New Modesto-area disaster relief team shares its work so far with storm and flood warnings

A new emergency and disaster relief team in Modesto has been able to bring nearly a dozen agencies over multiple counties together to streamline prevention and cleanup during the current storm series.

Members of the Central Valley Incident Management Team held a press conference in Modesto on Monday afternoon to discuss their involvement and considerations for the current storm and flood conditions. The meeting was held in person and over Zoom.

You can find the team on Facebook and Instagram at “CentralValleyIMT.”

Here’s what we learned:

The CVIMT has to be requested by local agencies but interacts with the public over social media and the county’s public information email. This is a “Type 3 - All Hazard Incident Management Team” that can be called upon to help manage floods, fires, earthquakes and other events. It is meant to do “whatever is needed to help a community feel safe,” Modesto Fire Department Chief Alan Ernst said.

The team consists of 11 partner agencies, according to its Facebook page. Any agency within Stanislaus County can join by reaching out to Ernst. Not all cities and unincorporated areas within the county are part of the team.

The agencies currently involved are:

1. Modesto Fire Department
2. Modesto Police Department
3. Stanislaus Consolidated Fire District
4. Turlock Fire Department
5. Cal Fire, Tuolumne Calaveras Unit
6. Burbank Paradise Fire District
7. Woodland Avenue Fire Protection District
8. Twain Harte Fire Protection District
9. Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services, or StanEmergency
   
   
10. Tuolumne County OES
11. Calaveras OES

According to the team’s Facebook page, the California Conservation Corps’ Delta crews, Modesto City’s Environmental Resources Team, Parks and Recreation crews and StanEmergency aided in cleanup efforts after storms last week.

StanEmergency establishes operation centers and releases information across the county during disasters in a similar way to the CVIMT, Ernst said. However, the incident team differs because it works within a specific jurisdiction or incident, usually closer to the problem, and can get to it faster.

This storm series was the first activation for the Central Valley Incident Management Team. Over the past year, the Modesto Fire Department had been working to build it. Ernst said it was realized Dec. 31 that the upcoming storm would “overtax local resources”.

Since then, the team has been able to gain access to support and resources, including equipment, from Cal Fire and other agencies.

Last week and again Monday, a team of Modesto police officers worked to alert housed and unhoused residents living near low-lying areas near Dry Creek and the Tuolumne River, police Lt. Steve Stanfield said. He is the law enforcement liaison for the CVIMT.

The spokesperson for the team is city of Modesto Public Relations and Legislative Affairs Manager Andrew Gonzales. The team’s operations section chief is Eric DeHart. Kevin Bohall from the Tuolumne-Calaveras Fire Unit serves as the team’s incident commander.

The public can find resources for preparation, warnings and frequently asked questions at the Modesto.gov website. Residents can report fallen trees with the GoModesto app or by calling 209-342-2253.

This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 7:30 AM.

Vivienne Aguilar

The Modesto Bee

Vivienne Aguilar is a breaking news reporter. She is a graduate of California State University, Monterey Bay. She previously worked at Stocktonia News Service and was editor in chief for the Delta Collegian.