Calabasas Will Open 2 Emergency Aid Centers

The city of Calabasas next month will dedicate one of two emergency aid stations that have been set up to treat people with minor injuries during disasters.

“Experience has proved that so many people clog the hospitals during disasters,” said City Manager Charles Cate. “For people with minor injuries, this would be a good way for them to get treatment without overburdening the medical facilities.”

The dedication will be on Jan. 17, the anniversary of the Northridge earthquake, at the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center, 23400 Park Sorrento, from 10 a.m. to noon. The second “M.A.S.H.” unit, as they are called, is located behind A. E. Wright Middle School, 4029 N. Las Virgenes Road.

At the stations, tamper-proof boxes, 8 feet high by 10 feet long, are stocked with emergency first aid equipment, as well as other emergency items such as generators, according to city officials. The city provided the funding for the stations, which cost about $6,000 each.

The project is overseen by Dr. Arnold Bresky, a local physician, as part of an emergency preparedness plan developed by the city in cooperation with the Calabasas Emergency Response Team, a volunteer organization.

Part of the plan is to have medical personnel report to the stations in the event of disasters, said Cate.

“We have a high concentration of doctors and medical technicians in the community that can report to the sites,” Cate said.

Also at the Tennis and Swim Center on Jan. 17, the Health and Wellness Committee will offer a free 7 p.m. lecture on how to deal with the stress brought on by disasters. Shelly Horner will be the speaker.