Greg McKeown

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Remembering Traffic Victims — and Preventing Them in Irvine

Sunday, November 18, 2018, is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

This day is dedicated to remembering those killed or injured in road crashes, as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police, fire and medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury.

Unfortunately, this Day of Remembrance has increasing significance for the City of Irvine.

At our most recent City Council meeting, residents told us about witnessing extremely dangerous driving behavior and very close calls involving their children.

I am sure you also witnessed close calls or have heard similar frightening stories from your neighbors.

I am very concerned — as are others — that we will see an increase in serious injuries and deaths in Irvine because a motorist did not obey a stop sign, respect a pedestrian’s right of way, or pay attention.

I have set a meeting with our Chief of Police to step up traffic enforcement and to make sure that our police have every resource they need to ensure that our city is safe for children, other pedestrians, and bicycle riders.

I will be discussing numerous ways to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety, especially for children, including stepped-up enforcement, more illumination of crosswalks, and better lighting and visibility at stop signs. Your suggestions are invited.

The truth is, we can greatly improve the safety of our streets simply by being better and more respectful drivers, and by all of us — drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians — following the rules of the road.

The most common cause of vehicular accidents is driver behavior, especially distracted driving.  In fact, distracted driving accounts for an astonishing 95 percent of all auto collisions.  According to the National Safety Council,  using a mobile phone while driving now the most prevalent cause of a traffic collisions.

Globally, road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 15-29 and claim more than 1.25 million lives each year. In the United States, motor vehicle fatality is the leading cause of accidental death among teenagers, representing over one-third of all teenager deaths.

As I have said, Irvine is world-famous as a safe place to live and raise our families, but it won’t stay that way unless Irvine motorists make a conscious decision to reject distracted driving, obey stop signs, and respect pedestrians’ right-of-way.

It’s not just our reputation as America’s safest city that is on the line.  Our lives, and the lives of our children, are at stake.

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Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox Speaks at Great Park Fire Station Dedication Ceremony

July 20, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Daniel Robertson 949-874-3442

IRVINE CITY COUNCILMEMBER MELISSA FOX SPEAKS AT GREAT PARK FIRE STATION DEDICATION CEREMONY

Irvine, CA – Irvine City Councilmember and Great Park Vice Chair Melissa Fox had the honor of representing the Great Park, the Irvine City Council, and the people of Irvine at the July 19, 2018, Dedication Ceremony for the opening of the new Orange County Fire Authority Fire Station in the Great Park.

In her Dedication Ceremony speech, Councilmember Fox praised firefighter heroes and the public safety partnership between the Irvine Police Department and the Orange County Fire Authority.

Councilmember Fox said:

The gentleman holding the scissors is retired TSGT Bob Blankman, a WW II Marine Corps veteran of the Battle of Guadalcanal, who was later stationed at MCAS El Toro. We were all honored to have him with us at the ceremony.

“Good morning. Thank you for your attendance and thank you to the Orange County Fire Authority for hosting this special Dedication Ceremony. And, particularly, congratulations to Chief Brian Fennessy and Division Chief Greg McKeown.

I am honored to be here opening this incredible new station. This station is the new home of Engine 20, Truck 20, Hazmat 20 and Battalion 10.  Because of our size, Irvine has 2 battalions — Battalion 10 and Battalion 5 — with six stations in each. This station is the new home of Battalion 10.

It is also the new home of Hazmat 20.  Hazardous Materials is a common call. It may be a lab spill, a fuel spill, an unknown odor or a potentially more lethal threat like an unknown white powder or terrorist threat. We are proud that this team makes its home here, in the heart of Irvine.

These are the men and women that you want to show up when you are having the worst day of your life. They do their job with compassion and the highest professionalism.  Like many others, my family had to call 911. For about a year after that, my husband kept saying to firefighters, “Hey, I think you were the guy who saved my life.” But really, in those turnouts, you all pretty much look alike. In his bunker gear, can barely recognize my own son. You all look like heroes to me anyway.

It was my privilege to serve as a director on the OCFA Board and I hope to have the opportunity to do so again. Because public safety is a partnership.  A partnership not just between Fire and Law Enforcement like with our Joint Hazard Assessment Team. But also between our City of Irvine, other member cities, our County, and the people we all serve.

When there is an emergency, like a wildfire, a plane crash, or a flood, we all come together: Fire, Law Enforcement, City and County Government. We have planned and trained and drilled and when we are called upon, we execute, and we do so with tremendous effectiveness. We can put together a command and communications center overnight. We can stop a wildfire burning an acre a second.  We can save homes and businesses. We can save victims of heart attacks and traffic collisions.  We can prevent drownings. We can find and rescue people in perilous conditions.

We need that same cooperation right now; the same esprit de corps, that same mission-driven thinking.

Here in Irvine we need to ask, ‘How do we best serve the people we have been tasked with protecting?’

This new Fire Station is a shining example of public service and of partnership. I know that we will move forward in that spirit and continue, together, to provide the highest levels of service to our community.

Thank you.”

A video of the entire Great Park Fire Station Dedication Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting can be found HERE.

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My Busy — and Rewarding — Weekend!

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The weekend of February 25-26 began early on Saturday morning, meeting up with Orange County Fire Authority Chief Greg McKeown and dozens of volunteers from OC Fire, OC Fire Explorers, the Irvine Police Department, Irvine Police Explorers, CERT, and the Red Cross to inspect and install smoke detectors for residents at The Groves, a resident-owned senior community in the Irvine. A total of 738 smoke alarms were installed in 349 homes free of charge by 87 volunteers!

Then I headed out to Harvard Community Athletic Park for the Opening Ceremony and a pancake breakfast fundraiser for Irvine PONY Baseball, which included a beautiful salute to the American flag led by Irvine Boy Scout Troop 645.

Next on my Saturday agenda was a visit to Mike Ward Community Park in Woodbridge to participate in the “OC Charity Dog Walk – Who Walks Who?,” sponsored by Irvine Rotary and the Rotaract UC Irvine. The event included dog photo booths, veterinarians, dog toys, an auction and dog contests — all to raise money for great causes. $6,500 was raised for local charities!

Councilmember Melissa Fox joins with Gold Star Mothers and other City Councilmembers at Northwood Gratitutde and Honor Memorial Expansion Ceremony

Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox joins with Gold Star Mothers and other City Councilmembers at Northwood Gratitutde and Honor Memorial Expansion Ceremony.

Then I stopped at the Islamic Center of Irvine to drop off a donation of lightly used shoes for Soles4Souls, a charity that aims to disrupt the cycle of poverty, create sustainable jobs, and provide relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world.

On Sunday, I joined with Mayor Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Schott and Councilmember Christina Shea, as well as Gold Star parents and other City officials, to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the expansion of the Irvine Nothwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial.
Located in Northwood Community Park, the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial is the nation’s first memorial dedicated exclusively to listing the names of all the fallen American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Last year, the Irvine Community Services Commission, of which I was then a member, recommended that the City add two new pillars to the site, extend the area of the plaza, install two new benches, and add a pedestal with the history of the Memorial. The City Council then unanimously approved the Commission’s recommendations.

“As a resident of Irvine and the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, I am proud that Irvine continues to honor and express our gratitude to America’s fallen heroes,” I said. You can watch and hear all of my remarks here.

My favorite part of being an Irvine City Councilmember is representing our great City at community events.

Sometimes it is serious and solemn, like the Northwood Memorial expansion ceremony.

Sometimes it is just great fun and completely delightful, like the OC Charity Dog Walk and the PONY Base Opening Day ceremony.

But it is always rewarding, and it’s always an honor and a privilege to represent the City of Irvine and to meet with our residents and participate in the great things they’re doing.