Thursday, April 3, 2014

Costa Mesa Promotes Nick Cerciello to Fire Captain

Nick Cerciello promoted to fire captain
Capt. Cerciello 
Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano has recently promoted Nick Cerciello to the position of fire captain.
Cerciello joined the Costa Mesa Fire Department in 2006, after holding positions with Ventura County Fire Department, Orange County Fire Authority and Tustin Federal Fire Department.
"Nick has demonstrated sound leadership qualities, relevant technical competencies and a strong commitment to professional development," Chief Stefano said. “We look forward to the many contributions Nick will bring to the organization in his new role.”
Photo caption: Captain Nick Cerciello (third from left) is welcomed on his first day assigned to Station No. 2 by (from left)  Battalion Chiefs Tim Vasin and Fred Seguin and Fire Chief Dan Stefano.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

OCTA Recommends $1.7 Mil Grant for Costa Mesa

$1.7 million grant proposed for multipurpose trail, bioswale along Arlington Drive
Arlington Drive project-cross section 
A Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) committee has recommended awarding $1.7 million to Costa Mesa to build a one-mile-long multipurpose trail and environmentally friendly bioswale along Arlington Drive.
The recommendation will go to the OCTA Board of Directors on April 14 for final approval.
The project—ranked No.1 out of 16 applications—will remove 70,000 square feet of asphalt to construct a decomposed granite trail and a landscaped, natural drainage area that will collect urban runoff and naturally filter the water as it trickles down to the water basin under Costa Mesa.
The bioswale will be used in lieu of curbs, gutters and storm drain pipes, which will reduce the long-term costs associated with storm water management facilities.
The funding will be proposed for Fiscal Year 2014-15. Once the budget is adopted, the project's design phase will begin. Construction would be expected to begin in late 2015.
The estimated cost of the project is $2.6 million. Match grant funding will be proposed from in-kind staff serves and drainage fee revenue equaling $910,000.
Arlington Drive Project-Rendering

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Costa Mesa Hosts SoCal Emergency Response Workshop

Costa Mesa hosts first multi-agency Community Emergency Response Team workshop
Posted Date: 3/13/2014
CERT workshop 2014-Fire chiefs 
Costa Mesa recently hosted the inaugural Southern California Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Workshop to connect, coordinate and train CERT instructors and program managers and to create more resilient communities.
More than 100 CERT programs throughout California were represented at the daylong event that was coordinated by Brenda Emrick, the Costa Mesa Fire Department's community education and CERT program manager.
Training courses included advanced programs, instructor development and crisis communications. As the host city, Costa Mesa was assisted by its own CERT program volunteers—Dottie Garrett, Bobbie Bradley and Cindy Brenneman—who helped organize and register the nearly 160 participants.
The event was sponsored by CaliforniaVolunteers, a state office that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Californians engaged in service and volunteering.
CERT educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
(Pictured in photo from left: Mike Staley, CaliforniaVolunteers; Chad Fitzgerald, State Workgroup Co-Chair, Clovis Fire Department; Wilson Lee, State Workgroup Co-Chair, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano; and  Brenda Emrick, Costa Mesa CERT coordinator.)
CERT workshop 2014-Volunteers 
CERT workshop volunteers (from left): Brenda Emrick, Dottie Garrett, Bobbie Bradley, Cindy Brenneman, Erica Arteseros (San Francisco CERT program manager), and Carol Parker (Menlo Park Fire District CERT program manager).