Councilmember Wengraf   
Councilmember Susan Wengraf


 
Newsletter #66

                   

August, 2018
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
   
    The Fire Safety Meeting in July was very informative and was attended by more than 200 residents. For those of you who were unable to attend or who want to review the information, a link to a video of the entire meeting is provided below. The meeting was 2.5 hours long and very full of information. Please use this as a resource to learn about landscaping for fire safety, evacuation plans in our city, East Bay Regional Parks vegetation management programs, and new protocols at PG&E regarding black-outs as a preventative measure.
 
Best,
 
Susan Wengraf
list  
fireSimple Things To Do For Fire Safety

     We all have a responsibility to make sure that as a community we are doing as much as possible to keep us all safe. Here are four simple steps that you can take now to harden your home from wildfire and the threat of embers:

1. Keep porches, balconies and decks free of debris.
2. Cover all outdoor vents with 1/8" screening
3. Use gutter guards or screens and clear all debris off roofs
4. Close off or use mesh screens to protect under open eaves

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hydrantHelp Us Keep Berkeley Safe
Blocked hydrant     As you walk or drive around the hills, if you see access to hydrants blocked by either vegetation or vehicles, please call the location in to 311.

    Also, if you see places where there is less than 14 feet clearance between cars, please call 911 and report the blockage. It is time for us to be vigilant about our safety, and the city needs your help to identify these concerns and correct them.

    There is a wealth of information available to you on the City of Berkeley website. Unfortunately, access to the information is rather unfriendly. But if you click here, you can begin taking advantage of the resources provided by our Fire Department.

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undergroundingBerkeley Citizens for Utility Undergrounding
Overhead wires
    In response to the fire danger posed by overhead utility poles, a new grassroots, citizen based organization has formed. Berkeley Citizens for Utility Undergrounding is devoted to helping residents throughout the city gather information and organize for the removal of utility poles and undergrounding of wires in their neighborhoods. If you are interested, you can review the website at berkeleyundergounding.com.

    The organization will be hosting an informational meeting for the community on:
Thursday, September 27th
Northbrae Community Church
914 The Alameda
Mark your calendars!
 
chipperTake Advantage of the Chipper Program!
Chipper
    It's not too late for some of you to take advantage of the chipper program and trim and thin the vegetation close to your house. This program is provided in an effort to reduce the fire hazards in the hills. Check out the schedule and instructions here.

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handrailsHandrails On Our Paths
Path handrails     The Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, a citizen volunteer group, has been working tirelessly to improve the accessibility and safety of our pathways. These paths will provide a safe way to evacuate your area on foot, in the event of an emergency.

    The Path Wanderers have just completed the installation of handrails on a mile long corridor that runs between Euclid and Grizzly. The paths in the corridor include Martinez, Upper Covert, Whitaker and Ina Coolbrith.

Join them on Saturday, August 18th at 3:30 pm for a ribbon cutting at the base of Lower El Mirador path on Euclid.

For more information, go to Berkeley Path Wanderers.
 
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recyclingRecycling Update

    In recent months, the recycling industry has been faced with many challenges. Here is information from Stopwaste.org:

Recycling new era  
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acalertEmergency Notifications
AC Alert   
    AC Alert will be Berkeley's primary emergency alerting system for the public. It is one of the tools the City of Berkeley uses to communicate emergency information and instructions to the community. AC Alert can send:
  • Voice alerts to phones
  • SMS text messages
  • Email
  • TTY/TDD messages
    Listed AT&T "land lines" are automatically included to receive voice messages from AC Alert for emergency warnings. Community members must sign up to receive voice or text alerts on cell phones, VoIP phones, unlisted phones, TTY/TDDs or through email.
    If you want to receive emergency alerts and updates, sign up for AC Alert.
 
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three11311
  • 311Need a new refuse can?
  • Have a favorite pothole you want filled?
  • Want to report illegal dumping?
CALL 311
 
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Susan Wengraf
Berkeley City Council District 6
510-981-7160
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