with the federal government to secure state access to remote sensor-based technology to detect wildfire ignitions, including securing delegation of authority from the Secretary of Defense to fly infrared equipped Unmanned Aerial System in support of Cal Fire missions.
– Invested $210 million Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for forest health and fire prevention projects and programs to enable CAL FIRE to complete more fuel reduction projects and increase the pace and scale of fire prevention.
– Developed and implemented the Forestry Corps Program, to operate four Forestry Corps crews that will undertake forest health and hazardous fuel reduction projects in areas of high fire risk.
California began a new water year on Tuesday with significantly more water in storage than the previous year thanks to above-average snow and precipitation.
Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently at 102 percent of average for the date compared to just 62 percent of average at this time last year.
Shasta Lake, the Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir, is at 126 percent of average compared to 88 percent of average last year.
San Luis Reservoir, the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States where water is stored for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, is at 132 percent of average compared to 117 percent of average last year.
In Southern California, the State Water Project’s Castaic Lake is at 112 percent of average compared to 108 percent last year.
“The significant rainfall and snowpack made for a great water year in 2019, so we start the new year in a good place,” said Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “However, we all know too well that California’s weather and precipitation is highly variable. What we could have today could be gone tomorrow. Conserve. Recycle. Recharge. People and the environment depend on it.”
Water Year 2019 highlights include:
– There were more than 30 atmospheric rivers with many making landfall in Northern California.
– The state’s snowpack on April 1 was 175 percent of average.
– Statewide reservoir storage is 128 percent of average through the end of September, which is approximately 29.7 million acre-feet.
– The water year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. Rainfall and snow amounts help determine annual allocations for the State Water Project. State Water Project contractors received 75 percent of requested supplies this year, up from an initial allocation of 10 percent due to above-average precipitation.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of a small group of Kelseyville Elementary School teachers and parents, the 25-year-old vegetable garden has become a place where more than plants are blossoming.
Students of all ages are spending time in the garden to dig in the dirt, to learn about how plants grow, and sometimes simply to be outside and read in a beautiful setting.
Two years ago, Dina Feliciano and her family were new to the Kelseyville area. Upon arrival, she and her husband immediately began looking for a school for their soon-to-be kindergartener.
When she saw the garden at Kelseyville Elementary School, she knew she’d found the right place.
As a nursing student and a mother, Feliciano is deeply invested in health and wellness, and she feels strongly that kids should not only benefit from good nutrition but should understand where their food comes from.
When she began asking one of the kindergarten teachers, Dorothy Torres, about the garden, Feliciano learned that the garden was surviving almost entirely because of Torres’s and fellow kindergarten teacher Jennifer Libby’s time and attention, and that very few students were taking advantage of this wonderful resource.
The garden was planted 25 years ago and has been tended by Torres and other teachers throughout that time, as well as local volunteer Helen Finch.
However, recently with most of the other teachers having retired, the garden had fallen into disrepair.
When Feliciano asked Torres and Libby if she could raise some money to help whip the garden into shape, both teachers readily agreed.
Feliciano went home that day and started a GoFundMe site, where she quickly raised $1,520 for supplies including brooms, tools, paint for the shed, a new temperature gauge and a battery-operated weed wacker and more.
She also received donations of rocks from the Holt Family, a ladder from Stokes Ladders, stain from Kelseyville Lumber and tree stumps from local residents to build an outdoor classroom.
Feliciano wanted the garden to look presentable by Back-to-School Night to encourage other parents to join in, so Feliciano and her husband, Torres, Libby and a handful of parent volunteers weeded, painted the shed, and hung ribbons in the trees.
Additional parent volunteers included Charlene Boardman, Charlene Wheeler and Natalie Higley, as well as aide Chrystal Noel and her husband.
Many of the plants from past years sprouted volunteers, so the garden had some plants ready to tend. Torres deposited the unspent funds from the GoFundMe site into the KES Parent-Teacher Organization account in a special garden fund and several parents who attended Back-to-School Night either donated to the fund or agreed to get involved in improving the garden.
Currently, most of KES’s 530 students have painted donated rocks to create the outline for an outdoor classroom within the garden.
“Right now we have a teacher stump in the outdoor classroom, which will eventually be replaced with a wooden throne where teachers can read to students or teach them about gardening,” Feliciano said.
The small but growing group of garden volunteers is installing solar lights, sunshades, and reaching out to other elementary schools to learn more about how to enrich students through gardening. Cobb Elementary School has a garden and has been very supportive of KES.
Feliciano said as part of her nursing education she has witnessed the long-term health effects of poor nutrition, including diabetes and obesity. She hopes the garden can help children learn the importance of healthy food early in their lives.
“How can we promote health from day one?” she said. “Gardening helps children learn to nurture and grow their own food, to taste it, to understand time management, how to plant seeds and water them. There are a lot of life lessons here and new experiences for the kids.”
In the short term, Feliciano hopes to increase awareness and foster an environment where parents want to donate or volunteer for the garden project.
“I understand that people may not have extra money, but if every student donated $10, we’d have $5,300! It would be amazing,” she said.
She has completed a wish list registry on Amazon.com with books, a water table, and other supplies, in case people want to donate tangible goods.
Meanwhile, Torres and Libby are working with colleagues to develop age-appropriate curriculums incorporating the garden and Libby has created a schedule so KES teachers can reserve half-hour slots for their classes to visit the garden.
While younger students may play in the dirt and search for treasures such as shells and seeds, older students may plan what to grow in the raised beds and be responsible for planting and watering the seeds.
Feliciano’s long-term goals include growing tomatoes and having a tomato sale to support the garden and the school. She would also like to have the garden serve as a calming place for students if they are having a hard time for whatever reason.
She encourages parents and community members interested in volunteering to visit the Kelseyville Unified School District office to complete the volunteer form. Volunteers must be fingerprinted and get a TB test. Once cleared, volunteers are welcome to join others on the first Saturday of each month at the garden.
“It is so important to remember that one person can make a difference,” said Kelseyville Unified School District Superintendent Dave McQueen. “It’s people like Helen Finch who started our garden from its inception, and Dina who is putting new life to get it going. Dina is reminding all of us what a little passion and hard work can do. The garden’s transformation has just started and it’s already incredible.”
To learn more or get involved in the garden project, email
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake will be presenting its fourth annual State of the City address on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
The event will take place in Austin Park, located at 14077 Lakeshore Drive, beginning at 5 p.m.
The State of the City will include Clearlake Police Department K9 Unit demonstrations, pet adoptions by Clearlake Animal Control and a demonstration by Public Works of the new road maintenance equipment.
There will be a play area with a bounce house and free snow cones.
The highlight of the evening will be the groundbreaking of the upcoming Austin Park Improvement Project, a planned upgrade of the park to include a new playground, a dedicated dog park, a new event stage and much more.
“There have been so many new and exciting improvements in Clearlake, including Measure V road improvements, new businesses and decreased overall crime rates,” said City Manager Alan Flora. “This is our opportunity to show the community all the work of the city over the past year, meet the employees that make it happen, and talk about how our plans will change our city’s future.”
The city invites everyone to come and hear about the great things happening in Clearlake.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) received the Women’s Legislators Lobby, or WiLL, Pacesetter Award in recognition of her bold leadership in carrying Assembly Joint Resolution 30, “Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act” through the California Legislature.
The resolution called upon Congress to pass H.R. 669, authored by California Representative Ted Lieu (D- Los Angeles County), to prohibit the president from unilaterally authorizing the deployment of nuclear weapons in an offensive attack without specific authorization from Congress.
“I am honored to receive this award and represent the Fourth Assembly District on a national scale,” said Aguiar-Curry. “I admire the work women leaders are doing in our country, and the role WiLL members are playing in bringing attention to critical issues like national security and the use of weapons of mass destruction.”
WiLL is a national nonpartisan network of women state legislators working to influence federal policy and budget priorities.
The Pacesetter Award honors women state legislators who are setting the pace in their state capitals for service, leadership, and progress.
Aguiar-Curry was presented the award at the National Women’s Leadership Conference in Washington, DC.
The conference, entitled “Women at the Tables of Power,” brought together women legislators and community leaders from across the nation to discuss national defense and the federal budget.
“AJR 30 added California’s Legislature to the many voices demanding respect for the balance of powers proposed in H.R. 669,” said Aguiar-Curry. “No one human being should have unilateral authority to wreak nuclear devastation. The law proposed in H.R. 669 would require every U.S. President to collaborate with Congress before an offensive nuclear strike,” said Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry.
AJR 30 was coauthored by 52 members of the California Assembly and was chaptered in 2018.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, parts of Colusa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, and all of Yolo County except West Sacramento.
The resolution called upon Congress to pass H.R. 669, authored by California Representative Ted Lieu (D- Los Angeles County), to prohibit the president from unilaterally authorizing the deployment of nuclear weapons in an offensive attack without specific authorization from Congress.
“I am honored to receive this award and represent the Fourth Assembly District on a national scale,” said Aguiar-Curry. “I admire the work women leaders are doing in our country, and the role WiLL members are playing in bringing attention to critical issues like national security and the use of weapons of mass destruction.”
WiLL is a national nonpartisan network of women state legislators working to influence federal policy and budget priorities.
The Pacesetter Award honors women state legislators who are setting the pace in their state capitals for service, leadership, and progress.
Aguiar-Curry was presented the award at the National Women’s Leadership Conference in Washington, DC.
The conference, entitled “Women at the Tables of Power,” brought together women legislators and community leaders from across the nation to discuss national defense and the federal budget.
“AJR 30 added California’s Legislature to the many voices demanding respect for the balance of powers proposed in H.R. 669,” said Aguiar-Curry. “No one human being should have unilateral authority to wreak nuclear devastation. The law proposed in H.R. 669 would require every U.S. President to collaborate with Congress before an offensive nuclear strike,” said Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry.
AJR 30 was coauthored by 52 members of the California Assembly and was chaptered in 2018.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, parts of Colusa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, and all of Yolo County except West Sacramento.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Despite the recent low temperatures and scattered precipitation throughout the region; open burning restrictions remain in effect in the State Responsibility Area, Cal Fire reported.
Cal Fire said its Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit remains well within fire season and is expected to remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Fire fuels conditions remain at a level adequate to support the potential for extreme fire behavior. Cal Fire said the recent moderation in weather conditions is not adequate to prevent the continued threat to public safety from catastrophic wildfire.
October and November have traditionally been the most destructive months for wildland fire in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, the agency reported.
Cal Fire continually monitors weather conditions and associated fire danger, and will lift the burn suspension when conditions become appropriate for the use of open burning.
Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones encourages residents to remain mindful that one spark is all that is required to start a wildland fire.
Cal Fire asks the community to follow these tips to prevent wildfire:
– Cease use of outdoor power equipment by 10 a.m., not during the heat of the day, or when the wind is blowing.
– Mowers are designed to mow lawns, not dry vegetation.
– Use a weed trimmer with a string line to cut down dry weeds and grass.
– Make sure ashes from wood stoves are “dead out” before dumping.
For more information on preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit the Cal Fire Web site www.readyforwildfire.org or call your local Cal Fire facility.
Cal Fire said its Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit remains well within fire season and is expected to remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Fire fuels conditions remain at a level adequate to support the potential for extreme fire behavior. Cal Fire said the recent moderation in weather conditions is not adequate to prevent the continued threat to public safety from catastrophic wildfire.
October and November have traditionally been the most destructive months for wildland fire in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, the agency reported.
Cal Fire continually monitors weather conditions and associated fire danger, and will lift the burn suspension when conditions become appropriate for the use of open burning.
Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones encourages residents to remain mindful that one spark is all that is required to start a wildland fire.
Cal Fire asks the community to follow these tips to prevent wildfire:
– Cease use of outdoor power equipment by 10 a.m., not during the heat of the day, or when the wind is blowing.
– Mowers are designed to mow lawns, not dry vegetation.
– Use a weed trimmer with a string line to cut down dry weeds and grass.
– Make sure ashes from wood stoves are “dead out” before dumping.
For more information on preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit the Cal Fire Web site www.readyforwildfire.org or call your local Cal Fire facility.