Sierra Nevada CISM Network hosted a regional conference on crisis intervention presented by The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. (ICISF) on January 29-February 1, 2009 at John Ascuaga's Nugget.

Two employees, Bruce Toy and Sue Martineau, of the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and recipients of Marlatt scholarships, attended the four-day workshop along with other local area attendees. Bruce and Sue were each awarded $600 scholarships, which covered the cost of attending the four-day workshop. Conference highlights included Comprehensive Crisis Intervention Systems, Suicide Prevention and Pastoral Crisis Intervention. Other topics include Families and CISM, as well as a new course highlighting Strategies for Responding to Critical Incidents.  

The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District was recently awarded a $5,000 grant, courtesy of the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation’s Fall 2008 Collaboration Grants Program.

The award came from the Foundation’s Tahoe Defensible Community Fund and will be utilized to produce a basin-wide version of “Common Backyard Native Plants, Shrubs and Ground Covers for Fire Safe Landscaping at Lake Tahoe, North Shore Edition.”

While the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and regional responders were conducting avalanche training up at Tahoe Meadows area on Mt. Rose highway Tuesday, the training quickly turned into a back country rescue.

The avalanche drill started at 1:10 p.m. and the rescue call came in at approximately 1:20 p.m. via Washoe County Sheriff’s Dispatch. “Stopping the drill immediately and converting into a back country response was seamless as the multi-agency crews had practiced earlier during the morning drill” said Battalion Chief Mike Schwartz.

The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District will conduct its final of three avalanche training sessions today. The training takes place today, Jan. 29, at Tahoe Meadows, or ‘Sheeps Flat’ area, Mt. Rose highway. Previous sessions were on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26 and 27. Training objectives are: utilization of the unified command system; proper operational rescue procedures and tactical communications skills. This annual training allows agencies to review, practice and participate in hands on avalanche training drills. There will be two scenarios per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The fire district invited regional responders to join in, including Washoe County Sheriff, Washoe County Hasty Team, North Tahoe Fire Protection District, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, Truckee Fire Protection District, Sierra Fire Protection District, Reno Fire Department, US Forest Service, REMSA, CareFlight, Nevada Department of Transportation, Diamond Peak Ski Resort and Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.