Calistoga praises emergency response after heavy rain; city announces new police community service officer

City Manager Jim Reddish told the Calistoga City Council on Dec. 3 that a major November storm produced "over 15 inches of rain in 3 days" and prompted a multi‑department response that included hourly bridge checks and a temporary opening of the city's emergency operations center after the river rose five feet in two hours. "We had a 10 year, 24 hour event," Reddish said, adding that crews cleared drains and ditches around the clock and that mutual‑aid partners from Napa and American Canyon helped with sandbagging and debris removal.

Why it matters: The city credited intensive, coordinated public‑works, police and fire work with preventing flooding and avoid ing major incidents in a weather event that tested local infrastructure. Reddish noted the wastewater treatment plant required special operations to handle infiltration and excess flows.

Supporting details: Reddish also announced that Adrian Cortez — raised in Calistoga and formerly a police technician — has been promoted to a full‑time community service officer. He outlined a number of holiday‑season community efforts: staff donated about 400 food‑bank items on Giving Tuesday; the fire department's annual toy drive runs through Dec. 21; and the city is recruiting volunteers for a holiday dinner Dec. 14. Reddish encouraged residents to check with Parks & Rec and the police department for donation and volunteer information.

The council thanked staff for storm preparations and response work, and the mayor said he would look into whether the location of a newly installed local seismograph could be disclosed. No formal action was taken; the item was presented for information and public acknowledgment.