LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake received a $2.4 million Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant to enhance public safety measures in collaboration with the Northshore Fire Protection District.

The grant will support the Tribe's Responder, Patient and Pedestrian Safety Project, which focuses on improving the safety of emergency responders, patients, and pedestrians in Upper Lake and surrounding areas.

“This project will not only provide life-saving improvements in safety for our community but will also help us implement cutting-edge technology to support our emergency responders in their mission to protect and save lives. The collaboration with Northshore Fire Protection District exemplifies our commitment to a safer future for all in Upper Lake,” said Chairperson Danielle Cirelli of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake.

“This grant is a game-changer for the safety and efficiency of emergency response in our community,” said Mike Ciancio, fire chief of the Northshore Fire Protection District. “By integrating innovative technologies and improving coordination between responders and the public, this project will enable us to respond faster, better, and more safely. We are proud to partner with the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake to make Upper Lake and the surrounding areas safer for everyone.”

The grant will be used to develop a comprehensive safety action plan centered around the needs of emergency responders.

This initiative will include several key components, such as an action plan focused on post-crash care and critical demonstration activities.

Among these activities are the piloting of an emergency vehicle transponder system to alert drivers to the proximity of emergency vehicles, and the testing of a platform that interfaces with specialized care registries to deliver critical health information to first responders at the scene.

Other project initiatives include investigating advanced vehicle location and vehicle informatics systems to improve monitoring and safety reporting enroute to emergency calls and performing outreach and research to build a prehospital health and safety information exchange and structured data warehouse.