WILDFIRE
“It was terrifying, but it was also really inspiring to see how people jumped in,” Kenny Weigandt, community engagement manager at the Willamalane Park and Recreation District, recalls. “The smoke and the ash really caused a huge, prolonged issue for us.” Experience responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic proved helpful in the district’s response to the wildfire. Many staff were able to continue coordinating relief efforts because of the remote-work technology and policy that they had implemented for COVID-19. The district also had a crisis communication plan ready. This plan includes a process for communicating updates to staff first during a disaster — which includes anything from wildfire and floods to medical events and COVID-19 to security breaches — and sharing this information to the public and media outlets. The district became an informa-
tion hub for the community and press. People were encouraged to stay indoors to minimize exposure to the hazardous air, updated about the status of the wildfire and given information about where to donate and access resources. “We were connected to partner agencies and were able to help joint communication,” Weigandt says.
Coming Together for a Collective Response As a relatively large district with 46 parks and four indoor facilities, the Willamalane Park and Recreation District decided to put some of its resources to good use during the crisis. It designated two of its indoor facilities, the Bob Keefer Center and Adult Activity Center, as smoke respite shelters. The district quickly found out that it needed air scrubbers to clean the smoke out of its HVAC system, which was pulling outside air into the building. The city of Springfield provided air
scrubbers to the district so it could continue operating these facilities as daytime shelters. These facilities provided access to clean air and water, restrooms, Wi-Fi and parking. “It was really valuable for people who needed it,” Weigandt says. “The most important thing that we learned during this is you have to rely on your partnerships with other municipalities or likeminded agencies,” Weigandt says. The district joined a collective community response, communicating and coordinating relief efforts with the Red Cross, local school district, neighboring park agencies, utility board and the health department. Through this effort, the district learned that firefighters needed a site to stage response that was outside the burn zone but close enough to quickly get to the wildfire. The district offered one of its park areas and firefighters used that location to coordinate efforts and take breaks between shifts.
King County Prepares for Wildfires
PHOTO COURTESY OF MECKLENBURG COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION
Increasing numbers of wildfire events are prompting many park and recreation agencies to prepare by gathering data and implementing plans. One such agency is King County Parks and Recreation in Seattle. As a changing climate brings more flooding and tree stress, it also brings wildfires closer to the Puget Sound area in Washington state. “We’re seeing increasing evidence that we better be ready,” says Sarah Brandt, King County Parks open space government
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The Mecklenburg County (North Carolina) Park and Recreation department conducts prescribed burns in its nature preserves to restore native plant species and protect against wildfire. | A P R I L 2 02 1 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G
