HB Reads
In keeping with our February’s “We Love Our Libraries” month, the Marine Safety Division brought the beach vibes to Storytime at the Oak View Library with Huntington Beach Reads One Book on Thursday, February 1. The young audience soaked up a special book reading, and our team dove into an engaging water safety presentation.
Thank you to Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, our City Council Members, Huntington Beach Reads One Book, and the Oak View Library for extending the invitation for this special and educational event.
Storm Response
In response to the storms this week, staff from multiple City Departments came together to ensure our community was prepared for the recent storm. Crews from Public Works, Marine Safety, the Police Department, and the Fire Department spent days leading up to the storm event clearing storm drains, reinforcing the berm in Sunset Beach, inspecting river channels, stocking sandbag fill stations, and many other preparedness activities.
Throughout the storm, City staff remained on-call and ready to mitigate flooding, monitor pump stations, make swiftwater rescues, deliver sandbags to those in need, and respond to potential public safety incidents. We want to give a special thanks to our CERT volunteers who worked alongside our teams to protect our community.
Surf City Marathon Recap
On Sunday, February 4, approximately 18,000 runners braved a potential rainstorm to participate in the 28th Annual Surf City USA Marathon and Half Marathon presented by 361°. Thankfully, runners were met with clear skies and dry weather for most of the event. Osvaldo Cerda was the men’s marathon winner with a time of 2:32:33, followed closely by Huntington Beach local Elijah Orr, who was proud to represent his hometown with a second-place finish. The women’s marathon winner was Teresa Rokos with a time of 3:03:22. Runners raved about the spectator-friendly course, with family, friends, and locals cheering everyone on throughout the course. Winners were greeted at the finish line by Mayor Van Der Mark and Mayor Pro Tem Burns. A special congratulations to Team DetermiNation runners, who raised more than $40,000 for Surf City Marathon’s lead charity partner, The American Cancer Society. For complete race results, photos, and more, please visit the race’s website.
HBPD Crimes Against Persons Award
Last week, Sex Crimes Detective Kearby of the HBPD Crimes Against Persons (CAP) Unit was presented with the “Greatest Save” award by retired MLB Hall of Fame member Rollie Fingers from the KinderVision Foundation. The award recognized his relentless work in the CAP Sexual Assault Unit, protecting the most vulnerable victims while making numerous arrests.
Detective Kearby’s passion for justice, investigative skills, and determination have taken the most serious criminals off the streets. They will no longer have the ability to prey on potential future juvenile victims within our community.
Surfer’s Awareness Lifesaving Class
On January 29th, the Marine Safety Division, together with California Love Drop, hosted a Surfer’s Awareness in Lifesaving Techniques (S.A.L.T.) class for the Gone Boarding Michigan group. California Love Drop sponsored the 27 participants who took attended. The S.A.L.T. Program was founded by the Marine Safety Division and teaches surfers about rescue techniques for unconscious swimmers and surfers. This helps with lifesaving efforts since they are often the first on scene.
Fire Department Responds to Large Structure Fire
At 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 4, emergency units from Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa Fire Departments responded to a structure fire on Stonybrook Drive. Upon arrival, fire units observed a large two-story residence with a fully involved attic fire, which had the potential of spreading to neighboring residences. Firefighters were able to contain the fire and prevent it from reaching other residences. Challenging conditions were present with rain, wind and colder weather. The occupants were not injured and their two cats were removed from the structure before conditions became worse. Following the fire, HBFD Fire Investigators initiated an origin and cause investigation and results are pending. No firefighter injuries were reported.
