CERT is a program to prepare and train community volunteers for emergencies and disasters

DIXON, CA (MPG) - A sign of what kind of man we have in Dixon’s Fire Chief Todd McNeal is the fact that his office includes a conference table with several chairs. He sits quietly at the table--a bit subdued as he tells of missing out on the numerous city functions of which he’s heard about in Dixon's tight-knit community.

“I’ve missed every social event,” he said listing many of them including the department’s 150th anniversary for which would be a grand celebration. He hasn’t been able to meet people and establish an important rapport with the community--an asset he’ll need when establishing a Community Emergency Response Team. CERT is a program to prepare and train community volunteers for emergencies and disasters that has been put on hold since his arrival in Dixon in August 2020 due to the pandemic.

It is a program that he utilized and built up at his former department in Twain Harte District and Strawberry District where he worked before being hired in Dixon. McNeal and his wife, Pam, grew up in Sonoma County and spent several years in the Montana fire service before moving back to this state.

“I had a very simplistic view of careers when I was younger,” he said about why he chose to become a firefighter. “You could work inside or outside. I played sports and liked that team feeling; that the sum is better than the individual parts. The spark was outdoors. Wildland fire was my passion and worked on Federal Incident Management Teams,” he said.

“I saw the pride of our town after the Rim fires,” the father of two sons said. “At the time, it was the third largest California wildfire in history.” It burned more than 250,000 acres. That fire impacted him the most.

“You travel to other people’s backyards and put out their fires but that one was in my own backyard. It was very different when your own backyard is burning,” he said, appearing to reflect deeply.

“Instinctively, people want to help others and in a crisis, all differences are forgotten while they come together to save or rescue others. It unites people. It is a community-based response to need," he said which is why he is passionate about the program being implemented in Dixon.

The 20-hour training course teaches volunteers basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. It offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“It’s still a volunteer program like the Reserve Firefighter Program,” he said. “But with a Human Resource conversion program, we will consider hiring from reserve status first to a full-time. It is an investment.” That pool would be helpful to a department of 27 reserve and full-time firefighters in addition to support staff and officers. They field about 3,000 calls a year and provide mutual aid from North Vacaville to Putah Creek and down toward Rio Vista. Our district is the largest in Solano County and encompasses approximately 300 square miles.

At this first year anniversary in Dixon, McNeal is looking forward to getting out of “Covid gloom” and seeing the second Dixon Fire Department built in Homestead next to the park in the Southwest Development off Pitt School Road.

“It will improve our response time,” he said. “Although it won’t solve the bi-section of town, it will help us serve better. The current Council is very public-safety minded and we’re growing quickly. We’ve got to add resources.”

He likes to stay positive and looked for silver linings during the pandemic and said getting to “focus internally” was that silver lining.

“It is the most rewarding work when you work side by side in a really dedicated fire department. Some are long-timers and some are new but they are very interested in protecting this community,” the Chief said. “It’s contagious to be next to that. Anyone in leadership wants to foster that.”

As soon as they are able, that conference table is going to be filled with people busily planning Fire Prevention Week at the beginning of October and the 150th Anniversary of the Dixon Fire Department.