COMMUNITY

California Materials, Inc. was one of many companies who participated in the Touch-a-Truck, Tiny Tots Fundraiser, held Saturday, May 6th, 2017, Standard Park, in Sonora, California.

Sponsored by the Tuolumne County Recreation Department, the fundraiser is a program where kids can come touch, climb on, sit in, and experience many of the trucks and official vehicles they see in their everyday life, such as commercial trucks, fire trucks, tractors, police vehicles, busses, ambulances, and more.

Participants included, California Materials, Inc., of Stockton, California, the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, the California Highway Patrol, Tuolumne County Animal Control, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department, the Swat Team of the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department, a Tribal Fire T-817, of the Tuolumne Rancheria Fire Department, the Tuolumne County Fire Department, a Trolley from the Tuolumne County Transit Co., the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, a school bus from the Tuolumne County Schools and a special visit from "Smokey The Bear."

What a privilege it was to host the training for members of the California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4), one of 28 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue teams throughout the U.S.A., at our Clean Planet, Inc. recycling plant in Stockton, CA.

During one of their training exercises, Firemen create a hole where a team member is then hidden amongst the rubble and debris. Surrounded by both natural and not so natural discarded materials, the dogs search for the "hidden" victims until they are found.

The dogs are Live Find Disaster Dogs, thus they alert on live victims in a disaster setting. Their handlers come from various fire departments and all expenses of the canine are borne by the handler.

Our recycling plant, Clean Planet, Inc. in Stockton was chosen as the training site because of its presence of both natural and not so natural discarded materials, like grass, dirt, tree stumps, wood door skins, wood pallets, and cement, as well as its expansive open areas.

Handlers and Dogs In Training: Al Duncan and K9 Phelony, Oakland Fire; Mike Stornetta and K9 Rocket, Windsor Fire; Mike Taul and K9 PC, Novato Fire; Sara Paige, Oakland Fire; and Jen Jeske, Veterinarian.