Past meetings, talks, & media

POWAY (KUSI) — Preparation for an emergency starts well before tragedy strikes. That's the message Terri Sorenson, a long-time Poway Neighborhood Emergency Corps volunteer, brought to KUSI's preparedness segment.

The interview covers PNEC's three core pillars:

• Know your neighbors. Every block has a designated Neighborhood Emergency Coordinator (NEC) — when the power goes out at 2 AM in a wind storm, your NEC already knows which households have oxygen, mobility issues, or kids alone at home.
• Have a "three-minute bag" ready. Not a 72-hour kit (those are great too) — a small bag you can grab in three minutes flat with medications, IDs, glasses, phone charger, comfort items. The kind of evac that gets you out the door fast.
• Harden your home. Zone Zero (0–5 ft from your house) is the biggest predictor of structure survival in a wildfire. No mulch, no wood fences attached to the house, no juniper bushes — PNEC volunteers do free home walk-throughs.

The segment ran during the lead-up to fire season as part of KUSI's "Be Prepared" series.

PNEC programs →

The 2025 fair drew our biggest crowd yet. Highlights:

• Live CERT demos including the new "ember intrusion" station built around lessons from the 2024 fire season
• Free Home Ignition Zone assessments scheduled on-site (the wait list grew so long we added two more volunteer teams)
• PACT ham radio operators ran a working field-day station — kids loved trying the Morse code keys
• Poway Fire's new electric engine on display alongside the traditional pumper
• Large Animal Rescue demo with horses from a local rescue

Thank you to every volunteer who staffed a booth, every neighbor who came out, and every partner organization who brought resources. The 12th Annual Fair is already on the calendar for May 23, 2026.

Next year's fair →

Key takeaways from the meeting:

• Report suspicious activity right away. Don't wait. The non-emergency Sheriff line (858-565-5200) is staffed 24/7 — even a small report builds the pattern that helps catch repeat offenders.
• 911 vs. non-emergency. Call 911 for crimes in progress or immediate threats. Use non-emergency for cold reports, suspicious behavior, or "this might be nothing but…" situations.
• Package theft. Most theft happens within an hour of delivery. Schedule deliveries when you're home, use lockers/Amazon Hub, or buddy with a neighbor.
• Vehicle break-ins. Empty visible interior, lock every time, don't leave garage door openers in unlocked cars (these are used for follow-up burglaries).
• Scams. Sheriff will never call asking for gift cards, wire transfers, or threatening arrest. If in doubt, hang up and call them back directly.

Working with your NEC: Block coordinators serve as informal eyes-and-ears for neighborhood watch. Connecting with yours via Find Your Neighborhood is a great first step.

Find your block coordinator →

Why PSPS matters in Poway: SDG&E has flagged Poway as a high-risk service area. When fire-weather thresholds are met (hot, dry, very windy), they may de-energize circuits to prevent ignition. That means your home could be without power for 24–72+ hours before any fire actually happens. Check the SDG&E PSPS map any time.

Options we covered:

• Portable power stations (~$300–$2000). Lithium battery + AC inverter. Quiet, no fuel. Run a CPAP, charge phones, power a fridge for a day. Goal Zero / EcoFlow / Bluetti are common brands.
• Solar panels (portable, paired with a power station). Recharge during the day so the station lasts through multi-day events. Critical if outage is longer than one battery cycle.
• Gas generators (~$400–$2000). High output, but loud, fuel-dependent, fumes (NEVER run indoors or in a garage). Best for whole-home backup if you can install proper transfer switch.
• Whole-home battery systems (~$10k–$25k installed). Tesla Powerwall, Enphase, etc. Pair with rooftop solar for true grid-independence.
• EV as backup (if you have a Ford F-150 Lightning, Kia EV9, etc. with bidirectional charging). The car's battery can power your fridge + lights for days.

What to plan for, regardless of source:

• Medical devices (CPAP, oxygen concentrator, refrigerated medications)
• Communication — phone charging, NOAA weather radio, hand-crank or solar charger
• Food — freezer can hold ~48 hrs if unopened; have shelf-stable backups
• Lights — at least one battery-powered lantern per room, headlamps for hands-free

Sign up with SDG&E's PSPS notification system at sdge.com/psps so you know when an event is forecast.

Preparedness resources →

What the zones mean:

• Zone Zero (0–5 ft from the structure): the single most important predictor of whether a home survives a wildfire. No combustibles. No mulch, no plants, no wood furniture, no wood fences attached to the house. Decomposed granite, rock, or hardscape only.
• Zone 1 (5–30 ft): low, irrigated, well-spaced plants. No ladder fuels (where flame can climb from grass to shrub to tree). No juniper, pampas grass, eucalyptus, Italian cypress.
• Zone 2 (30–100 ft): thin out the chaparral. Remove dead material, space tree canopies, keep grass under 4". This is "lean, clean, and green."

What the assessment covers:

• Walk-around with photos of risk areas
• Roof + vents + eaves (ember intrusion paths)
• Windows (single vs. dual-pane, tempered glass)
• Decks, fences, and any wood attached to the structure
• Vegetation in each zone with specific plant recommendations
• Written report with priority-ranked actions

Why it works: the research from the 2018 Camp Fire showed Zone Zero hardening saved homes that "shouldn't have survived" — embers traveled a mile, but the homes with non-combustible immediate surroundings made it through. Distance from fuel matters less than what's right next to your siding.

Schedule one: Email powaynec@gmail.com with your address. Assessments take 60–90 minutes.

All PNEC programs → Fire Smart Landscaping →

Plants to AVOID near homes (especially within 30 ft):

• Juniper — high oil content, burns intensely, very common ember-ignition plant
• Pampas grass — dense dry plumes, throws embers
• Eucalyptus — oil-rich leaves, shed-prone bark, infamous wildfire fuel
• Italian cypress — torches almost instantly when ignited
• Untrimmed bougainvillea — its dead inner layers are a tinderbox
• Wood mulch in Zone Zero — embers smolder in mulch for hours; rock or decomposed granite only within 5 ft of structures

Better choices for fire-prone Poway:

• Low-water succulents (agave, aloe, sedum)
• Native sages (Cleveland sage, white sage — kept low and pruned)
• Manzanita kept low and well-spaced
• Lavender, rosemary — culinary + low fire risk if maintained
• Decomposed-granite paths instead of bark mulch in walkways near structures

The principle: "lean, clean, and green." Plants that are well-watered, well-spaced, low-growing, and free of dead material are dramatically less likely to carry fire into your home. The full presentation from Fire Advisor Luca Carmignani goes deeper on each zone — schedule a free HIZ assessment for property-specific guidance.

Schedule a HIZ walk-through →