Second in a series
Re “Water – Too Often Overlooked”
Christine Parra’s job title, disaster preparedness coordinator for the Fire Dept., suggests that the most direct route to success is a single step at a time.
Preparing people for a disaster that they cannot envision and that likely is not imminent, requires a creative imagination and powerfully persuasive sales ability.
Ms. Parra’s latest project, Water First, spawned by Dr. Ira Diamond, is convincing residents of the wisdom of storing water in advance of a catastrophe.
Distribution of the first round of water barrels to the community in mid-April was a success because “we now have 90 Culver City households that will be more prepared because they have water,” Ms. Parra said.
When residents were invited, a cross-section participated.
“A very broad spectrum,” Ms. Parra said. “Young couples with younger kids. There were the grandkids. And quite a few seniors arrived with a child – I mean a 40- or 50-year-old – to help them with the drum and with the instructions.
Two kinds of people came.
“It was either young families or older people, not a lot in the middle.”
As the chief in charge of community warning, no doubt Ms. Parra holds one of the most challenging jobs inside of City Hall.
How do you establish and maintain a communal motivation to be ready for something invisible?
“Not easy,” Ms. Parra said.
This chore can tax her wide-ranging creativity gene.
“I try to get as much information as possible into people’s hands to inform and educate,” she said. “I try to use every platform that is available to me, whether it is social media, the city website (www.culvercity.org), local newspapers and media, word of mouth. I even do my friends.”
Born and raised in Culver City, Ms. Parra said that many of her childhood friends still live here.
She also is an ambassador of forewarning for the city.
“When I am invited to do presentations,” Ms. Parra said, “I emphasize the importance of being prepared and of having a plan.”
(To be continued)
