On Air with KSRO
As a Sonoma County resident, I deeply appreciate the exceptional contributions of the staff of KSRO radio during the recent fires as reported by Stett Holbrook in “Dialed In” (Oct. 25). At the same time, I deeply regret the lack of mention of the equivalent aid provided by staff and volunteers of KBBF, the oldest bilingual station in the country.
Like contributors to KSRO, our staff and volunteers were on the air night and day throughout the duration of the crisis. It isn’t just that we provide a public service to Sonoma County’s large Spanish-speaking population; we serve a population, many members of which lack internet access and lack the sophisticated skills in English necessary to understand complex directions about evacuation and the like when under the stress of advancing flames. We are a unique source of information for them. KBBF served valiantly as the sole source of information and communication for this large portion of our county’s population, undoubtedly saving lives and providing access to needed services and thus deserves equal recognition for its contribution to our mutual welfare.
Member KBBF board of directors, Sebastopol
Thank you, Bohemian, for your gripping article on KSRO’s anchoring of the fire reporting. My husband and I were tuned in to KSRO for most of this crisis (even though we live adjacent to the fairgrounds, with a rotation of thousands of firefighters camped out in our back yard).
We have many opportunities for gratitude. First responders from Sonoma and Napa counties; Sheriff Giordano and the daily, no-nonsense media briefings from multiple agencies; PG&E crews; fire and police crews from the Western U.S., the greater U.S. and the world.
Shout out to Pete, a water tank crewman, and the responders from Oregon sleeping in the fairgrounds field, as well as firefighters from Lassen, San Mateo and Menlo Park. These are just the folks we met personally. It may be your job, but it was our homes you were working to protect.
KSRO staffers, when the thanks are going around, please understand that we were desperate to know what was happening, and we turned to you. You more than rose to the call of disaster. All of you—Pat, Mike, Michelle, Heather, Alex, the Steves and others behind the scenes. We deeply appreciate the dedication you showed to your listeners, which has strengthened our community.
Thanks for going behind the scenes to laud your colleagues, Stett Holbrook. Boundless gratitude.
Santa Rosa
Great article! KSRO deserves all this praise and more. They literally saved lives. Outstanding professionalism and stunning humanity. I know I was just one of many residents that relied on KSRO during the darkest hours of the storm and absorbed strength and hope through the KSRO radio waves. Thanks to all at KSRO!
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