The spirit of global collaboration and knowledge exchange was alive and well in El Cerrito, California, USA, on May 12, as the city hosted a delegation from the National Association of Towns and Villages of Japan. Facilitated by ICMA, this visit underscored the vital role of learning from peer communities around the world to improve emergency preparedness.

During the visit, El Cerrito’s city council welcomed local government officials from across Japan, highlighting the steps El Cerrito is undertaking in critical areas like wildfire safety and emergency preparedness to improve community resilience. For a city of its size in the San Francisco Bay Area, El Cerrito uniquely operates its own dedicated fire department, maintaining a proactive approach to fire prevention. This is particularly crucial given its location in Northern California, bordering regional parklands, and facing the potential threat of “Diablo Winds” that can sweep through the area. 

Fire chief Eric Saylors provided the delegation with an in-depth presentation on the El Cerrito Fire Department’s strategies and led a tour of an El Cerrito fire station. This firsthand look allowed the delegation to understand El Cerrito’s commitment to constant training, mutual aid participation across California, and the empowerment of its residents through the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) program.

The delegation from the National Association of Towns and Villages of Japan highlighted how wildfires and emergency preparedness are pressing needs in their communities, facing many of the same challenges as El Cerrito. By the end of the visit, it was clear to all in attendance that wildfire preparedness is an international issue, underscoring the importance of learning from other communities to continually enhance our efforts.

"This exchange with the National Association of Towns and Villages of Japan, facilitated by ICMA, was an extremely valuable opportunity for El Cerrito to share our experiences in wildfire preparedness and to learn from the perspectives of leaders from across Japan," said El Cerrito city manager and ICMA Past-President Karen Pinkos. "By fostering these international connections, we can truly build stronger and more resilient communities."

This exchange exemplifies the power of local governments connecting across borders to share best practices and innovative solutions. By learning from each other, cities and towns around the globe can strengthen their capacity to address shared challenges and build safer, more prepared communities.

Interested in participating in a global knowledge exchange opportunity like this? Reach out to global@icma.org for help facilitating global connections and exchange opportunities.