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As many of you have seen, the Sherriff’s Office has renewed the evacuation warning for parts of the Quincy area this morning.  Although this warning is not a surprise as public safety officers have previously indicated this possibility, the development warrants communication to help us prepare for future threats related to the Dixie Fire.  Our administrative team is in close communication with the Emergency Operations Center and we will continue to follow their direction related to managing public safety risk and our subsequent actions, we will communicate these directions to campus immediately as we receive them. 

The Dixie Fire is impacting campus and we are doing our best to plan and provide resources.  Communication with students has also occurred regarding emergency alerts, evacuations, and safety information.

Communication Sources – how emergency information will be shared

1. Â鶹¹ÙÍø communication will follow the emergency protocol: (1st) ; (2nd) Â鶹¹ÙÍøApp; (3rd) website; then (4th) email.  Staff and students should make sure their phone numbers in MyÂ鶹¹ÙÍø Banner are correct
2. Code Red – Plumas County notification system.  Sign up at Code Red

Dixie Fire Information – where official information and updates are posted

There other unofficial sites that provide good information. I personally use Dixie Fire – The Lookout (the-lookout.org)

Â鶹¹ÙÍø has discussed plans for students, livestock, IT backup, and facilities preparation.  Communication with dormitory students has occurred for evacuation plans, routes, and rendezvous points.  You can find the up-to-date evacuation map at our Â鶹¹ÙÍø Wildfire Resources webpage.  In the event of an evacuation, directives will be coming from local authorities for specifics related to evacuations.

Our contacts at the Emergency Operations Center have told us that this is not a time to panic, but instead to prepare.  Preparation includes using the notification and information resources listed above, but also  

Continue to plan appropriately and monitor communication channels for updates. 

Finally, please communicate with students about preparing for an evacuation, routes out of the area for students who may not be familiar with Plumas County, the seriousness of the situation, and the above information for communication and updates on the Dixie Fire.

 

- Kevin Trutna, Ed.D.

Superintendent/President

 

As our local communities all feel the effects of the Dixie Fire, Â鶹¹ÙÍø would like to send its sincere condolences to all that are affected. There have been multiple individuals in the Â鶹¹ÙÍø family who have been directly affected by loss of structures, and many more staff and students feeling the indirect effects of this horrific wildfire. Our hearts go out to all of those who are impacted.

We would also like to thank the countless first responders, emergency personnel, and of course firefighters, who are all putting themselves in harm’s way to help defend our community. Their courage and selflessness acts as inspiration to our local community to stay strong and remain steadfast during times like these. Staying unified in our efforts to support those affected and help those in need is what makes Plumas County the special place we know it to be.

Â鶹¹ÙÍø is acting as a resource to emergency personnel and offering its support when needed. Campus leadership has been maintaining contact with the Emergency Operations Center to assist whenever possible, including offering up Â鶹¹ÙÍø resources in the form of equipment and workforce when required. Â鶹¹ÙÍø understands its role in critical moments like these and has worked to help house California Highway Patrol units from out of the area, Red Cross volunteers, and even some of the fire crews. 

The safety of our students and staff is always at the forefront of our mission, which is why we are seeking out those directly affected to provide support and resources. This includes finding emergency housing for staff that are displaced and contacting students in our support programs to provide aid in their time of need. We have also offered counseling services to people in our community who are in need of counseling, regardless if they are a student or staff member at Â鶹¹ÙÍø. We hope more people utilize this vital service, because the mental health of those affected by the Dixie Fire is also very important right now.

For those who are evacuated, the Feather River Fitness Center is offering free showers daily. The Â鶹¹ÙÍø food service team is also working to provide fresh meals to those at evacuation centers, as well as to the fire camps and other areas that host emergency personnel. We will continue to offer these food services as needed, because a fresh healthy meal goes a long way when times are challenging. 

The fall semester start date is still August 23rd, and with that said, we are moving forward with transitioning students back to campus, beginning with fall student-athletes. Because the safety of our students and our community takes priority, we are taking a very cautious and methodical approach to reopening for the fall semester. This fire presents an ever-changing situation, and requires all students and staff to remain agile and responsive. So far, Â鶹¹ÙÍø is extremely proud of the way its staff has conducted themselves during these past few weeks.

Our region has seen its share of natural disasters, global pandemics, tragedies, and misfortunes. Through these adversities, Â鶹¹ÙÍø continues to support local community needs. We will continue to do all that we can for those affected and will remain resolute in our mission to support our community in any way possible. We hope all those reading this will remain as optimistic as we are about the future.

Smokey and desolate days remind us of a quote from John Muir where he states that, “The sun shines not on us, but in us.” It is during these dark times that we all must look into the bright lights within ourselves to help others as needed, remain calm and hopeful, and stand strong together as a community of one. We will get through this difficult time. We will rebuild and reenergize. Most importantly, we will remain Plumas Strong, together!