Supplies airlifted to Big Sur coast residents trapped by Highway 1 slides

BRISA COLON WAS IN BIG SUR EARLIER TODAY FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY AIDE AIRLIFT... NEARLY 200 RESIDENTS IN SOUTH COAST BIG SUR REMAIN ISOLATED AFTER THIS MONTH'S STORMS CAUSED LANDSLIDES ON HIGHWAY ONE... UNABLE TO TRAVEL BY CAR ON EITHER SIDE... THE ONLY SOLUTION... SEND AIDE THROUGH THE AIR... ON FRIDAY... VARIOUS AGENCIES FROM MONTEREY COUNTY... FIRST RESPONDERS... AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM ORGANIZED AN EMERGENY AIDE AIRLIFT OF SUPPLIES SUCH AS GROCERIES... MEDICATION... PET FOOD... AND BASIC NECESSITIES... <"I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT MATCH OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN PRIVATE CITIZENS WORKING TOGETHER, WHICH IS THE WAY TO WORK. I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT."> <"BEEN HERE A LONG TIME 50 YEARS, 40+ YEARS A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS DOWN THERE. IT'S JUST PART OF THE COMMUNITY."> <"WE LIVE HERE IN AN ISOLATED AREA, AND WE DON'T HAVE SERVICES TO COME RIGHT AWAY. WE NEED TO BE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH IT AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES."> ON FRIDAY MORNING, SUPPLIES WERE LOADED INTO CARS IN CARMEL... AND DRIVEN THROUGH CARAVAN TO LUCIA... <"VOLUNTEERS HAVE BROUGHT SUPPLIES AND UNLOADED THEM FROM THE CARS AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE PUT INTO A BASKET THAT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN OFF INTO THIS HELICOPTER FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE STILL TRAPPED."> THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL HELLICOPTER TOOK THE SUPPLIES AND DROPPED THEM OFF NEAR SAND DOLLAR BEACH FOR THE RESIDENTS TO PICK UP... THOUGH THIS MISSION PROVIDED SOME RELIEF... OFFICIALS ARE STILL WORKING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO GET RESIDENTS PROPANE AND FUEL TO POWER GENERATORS... <"THAT'S AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE RESOURCE, TO BRING OTHER THAN BY VEHICLE"> <"PROPANE IS A VERY DIFFERENT RISK AT THIS JUNCTURE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW THAT MIGHT BE ACCOMPLISH OTHER THAN GETTING ACCESS THROUGH ONE OR MORE OF THE SLIDE AREAS."> THOUGH RESIDENTS MAINLY PAID THEIR OWN GROCERIES... DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MONTEREY COUNTY HELPED OFFSET COSTS.. AND OTHER ASSITANCE CAME FROM... THE CALIFORNIA HWY PATROL AS WELL AS THE COUNTY IS SEEKING STATE AND FEDERAL REIMBURSHMENT THROUGH CAL OES AND FEMA... <"JUST THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO KNOW THE SPORTS THERE THERE ARE NEIGHBORS EVEN US ON THE NORTH HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE WHEN WE WERE ISOLATED."> <"YET I HAVE HEARD NO COMPLAINING. THIS IS HOW WE LIKE TO LIVE WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS AND HIS COMMUNITY BELIEVE ME THAT MAKE IT THROUGH WITHOUT ANY DOUBT AT ALL."> OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE PREAPRED TO CONTINUE TO RESUPPLY ON AN ONGOING

Nearly 200 people living south of Big Sur remain isolated after a series of storms caused mudslides on Highway 1, leaving them unable to travel by car on either side. On Friday, various agencies from Monterey County, first responders, and community volunteers such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organized an emergency airlift. Groceries, medication, pet food, mail and other basic necessities were transported to the isolated area via helicopter."I think this is a perfect match of government agencies and private citizens working together, which is the way to work. I think this is a very good example of that,” said Hal Adda, a CERT co-captain. Most volunteers were residents from other parts of Big Sur, stepping up to help their neighbors. “We've been here a long time, 50 years, 40-plus years; a lot of our friends down there. It's just part of the community,” said Ken Mccloud, a CERT volunteer.Supplies were loaded into vehicles in Carmel on Friday morning. A caravan of vehicles drove the supplies to Lucia where they were loaded up in baskets connected to a California Highway Patrol helicopter.Though this mission provided some relief, officials are still working to find solutions to get residents propane and fuel to power generators. “That's an almost impossible resource to bring in other than by vehicle," said Kirk Gafill, President of the Big Sur Chamber. "Propane is a very different risk and so at this juncture, I'm not familiar with how that might be accomplished other than getting access across one or more of the slide areas."Though residents mainly paid for their own groceries, donations from the Community Foundation of Monterey County helped offset costs. Other assistance came from California Highway Patrol, as well as the county seeking state and federal reimbursement through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Officials say they are prepared to continue to resupply on an ongoing basis if needed and until roads are cleared and reopened.

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. —

Nearly 200 people living south of Big Sur remain isolated after a series of storms caused mudslides on Highway 1, leaving them unable to travel by car on either side.

On Friday, various agencies from Monterey County, first responders, and community volunteers such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organized an emergency airlift. Groceries, medication, pet food, mail and other basic necessities were transported to the isolated area via helicopter.

"I think this is a perfect match of government agencies and private citizens working together, which is the way to work. I think this is a very good example of that,” said Hal Adda, a CERT co-captain.

Most volunteers were residents from other parts of Big Sur, stepping up to help their neighbors.

“We've been here a long time, 50 years, 40-plus years; a lot of our friends down there. It's just part of the community,” said Ken Mccloud, a CERT volunteer.

Supplies were loaded into vehicles in Carmel on Friday morning. A caravan of vehicles drove the supplies to Lucia where they were loaded up in baskets connected to a California Highway Patrol helicopter.

Though this mission provided some relief, officials are still working to find solutions to get residents propane and fuel to power generators.

“That's an almost impossible resource to bring in other than by vehicle," said Kirk Gafill, President of the Big Sur Chamber. "Propane is a very different risk and so at this juncture, I'm not familiar with how that might be accomplished other than getting access across one or more of the slide areas."

Though residents mainly paid for their own groceries, donations from the Community Foundation of Monterey County helped offset costs. Other assistance came from California Highway Patrol, as well as the county seeking state and federal reimbursement through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Officials say they are prepared to continue to resupply on an ongoing basis if needed and until roads are cleared and reopened.

Supplies airlifted to Big Sur coast residents trapped by Highway 1 slides

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