Public safety is one of my top priorities as your County Supervisor, which is why our office was pleased to again host Wrightwood’s annual winter traffic meeting.
This valuable collaboration brings together multiple agencies including County Fire, CHP, Angeles National Forest, Public Works, Caltrans and more to prepare for the influx of winter visitors who come to this mountain village.
Wrightwood sits in portions of Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County and the Angeles National Forest, so all three regions assist with winter planning.
“When we’re anticipating a huge influx of crowds, we staff based on those predictions,” said San Bernardino County Fire Assistant Chief Kelly Anderson. “Typically, we’ll have an additional ambulance. Last year, we housed a patrol from LA County Fire to assist with a large number of calls on the LA County side, which worked out well. We are in talks to bring that back again this year.”
The San Bernardino County Fire Department is also considering the purchase of additional snow vehicles that will be kept at Wrightwood’s Station 14, Anderson said.
Storm Preparedness
Ken Lutz, Captain of Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station, emphasized the importance of being prepared for winter storms. “We have the CHP on speed dial, and we work together,” he said. “However, it’s important to prepare yourself to survive until we can get to you. Listen to that 7-day forecast. Shop ahead of time. Buy canned goods and bottled water. Make sure you have plenty of medication.”
Drivers coming up to see the snow should also bring adequate winter clothing, snow boots, an emergency kit, blankets, and extra water/food.
Jim Emery of the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council also stressed the importance of self-reliance.
“We saw an influx of people moving up here during COVID. They expect government to take care of them, but it’s not their job,” he said. “There’s a big learning curve in handling a severe event, and it’s important to be prepared.”
The Wrightwood Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is ready to assist in times of need, however they also preach preparedness.
“A lot of people moved up here during the pandemic and had never seen snow before,” said Strech Suba of Wrightwood CERT. “We encourage people to have water, food and generators on hand.”
No Snow Play on the Roadway
Members of CHP, Cal Trans and San Bernardino County Public Works urge visitors not to block the roadways to put on chains or play in the snow.
They also emphasized the importance of residents parking in their driveways, and not on the street, so the snowplows can clear the roads.
“We don’t want someone having a heart attack not able to get emergency help because the roads are blocked with people playing in the snow,” said Victorville CHP Captain Royal Johnson.
Sean Wolf, a law enforcement officer with Angeles National Forest, is often assigned to patrol Wrightwood during the busy snow season. “Our concerns are violations within the National Forest lands and illegal parking,” he said. “I know people are concerned about the vendors who pop up, and we will enforce those violations with citations.”
Bill Kerr, Caltrans District 8 Maintenance Manager, said that public safety trumps all decisions. “After the blizzards, we needed to keep roads closed longer to open up the bus stops and allow Public Works to clear the neighborhoods,” he said. “Mutual understanding goes a long way. It’s not to keep businesses from prospering. If we open roads prematurely, we may cause a catastrophic event.”
San Bernardino County Public Works is currently preparing its winter equipment at the Wrightwood yard. “Last year, when we had the storm predictions, we brought up additional equipment in anticipation of the heavy snowfall,” said Tyson Fristrom, San Bernardino County Public Works Regional Superintendent of Roads. “This year, we’ll have the same preparation.”
Winter Forecast
Looking ahead to the 2023-2024 winter season, National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Tardy said they are expecting an El Niño, typically a warmer phase, but cannot predict how it will impact snowfall. He said that beyond 7-10 days, the forecast predictability is not very good.
Ben Smith, Vice President of Operations at Mountain High Resorts, is looking forward to another great ski season. “We’re planning for a big winter — a super El Niño,” he said. “We will continue our partnership with Antelope Valley and Victorville CHP stations during busy times to keep traffic moving.”
Community Feedback
During this month’s meeting, Wrightwood Property Owners Association Secretary Pam Wright praised the group for their collaborative and proactive efforts.
“It is very comforting and reassuring to know that each one of your agencies are working hard to be prepared and help serve Wrightwood,” she said. “We are deeply appreciative of that. The more I get involved, the more impressed I am with how well each one of your agencies are working to serve us.”
Thanks to all of our partner agencies for attending this collaboration to prepare for the upcoming snow season. It is through these valuable partnerships that we work together to serve our communities!
