When re-examining the response to the massive methane blowout at Aliso Canyon 10 years ago, don’t look in the obvious places for leaders who stepped into the breach.

What some Porter Ranch residents call their “local heroes” came from residents at nearby churches, housing association boards, and a small city neighborhood council that put on its big boy pants after the blowout occurred Oct. 23, 2015.

The folks in front of the microphones, shouting into bullhorns and holding press conferences were not the elected city, county, state or federal officials, but ordinary citizens.

Paula Cracium was president of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council on that day, a group that dealt with sidewalk cracks, street safety, traffic and other more mundane issues. That all changed when methane from the

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