April Volunteer of the Month: Bob Otis

Congratulations to Dahlia Park resident Bob Otis for being recognized as our April Volunteer of the Month!

Bob has been an invaluable force in advancing emergency preparedness and resilience in Issaquah Highlands. This past spring, he was instrumental in helping to launch our first Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course at Blakely Hall. His dedication, attention to detail, and tireless support make him an invaluable asset to our community. We’re incredibly grateful for all he does to keep us informed, prepared, and resilient! Thanks for your service to our community, Bob!

Bob had the following to say about his time volunteering and living in Issaquah Highlands:

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Bob leads a workshop on how to build an UHF/VHF dipole antenna using PVC pipe, wire, coax, and a radio during CERT Social Group at Blakely Hall in April 2025.

Upon retirement from Chevron in the San Francisco Bay Area, my wife Anne and I decided to join our son Sam who lives in Seattle. We found a perfect spot in the Issaquah Highlands, and in June 2006, we settled down in our new home in Dahlia Park.

After several power outages, news of earthquakes and wildfires and numerous lectures about emergency preparedness, I decided to register for the Fall 2015 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training sponsored by the Issaquah Citizen Corps (ICC).

Being a geophysicist, I was especially interested in earthquakes, but the course opened my eyes to a myriad of other disasters that could impact our happy home in Issaquah Highlands such as wildfire, power outages, snowstorms and so on. I followed the guidelines from the course to “build a kit,” “make a plan,” “be informed” and “get involved.” The first two were straight forward. The third was accomplished by attending the CERT course as a refresher. The fourth just happened naturally.

Opportunities were offered to become an instructor for the course, earn city and state credentials as an emergency worker, participate in mock disasters, and help raise awareness by engaging with the community at events like the Farmer’s Market, Salmon Days and other events. Taking advantage of these opportunities, I was eventually elected to the ICC Board of Directors and ultimately became president. After six years, by-laws required I step down from the board, but I continued to support and participate in the program.

Bob poses with radio expert Mihai at Issaquah Public Works during the CERT Final Drill in April 2025.

The most rewarding part of this journey has been building strong connections across the emergency preparedness community—within the ICC, the city’s emergency management and public works departments, and neighboring eastside jurisdictions like Bellevue, Carnation/Duvall, and Redmond. It’s impressive to see how these communities empower individuals to navigate emergencies and disasters through education, training exercises and strong relationships. Working to “provide the greatest good for the greatest number” can only strengthen our ability to become a more resilient community in the events that will inevitably confront us.

Looking forward, I hope to continue helping our communities—Issaquah Highlands in particular—by supporting the Blakely Hall Resilience Hub’s effort to provide facilities and resources to respond to incidents such as the recent Bomb Cyclone or others that may follow. Wildfire remains one of my top concerns.

Perhaps over the coming months, I will get an opportunity to meet more of our Issaquah residents who may find this type of journey as appealing and rewarding as I have. I am looking forward to continuing the journey.

Are you inspired to get involved in the Issaquah Highlands community?
Opportunities are available!

Click here to discover all the different ways you can get involved in our Issaquah Highlands community, including opportunities to join boards and committees, as well as urgent needs at local nonprofits.

Questions? Contact Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council Executive Director.