When disasters strike, they know no boundaries.

Disaster response should be just as flexible, according to the San Ramon Valley Citizens Corps Council, which received national recognition earlier this month for teaming several groups across the Tri-Valley area for emergency preparedness.

The council was recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a finalist out of corps councils across the nation serving populations under 750,000. 

The corps council, formed in 2005, is made up of four entities: the City of San Ramon, the Town of Danville, San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District and San Ramon Valley Unified School District.

"The key is collaboration," said Raymond Riordan, emergency preparedness manager for San Ramon.  "[The San Ramon Valley] is a unique model for how to implement a disaster plan because there are four different jurisdictions and we all work together."

The council will be hosting its next emergency preparedness fair on Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Danville at 655 Old Orchard Road. 

The family event will include activities such as juvenile fingerprinting, child car seat inspection and a fire safety house for children.  Meanwhile, adult attendees can receive instruction on CPR and other techniques or find out how to microchip their pets.  A free tri-tip lunch will be served.

"The concept behind corps councils is to build relationships between as many kinds of people as possible, professionals, elected officials, regular citizens, and utilize those relationships as quickly and effectively as possible when major disaster strikes," Riordan said.  "We've seen that, both in the San Ramon Valley and elsewhere around the U.S., corps councils also spark a spirit of volunteerism that engages residents in their community's well-being."

Riordan said the San Ramon Valley is disaster-prone in several ways.  Beyond natural occurrences of wildfires and earthquakes, the area's infrastructure is also exposed to traffic-related disasters. 

Last year, hazardous materials spread across Intersate 680 when a fuel truck crashed near the border of Dublin and San Ramon, according to Riordian.  The accident forced the freeway's closure as emergency crews dealt with the gigantic spill.

"What we had was a potentially explosive disaster, like a two-mile pipe bomb," Riordan said. "That episode gave our corps council a good look at what kind of sudden, man-made disasters can pop up in our area and how we can best deal with them."

The council has looked into preparedness plans for other possible emergencies such as fires sparked by a fuel pipeline that runs along the Iron Horse Trial and landslides forced by heavy rains, according to Riordan.

One of the council's most effective and popular offerings is training for Community Emergency Response Teams, according to Riordan. 

The corps council currently has 776 CERT-trained volunteers who will be ready to organize resources within their neighborhood in the event of a disaster.  Meanwhile, firefighters in the San Ramon Valley have received training in National Incident Management System and Incident Command System, which are streamlined first-response procedures used across the U.S.

"Having a uniform structure and language that is used in that initial response is vital in dealing with national emergencies," Riordan said.

The San Ramon Valley is one of three councils in California recognized by FEMA. Fresno received the Outstanding Citizen Corps Council Award for populations over 750,000.  Also, the California State Citizen Corps Council was recognized with a statewide award.

At a Glance:
Citizen Corps Councils began across the country after 2001, when politicians, citizens and members of law enforcement saw a greater need for collaboration in the face of disasters like the Sept. 11 attacks.  Today, citizen corps councils bring together people of myriad disciplines and specialties for a common goal: fast and appropriate response to emergencies.   More information can be found at www.citizencorps.gov.

The Council's Preparedness Fair takes place this Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Church of Latter-Day Saints Chapel, which is adjacent to the school district parking lot.  The event begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.  Guests arriving at 9 a.m. and noon will receive a free emergency kit gift, with limited supplies.  The free event includes K-9 demonstrations and first aid trainings.  More information can be found at www.bereadysrv.org.