Regional Information at Your Fingertips Residents can dial 511 from any phone to get traffic information. Information is everywhere in today’s fast-moving world. The challenging part is finding reliable information, specific to your needs. The City of Coronado wants residents to know about two, three-digit information numbers that provide current information on a variety of local issues. A quick call to 211 or 511 will save residents time and enable them to take full advantage of community services. The new national dialing code for free, 24-hour community health and disaster information is 211. In 2005, the County of San Diego launched 211 San Diego to provide the public with free access to regional health, social, and disaster services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “There are more than 2,000 community agencies in the county, providing 5,000 health and human service programs in San Diego,” said Coronado City Manager Mark Ochenduszko. “Dialing 211 will help residents better utilize valuable programs and services that are available.” Community information is provided to callers by a live phone specialist, capable of answering questions about a variety of non-profit services and agencies. In times of disaster, 211 can also be mobilized as a central point for disseminating public information. Information is also available online at www.211sandiego.com. In addition to 211, residents can also dial 511 for county traffic and transportation information. Up-to-the-minute freeway driving times, transit route and rideshare information, roadside assistance and more are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, either on the phone or online at www.511sd.com. Activated in February 2007, 511 is the result of a collaborative partnership among SANDAG, Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transit Service, the North County Transit District, California Highway Patrol, and the San Diego Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies.

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THE NEW YEAR IS FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES IN CORONADO The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for residents to examine their lives and contemplate what is important. The City of Coronado offers a number of programs and resources that can help residents improve their health, give back to the community and keep family members safe. Below are some ideas on how you can make a difference in your own life and the lives of others in 2008.

HEALTH & FITNESS

Get in Shape for 2008: Fitness Opportunities Abound

Coronado residents enjoy water aerobics. With every new year, Coronado residents reflect on what changes they could make to enhance their personal way of living. With obesity on the rise, making fitness a priority is more important than ever. This time of year brings resolutions to adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle, but failed resolutions are common. Developing fitness routines for the long term can help. Enjoyable, inexpensive activities like yoga on the beach or tennis through the City’s Recreation Department, can be better choices than using costly in-home equipment and gym memberships. “The most successful fitness programs involve recreational pursuits that are quick, fun and convenient,” according to Linda Rahn, Coronado’s Director of Recreation Services. “In Coronado, every day is an opportunity for residents to find a fitness activity they can be passionate about.” Recently, the Coronado Recreation Department expanded fitness opportunities for residents. Parent and tot classes provide fun for children as young as 18 months, while life-long fitness programs teach teens to establish lasting healthy habits. Adults and seniors can enjoy aerobics, aquatics and even an arthritis program. The Coronado Community Center is open to all residents, who may obtain daily, monthly and annual passes with various levels of access. The Community Center is located at 1845 Strand Way. For more information on the programs offered by the Recreation Department and hours of operation, call 619.522.7342, or visit the City’s Web site at www.coronado.ca.us. Life Long Fitness Program Profile Life Long Fitness – A program to help teens create a personal fitness plan based on individual needs. (Q & A with participant Cody Kitchener, age 14) Q. How has Life Long Fitness changed your fitness routine and lifestyle? A. Life Long Fitness has changed my fitness routines and lifestyle by encouraging me to eat right, spend more time on exercise, and to have fun when working out. Q. What are some of your fitness goals and how do you track your progress? A. I try to get more calories burned than the last week. When doing a running workout, I try to push myself to a higher speed each time, and when lifting weights, I try to go up five pounds each week. We track our progress in class by filling out sheets of the distance we ran that day, the calories burned, and the total amount of time spent on the machines. At the end of each class, we graph the total calories burned. Q. What do you like most about Life Long Fitness? A. program is the opportunity to use the gym equipment in the recreation center normally reserved for adults. There is no competing against other people, you work at your own pace, and everybody is the best at what they are doing, rather than having one overall star of the program. Q. Have you taken advantage of any other fitness opportunities that the City of Coronado recreation center offers? A. The other fitness opportunities I have taken advantage of are the tennis lessons and a kayaking and sailing course during this past summer.

INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Partnerships with Industry Creates a Better Coronado Community

A PWI team helps with landscaping. As another year begins, opportunities to forge new relationships, professionally and socially, present themselves, allowing individuals to learn from each other and create a stronger community. Society benefits when people from different backgrounds with different skills come together to work toward a common goal. The City of Coronado recognizes the importance of these relationships and supports them through its association with Partnerships with Industry (PWI). PWI provides job training and placement services for adults with developmental disabilities or those that have experienced a life-altering change. Coronado has been working with PWI since 2002 and is committed to continuing the trend in 2008. The Public Services Department employs 16 PWI clients, who assist in the removal of litter and debris, cleaning of public spaces, weed abatement and landscaping. “The City of Coronado is proud of its relationship with PWI,” said Director of Public Services Scott Huth. “The PWI teams are performing useful services to the community while gaining exposure to the work force and enjoying social interaction.” The PWI clients work in teams, with two teams of four working in the morning and two teams of three working in the afternoon. One team focuses on park and beach maintenance and the other begins on the 100 block of Orange Avenue and works its way through downtown doing general maintenance. The teams are accompanied by a PWI coach. “There is a core group of PWI clients who have been working with the City since the partnership was initiated,” said Huth. “City employees have formed meaningful relationships with the teams and respect them as coworkers.” The City of Coronado has other options to fill the services provided by the PWI teams, such as hiring seasonal employees. One of the benefits of working with PWI is that it provides training for its clients before they begin working for the City. The teams contracted through PWI also provides more of a steady, long-term workforce. For more information about the PWI program, contact the Public Services Department at 619.522.7380. Get Involved, Coronado Residents looking for an opportunity to get involved and make Coronado a better place can get started this year. The City Council will be looking to fill upcoming vacancies this year on the Park and Recreation Commission, Design Review Commission, Library Board of Directors, Serra Cooperative Library Advisory Board, Citizens’ Advisory Committee to the CDA, Street Tree Committee, and as the City’s representative to the Port District Public Art Committee. To apply, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 619.522.7320. Automated Recycling Coming In December, the City Council approved implementation of automated recycling in Coronado. In May, residents will receive a blue recycling cart, similar to the size of a trash can, to replace the green recycling tubs. The new carts will give residents more capacity for their recyclables. Stay tuned for more information in the next Currents and look for informational flyers from EDCO in your recycling bins or tubs.

IMPROVE HOME SAFETY

Suggestions from the Coronado Fire Department

Coronado firefighters were part of the massive effort to contain the Witch fire, which burned many homes and estates like this one in Poway. The recent wildfires in San Diego County are a stark reminder of how important emergency preparedness is for households across the region. As a new year begins, the Coronado Fire Department recommends that residents take time to make sure their families are adequately prepared to handle emergencies. Although the wildfires did not directly affect the City of Coronado, some community members were forced to evacuate from their places of business. There was also an increase in hotel traffic as those forced out of their homes came to the City for shelter. Likewise, many residents had surprise house guests for a week or longer, until family or friends could return to their neighborhoods. “The October wildfires reached the coastline in some areas of the county, reminding residents that when we are dealing with a natural disaster, there is no guaranteed safe place,” said Coronado Fire Chief Kim Raddatz. “Having a plan of action in place for your family can save lives.” To develop a safety plan, families or businesses should discuss various emergencies and how to deal with unsafe conditions. First, draw a floor plan of the home or business. The floor plan should include a primary and secondary exit route from each room. The location of any fire equipment or emergency preparedness kits should also be marked, in addition to utility shut-off switches and valves. An assembly point should also be determined to ensure family members or employees have a place to meet once they are outside the building. Exit routes should be physically inspected and everyone who needs to use them should be able to. “The Fire Department runs an excellent citizen-based program called the Coronado Community Emergency Response Team, CERT,” said Chief Raddatz. “Residents are encouraged to sign up for winter courses that will prepare them to assist their families and the community in the event of an emergency.” CERT is a program that trains citizens to prepare for – and respond safely to – disasters. The goal is to better prepare the community for disasters and to help serve neighborhoods when emergency services are overwhelmed. After training, CERT members are able to assist others by applying their basic response and organizational skills. CERT skills also apply to daily emergencies. CERT Schedule JOIN THE CORONADO COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM TODAY AND BE PREPARED! To register for these free classes, or for more information, please contact the Coronado Fire Department at 619.522.7374. All modules run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Module Class Title Description 1. January 30 Disaster Preparedness An introduction to the CERT program 2. February 6 Disaster Fire Suppression Fire safety and extinguisher use 3. February 13 Disaster Medical Operations First aid, establishing treatment areas, treating airway obstruction, bleeding and shock 4. February 20 Light Search & Rescue Planning, techniques and rescuer safety 5. February 27 Terrorism, Disaster Psychology, Team Organization Symptoms experienced by victims & rescuers. The Fire Department also offers one-day classes on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CPR training is offered on January 26, February 26, and March 29.

New Web Site Coming Soon The City of Coronado is proud to announce that it will launch a new version of its Web site during the first quarter of 2008. Sample images are shown below. The site will feature new imagery and a user-friendly layout that will allow residents to easily navigate through the site to find the information they need quickly and efficiently. The goal of the revised layout is to allow residents to find what they need online in three mouse clicks or less. “More residents are turning to the Internet to find information about valuable City services and processes,” said City Manager Mark Ochenduszko. “The City’s new Web site will serve this need by making pertinent information more accessible.”

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You’re A Star, Coronado Coronado’s famous landmarks have been a part of motion pictures and professional photography for decades. Sharing Coronado’s unique village atmosphere with the world has helped the City secure its place in cinematic history, but maintaining a safe and tranquil community holds far more importance. To minimize potential impacts, the City has developed a policy for filming and photography in Coronado. “The City does not actively seek opportunities to bring films or photo shoots to the community,” said City Manager Mark Ochenduszko. “All requests are looked at on a case-by-case basis.” Permits from the City are required for all filming on public property. Filming on private property also requires a permit if conditions could affect the public, such as disrupting the normal flow of traffic. Any filming that exposes property or persons to the risk of physical damage must have a permit, regardless of the location. Before any filming or photography can begin, an application for a permit must be submitted to the City Manager’s Office. The application is collectively evaluated by the Police, Fire, Public Services, Recreation and Engineering Departments to assess what, if any, impacts the proposed shoot may have on the community’s quality of life or capital improvement projects. If a permit is issued, the applicant pays fees based on the location. Parking fees and reimbursement for City personnel, such as police and public services staff, are also applied. Applicants must also provide liability insurance and sign a waiver. For more information on filming permits, contact the City Manager’s Office at 619.522.7335.

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