About TERN

Who We Are & What We Do

The Tomales Emergency Response Network (TERN) is an all-volunteer group of residents of Tomales and its environs, in the northwest corner of Marin County, California. A tax-exempt public benefit non-profit corporation, TERN is organized under and takes direction from the Marin County Fire Department and the Tomales Volunteer Fire Company. 

We are a member of the West Marin Disaster Council (WMDC). Through the CERT training program offered by ReadyMarin (Community Emergency Response Team), we are also a member of FEMA’s Citizen Corps.

TERN actively participates in the West Marin Disaster Council's two-way, handheld radio network, created and overseen by Richard Dillman of KWMR, supporting emergency communications across West Marin even when phones, power, and the Internet are down. We conduct daily signal checks of the Tomales radio network and check in daily and monthly with the wider West Marin radio network.

The full range of our activities is laid out below, with notes on how you could get involved.

We welcome volunteers! Please consider joining us as a member of the radio network and/or to contribute in another way. Visit the Connect page and use the contact form there to reach out.

MISSION

TERN's mission is to serve the Tomales community in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency by helping first responders keep the village safe, functioning, and informed. Our vision is to foster resilience in the community by strengthening our "connective" capacity to respond in the event of disasters and beyond.

Thank you for helping us help our first responders — and us all!

TERN members with Senior Fire Captain Tom Nunes, Marin County Fire Department (kneeling), at CERT training offered at the Tomales High School in the winter of 2017.

Activity Areas Overview

And how you can help

RADIO NETWORK

  • Join the TERN radio network for check-ins at 7:45 am, daily or when you can

  • Get trained on radio protocol; if possible, monitor 24 hours/day by keeping radio charged & close by

  • Participate in periodic practice radio drills

  • Sign up for “teams” dispatches from fire departments

Activity Area Leads: BRIAN RUPPENTHAL & BOB FARMER

CERT TEAM MEMBER

  • Get certified and maintain certification

  • Assist with wellness checks

  • Assist with search & rescue during a disaster

  • Offer rescue first aid during disaster

  • Participate in periodic drills

Activity Area Leads: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON

  • Gather information from neighbors through a Household Survey or more informally

  • In the event of an extended power outage or similar emergency, check in on neighbors and convey issues and concerns to TERN

Activity Area Leads: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Assist with mailing list, social media, and flyers for the Post Office (editing & posting)

  • Assist with signage for incidents as they arise

  • Maintain list of county emergency resources

  • Assist with editing and organizing content and graphics for TERN website

Activity Area Lead: LAURA TRIPPI

SPACES & SUPPLIES

DISASTER TRAILER & CHARGING STATION

  • Help maintain trailer (inspect tires, occasional rinse, hook up to truck & adjust location)

  • Assist with maintenance and storage of generator

  • Participate in periodic practice drills to set up & test charging station operations

Activity Area Leads: DONNA CLAVAUD

SUPPLY INVENTORIES

  • Assist with periodic inventory count

  • Organize & label disaster supplies on shelves in trailer for easy access

  • Help with consolidation & labelling of ‘shelter’ supplies stored at secondary location

Activity Area Lead: DONNA CLAVAUD

IN AN EMERGENCY

SMALL DEVICE RECHARGING STATION

  • Assist with setting up the recharging station

  • Assist with staffing the recharging station

Activity Area Lead: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY

  • Assist with protocols for accessing local residents to water during power outage

  • Includes signage & scheduling for access

  • Assist w/ periodic pruning of foliage at water faucet access to tank

Activity Area Leads: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

TEMPORARY EVACUATIONS

  • Assist with directing evacuees as instructed by Marin Fire

  • Assist with implementing safety protocols to offer vital information, instructions, and comfort (water, snacks, bathrooms)

  • Assist with getting local residents to next safe destination

Activity Area Lead: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

OTHER PRIORITY ACTIVITIES

ORGANIZE TERN DISASTER DRILLS

  • Design, schedule and oversee periodic drills to practice the following types of disaster events: PSPS assistance, emergency alerts, evacuations, disaster search & rescue, medical triage, incident command center

  • Coordinate drills with DBERT (Dillon Beach Emergency Response Team) to hold joint drills

  • Coordinate drills with Tomales Fire

  • Work with Communications Team to publicize the drills

Activity Area Leads: TERN STEERING COMMITTEE

MAINTAIN INCIDENT LOGS & TERN ARCHIVES

  • Assist in setting up a simple system for capturing data on incidents, including Red Flag Warnings, High Wind Alerts, Flex Alerts, and others that do not result in full activation

  • Assist in setting up a simple system for recording and archiving TERN milestones and activities

  • Assist w/keeping these archives up to date

Activity Area Lead: LAURA TRIPPI

Entrance to the small device charging station set up during the extended power outage triggered by the Kincade Fire in October of 2019.