Bay Area

Oakland Frontline Healers Declare World War

Published

5 years ago

April 16, 2020

Not many people in the world imagined World War III would be against an invisible enemy, but all will agree Americans are fighting for their lives, especially those in the African American community.

Blacks in Michigan account for 40% of deaths statewide yet are 15% of the population, whereas whites account for 75% of the population but are experiencing 26% of deaths. Nationwide statistics show African-Americans are contracting COVID-19 at a much higher rate than any other race.

Oakland Frontline Healers is a collaboration of nonprofits, churches and community doctors dedicated to winning the war against coronavirus in Oakland. Their weapons are the dissemination of COVID-19 information and distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the unsheltered, seniors and formerly incarcerated/recently released individuals.

Frontline Healers are advocates regarding housing inequities within the city and address the critical issue facing the African American community with the release of formerly incarcerated individuals.

“The parole system has notoriously lacked the resources to help folks returning home for years,” said John Jones III, director of community and political engagement of Just Cities of the Dellums Institute and member of Oakland Frontline Healers. “There have been no plans to ensure folks coming home have access to PPE, housing, nor removing the systemic and structural barriers that exist resulting from a criminal record. Overcoming those barriers will be a major issue Frontline Healers will address.”

Currently, Frontline Healers, under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Watson, are establishing two drive-thru COVID-19 testing centers in Oakland to address the urgent need for testing the most vulnerable populations. One will be in North/West Oakland and the other in East Oakland,

“Like everywhere else in the U.S., testing is a problem for the general population,” said Daryle Allums, CEO and director of Adamika Village. “We will provide testing to Oakland’s most vulnerable population and offer resources for food, protective gear and other resources such as establishing hand-washing stations and portable toilets for our homeless population. Seniors and the recently incarcerated also have needs we intend to meet.”

Frontline Healers’ first mission is the distribution of PPE to the unsheltered, seniors and recently released individuals. Their next mission is to provide housing. BOSS, another member of the collaborative, has already increased housing capacity.

By May 1, 2020, there will be 15 units available on East 15th Street. By June 1, on San Pablo in West Oakland, 120 beds and 22 SRO units will become available and by June 15, in the Lower Bottoms in West Oakland, there will be a 75-bed shelter.

Justin Lee Taylor of the Violence Prevention Coalition describes Oakland Frontline Healers as an agency long overdue. “Oakland Frontline Healers is an organization that recognizes structural issues that have plagued the Black community for hundreds of years, that now contribute directly to the COVID-19 pandemic (that is) affecting and impacting our community disproportionately. Frontline Healers will not only deal with COVID-19. After the pandemic has passed, they will aggressively address the needs of the Black community in its aftermath.”

Greg Roberts, Executive Director of the Give to Change Foundation said he is securing alternative financing support for Dr. Geoffrey Watson and his medical leadership to address current medical supply distribution shortage in local communities. The foundation is one of the national advocates to protect price gouging to inner cities.

Tanya Dennis

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Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 3, 2025

Published

1 week ago

May 30, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2025

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Chevron Richmond Installs Baker Hughes Flare.IQ, Real-time Flare Monitoring, Control and Reduction System

While the sight of flaring can cause concern in the community, flares are essential safety systems that burn pollutants to prevent them from being released directly into the atmosphere. They activate during startup and shut-down of facility units or during upsets or equipment malfunctions. The typical flare stack is about 200 feet high so that vapors are well above street levels.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Image courtesy The Richmond Standard.

The Richmond Standard

Chevron Richmond recently installed flare.IQ, a real-time, automated system that will improve the facility’s flaring performance.

The technology, developed by Panametrics, a Baker Hughes business, uses sensors to monitor, reduce and control flaring in real time. It collects and assesses data on refinery processes, such as temperature, pressure, gas flow and gas composition, and adjusts accordingly to ensure flares burn more efficiently and cleanly, leading to fewer emissions.

“The cleaner the flare, the brighter the flame can look,” said Duy Nguyen, a Chevron Richmond flaring specialist. “If you see a brighter flame than usual on a flare, that actually means flare.IQ is operating as intended.”

“A key element in Baker Hughes’ emissions abatement portfolio, flare.IQ has a proven track record in optimizing flare operations and significantly reducing emissions,” said Colin Hehir, vice president of Panametrics, a Baker Hughes business. “By partnering with Chevron Richmond, one of the first operators in North America to adopt flare.IQ, we are looking forward to enhancing the plant’s flaring operations.”

The installation of flare.IQ is part of a broader and ongoing effort by Chevron Richmond to improve flare performance, particularly in response to increased events after the new, more efficient hydrogen plant was brought online in 2019.

Since then, the company has invested $25 million — and counting — into flare minimization. As part of the effort, a multidisciplinary refinery team was formed to find and implement ways to improve operational reliability and ultimately reduce flaring. Operators and other employees involved in management of flares and flare gas recovery systems undergo new training.

“It is important to me that the community knows we are working hard to lower emissions and improve our flaring performance,” Nguyen said.

Also evolving is the process by which community members are notified of flaring incidents. The Community Warning System (CWS), operated by Contra Costa County is an “all-hazard” public warning system.

Residents can opt-in to receive alerts via text, e-mail and landline. The CWS was recently expanded to enable residents to receive notifications for “Level 1” incidents, which are considered informational as they do not require any community action.

For more information related to these topics, check out the resources included on the Chevron Richmond, CAER and Contra Costa Health websites. Residents are also encouraged to follow @chevronrichmond and @RFDCAOnline on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), where additional information may be posted during an incident.