ALPINE (KGTV) — As triple-digit temperatures move into East County this weekend, concerns are growing for people who may be especially vulnerable to extreme heat.
In Alpine, the Sheriff's Office has a program designed to make sure those who live alone or don't have loved ones nearby aren't overlooked.
For Evangelina Molina Bustamante Jones, Alpine has been home for more than three decades.
“My husband and I moved here in 1995,” she said.
But after her husband died nearly five years ago, living alone became a new reality.
“He passed away almost five years ago, and I live alone, and I don't like that,” Jones said.
That's one reason she signed up for YANA, which stands for “You’re Not Alone.”
The free program through the County Sheriff's Office connects volunteers with residents who may not have family or friends nearby to check on them regularly.
For Jones, sometimes a simple daily phone call is enough to make a difference.
“When I heard about YANA, I thought, well, that's kind of good because I would have a daily contact, even if it's just three minutes,” she said. “How are you? What are you doing today? I like that, and that's what got me in it.”
The daily connection can become especially important when extreme weather moves into the area.
Julie Sujita, a volunteer with the Sheriff's Patrol at the Alpine Sheriff's Station, said volunteers have a heightened awareness of the people they're checking on when temperatures rise or other emergencies threaten the community.
“When we have higher temperatures or any other natural issues like that, since we're in touch with our YANAs every day and we know them quite well, we have a heightened awareness of, are they safe?” Sujita said.
The program also focuses on disaster preparedness.
Sujita said YANA participants are entered into emergency notification systems, including Genesis and Watch Duty, so they can receive alerts about potential threats.
“It's going to be 100 degrees for the next week, and we're worried about their general safety and well-being,” Sujita said.
That preparation can be particularly important in an area where residents also face the threat of wildfires.
For some people, though, it can take a personal experience to realize just how quickly circumstances can change.
Alpine resident Bob Soto lost his wife of 48 years to Alzheimer's disease last November.
“What’s my purpose now? What am I going to do?” Soto recalled asking himself.
Today, he runs a dementia support group in Alpine and hopes more people in the community learn about resources such as YANA.
Soto said it's easy to assume an emergency won't happen to you.
“None of us wake up and think something's going to happen to us,” he said.
The YANA program offers a simple but potentially important connection: someone checking in and making sure a person isn't facing an emergency alone.
For East County residents who may be living alone, the program can provide another layer of support — particularly during periods of extreme heat, wildfire threats or other emergencies.
