OAKLAND — Neighborhoods in the Oakland hills are a step closer to being safer in the event of a medical emergency, fire or natural disaster, which has been an ongoing concern for first responders and survivors of the firestorm that ravaged the Oakland hills in 1991.

Vice Mayor Annie Campbell Washington, who represents District 4 on the Oakland City Council, unveiled the results of the hills emergency access project at an April 7 meeting held by the Montclair Safety Improvement Council.

The problem is especially prevalent in the North Hills and Montclair neighborhoods. Campbell Washington is working closely with District 1 Councilmember Dan Kalb on crafting a solution that will work for both residents and the fire department.

A community survey was designed to identify the streets in the Oakland hills that pose a safety hazard by restricting access of emergency vehicles to residents. Emergency vehicles need a minimum of 11 feet to pass through a street. Many hills streets are narrow to begin with, and with the addition of parked cars, they can become impassable for emergency vehicles.

“We looked at three different data sets to come up with the results,” said Campbell Washington, whose office conducted an online survey.

The Oakland Fire Department was also asked to identify the streets that were most challenging for them to pass. The Oakland Firesafe Council drove through the neighborhoods and noted dangerous areas.

The Public Works Department identified streets with paved surfaces less than 40 feet; streets between 20 and 30 feet wide; and streets less than 20 feet wide. The data was compiled in February, initially identifying 22 locations of concern with 12 potential locations. All the streets had less than 20 feet of pavement, eligible for a pilot program.

The Oakland hills firestorm that started Oct. 20, 1991, killed 25 people and destroyed more than 3,500 homes. Sixteen people lost their lives on a single narrow street because a car broke down and the road was so narrow that it blocked the only exit route from the street, said Carolyn Burgess, the public safety chair of the North Hills Community Association and the chair of the area’s Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council. Burgess lost her home in the firestorm.

But when then-Oakland City Councilman Dick Spees tried to launch a similar project to study emergency vehicle access, he met with resistance from residents.

“Community pushback was severe,” said Campbell Washington, who contacted Spees to discuss resurrecting the project.

The issue of emergency vehicle access was identified in the 2011-12 auditor’s report by then-City Auditor Courtney Ruby. It has also been identified by current City Auditor Brenda Roberts.

“I promise to work with the community to put together a thoughtful plan,” Campbell Washington said. “We learned from the firestorm and from Spees that neighborhoods need awareness and to know their options. We need to help residents to park in a way that doesn’t impede emergency vehicles.”

City staff members will visit each of the proposed sites for the pilot projects and develop a specific plan for each location. The project will be launched with a community kickoff meeting open to all residents.

In the meantime, “park like someone’s life depends on it,” said Sue Piper, president of the Oakland Firesafe Council. “Use your garage, or your driveway. If you do park on the street, make sure there is 14 feet between your car and the other side of the street. That’s what it takes.”

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