In the Fall of 2003, after fires destroyed 75% of the homes in their valley, Joe and Rita Sterling's converted barn became the epicenter for disaster recovery.
In a FEMA, the US Marine Corps and dozens of volunteer and church organizations descended upon their property to organize the distribution of food, clothing, water and grief counseling.
Following the fires, there were several secondary crises that rocked the valley: looting, , insurance hassles, post-traumatic stress disorder and the stress of navigating good old fashioned red tape.
Fortunately, the Sterlings were both experienced facilitators and strategists; they fell naturally into the role of coordinators for the recovery effort, and used their talents, tools and specialized environment to mitigate the chaos of disaster recovery.
During the proceeding two years, their barn had been overhauled and transformed into a full-service facilitation space--complete with whiteboards, photocopiers, tables and comfortable seating.
After the fire, Joe's skills as a graphic facilitator were essential in mapping out the complex system of services, materials and human resources required to help the valley recover. Rita's background in organizational development prepared her for the challenge of helping diverse personalities with differing skills collaborate in a chaotic situation.
Eventually, the ashes settled; the winter rains came; work turned towards filling sandbags to stave off flooding and mudslides; and, by Spring, the charred hills began to be dotted with green again.
During the following summer, the Sterlings were given the KGTV Channel 10 Leadership Award, the Alpine Chamber of Commerce ALPS Humanitarian of the Year Award. This accompanied acknowledgements from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, State Senate, and Congress for their contributions.
As they approached the first anniversary of the devastating 2003 wildfires that swept through San Diego County, Joe and Rita Sterling reflected on the fire and fire recovery experience. Joe Sterling has organized his notes and many stories of leadership, community and recovering from the fire in the paper available here: download PDF
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