and highly trained personnel….working tirelessly to keep our community safe. We continue to make investments, including expanding our police department to meet the needs of our population, implementing technologies and tools, and further strengthening our partnerships. And as a result, our officers are recognized nationally and internationally for their work in our schools, with our youth, to support emergency preparedness and so much more. This is all achieved in working in partnership with the community. Since 2000, the Community Emergency Response Team, also known as, CERT, has produced trained community members to keep us safe…providing a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations. More than 3,000 of our community members are now trained as CERT responders, and the Irvine Police Department has held 92 CERT classes, and is halfway through their 93rd class. And so many of our youth have participated in the Irvine Police Explorers program. The Explorers program provides teens who may be interested in a career in law enforcement with a comprehensive volunteer program, including training, competition, service and practical experiences. And as we speak of generational success, 7 current IPD staff members were part of the Explorers program, including our very own Chief Kent. As we look to the future, we are committed to building on this progress… working together to ensure that Irvine remains one of the safest cities in the country. I, again, thank Chief Kent and the men and women of the Irvine Police Department. Another area of important focus is the health and wellness of our community.
The COVID pandemic illustrated that local governments have an important role to play in the public health space. Through a variety of initiatives and programs we have an opportunity to address community needs in a transformative way...as we assess current emerging issues, it is clear that mental health, addiction, and wellness programming are important, unmet needs that we as a community must address. As such, we have been working diligently to implement a Health and Wellness initiative... to focus on providing services and programs considering the unique needs of our children, families, individuals, and seniors. Staff is currently working through an assessment to identify physical and behavioral health needs in Irvine, and identify potential gaps. This is addressed in coordination with our amazing local partners. This effort is vitally important for Irvine, as our community continues to grow and mature. And investing in the mental health and well-being of our community is an investment in our future. And one of the best ways to be well is through recreation. We are a city focused on recreation. Home to a nationally ranked park system, our parks and open space play a significant role in enhancing the health and well-being of our community. Our park systems continue to be ranked highest in the nation. For the 7th consecutive year, our parks have been ranked among the top 10 in the nation. The ParkScore Index, is recognized as the national gold-standard comparison of park systems in the United States. As this incredible community has grown, each phase has been accompanied by the preservation and enhancement of natural open spaces. More than one-third of the City…that is 16,000 acres…is preserved as parks, trails, and natural wildlands.
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