As many of you have seen in the Mountain Democrat, Placerville joined with National Night Out and it was a big success. National Night Out was started to encourage community interaction with the local police in a positive way. Last year Placerville won first place for cities under 15,000.

Each city has a group of "block parties" as were common in years gone by. The majority were in the street with B-B-Q's going and chairs in a circle. Some were in the parking lots of senior centers & at least one church. Placerville had around 30 block parties.

The evening started with a "kick off" gathering at the Western Slope Boys and Girls Club with Diana Pena from Channel 13 News as the guest MC. This year Lynn Shetley & I participated as representatives of CERT, Red Cross and the FireSafe Council. We also picked up "Plank" a CERT member from Georgetown, who is active in Noah's Wish. Noah’s Wish is a group that rescues pets in case of disasters, usually fires. Judie Irwin participated as a representative of Search and Rescue.

Lynn and I went to 3 block parties and Judie visited 2 block parties. At each one, we were given an opportunity to tell about our organizations and have a time for questions and answers. Out of the ones that Lynn and I visited, at least one person is signing up for CERT and another for their local FireSafe Council. There were police at all of the block parties at some time during the evening.

It was a great experience for us and gave us a chance to promote our organizations. It was a very well organized event without being too regimented. Kudos to Cynthia Estes with the Placerville Police Department; she did an excellent job putting this National Night Out evening together.

Liz Lawless, Grizzly Flats FireSafe Council

On a balmy July evening under the soft glow of paper lanterns and listening to the mellow music of Marty Krantz, 150 people gathered to support the 1st Annual Grizzly Flats FireSafe Council BBQ. Walt & Maxine Tyler and Lee Schlepp out did themselves cooking the chicken and tri-tips. There were numerous raffle donations including wine from local wine makers, and several hand crafted items. Lyle Tomlin served up some great DJ music which made it an enjoyable evening for everyone.

The funds raised are used to provide continuing fire safe educational materials. They pay for the monthly Newsletter and the Evacuation Packets that the Council distributes to each new home in Grizzly Flats. All the money raised goes to help keep Grizzly Flats a fire safe community!

BBQ committee members were: Mark Almer, Lee and Deloras Loney, Dennis, Terry & Cassie Henderson, Bob and Diane Krieg, Mary Lou Brown, Jack Fourie, Tom Douglass, Don Cherry, Kathie Hawkins, Lynn Sheltey, Linda Phebus, Pam Cook, Rich Englefield, Keith Westlake, Linda Krantz, Liz and Mike Lawless, Jim King, Dick and Norma Dawdy and Terry Bush.

We were sorry that we were unable to meet the request for all dinner tickets . . . However, there is always next year!

Thank You, Grizzly Flats for your support!

Barbara Lacy & Sandi Bush, Co-Chairmen

There seems to be some confusion regarding the existing law pertaining to the distances required for clearing brush, trees, etc. around your home. Thirty feet? One hundred feet? In a recent letter from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, our advisory inspectors emphasize thirty feet. The letter states to "maintain additional fire protection or fire break adjacent to the building or structure, or to the property line, which ever is nearer, all flammable vegetation or other combustible growth". "This does not apply to single specimens of trees, ornamental shrubs, or similar plants that are used for ground cover, as long as it does not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from native growth to any building or structure".

In regards to one hundred foot clearance, we are to "educate and inform". Again, the Department of Forestry letter says "maintain additional fire protection or fire break around and adjacent to the building or structure by removing all brush, flammable vegetation, or combustible growth that is located within one hundred feet from the building or structure or to the property line or at a greater distance if required by state law or local ordinance, rule or regulation." This does not prevent an insurance company that insures a building or structure from requiring the owner to maintain a fire break of more than one hundred feet around these buildings.

Grass and other vegetation located more than thirty feet from the building or structure and less than eighteen inches in height above the ground may be maintained where necessary to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.

So, if the homeowner has met the thirty foot defensible space requirement, but not the one hundred foot, we will be educating and informing of the one hundred foot rule. Currently the one hundred foot clearance has not yet been enforced, but will be in the near future.

Tom Scepura, Grizzly Flats FireSafe Council

Forest Clean-up

The Forest Clean-Up Community Volunteer Meeting will be on Saturday, September 17, 10:00 am, at the Grizzly Flats Community Church Lodge. Please attend the meeting if you want to help on the day of the cleanup and/or assist in designing and implementing our prevention program to discourage illegal dumping.

The Forest Clean-Up is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 8.

As we move into this new era for the Pioneer Fire Protection District I would like to comment that the success of an organization is dependent on the principles of the 3 C's. That is, communication, cooperation and coordination. Our shared goal, as a rural fire protection district, is to provide the highest level of service with the resources available.

There are four components to the Pioneer Fire Protection District with one no more or less vital & important than the other. They are the elected officials or board of directors charged with the responsibility to obtain and manage fiscal resources and establish public policy. The staff is the career and volunteer fighters responsible for fire protection operations, prevention, suppression, medical aid, rescue and public assistance, an ever evolving mission. The volunteer association provides corporate support in the areas of community outreach, funding and the volunteers' voice in district issues and policy. Without community support, participation and input, the district is a non-descript entity and generic service. Our community has the responsibility to take individual action in the prevention and abatement of fire hazards. The Grizzly Flats FireSafe Council is an excellent example of providing interior and exterior community fire defenses.

Our shared vision is to develop a model rural fire protection district that is efficient and effective while providing the highest level of service possible to the community within and outside our boundaries. We must also think in terms of the greater community of the county and State by contributing and receiving mutual aid. To realize this vision all four components of a rural fire protection system must subscribe to the principle of 3 C's.

Communication is vital to organizational success. Respectful and professionally courteous communication, both in public and private settings, sets the tone and demeanor for effective communication and positive outcome. Maintaining order, decorum and the appropriate demeanor is not only effective but produces results with shared feelings of progress. I am asking that we set our differences aside and begin a positive dialog to move forward together towards our shared goal and vision. I have found that in talking to a representative group of stakeholders that to a person we all want the same thing.

Cooperation. Dissenting views are vital to fertile and productive exchange while debating issues. It appears that nationally we are split 49% to 51% on many issues, but we move forward in the democratic setting. That is, support for the majority decision. We must respect the views of others while adopting the ground rules of agreeing to disagree, speak one-at-a time, and no personal attacks. We have averted many conflagrations and abated many fires, earthquakes, and flood disasters statewide through California Cooperative Fire Agreements.

The coordination of the efforts and activities of the components of our community based rural fire protection district will strengthen and enhance our abilities, capabilities and effectiveness.

I am excited about the opportunity to serve as your fire chief and look forward to a positive and productive relationship with the board of directors, operations staff and the community.

A Reminder . . .

Our community is growing, not only with people but their pets. Namely dogs. Dog owners need to be responsible and know the law. El Dorado County has a leash law, that means ALL dogs must be on a leash, not more than 10' in length, when not contained in their home or secured within a fenced area.

Any owner or keeper of a dog that engages in behavior that inflicts injury to any domestic animal or person is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to fines and/or destruction of the dog. (s) Please keep our community safe and enjoy your companion in a responsible way.

If you have problems in your neighborhood with dogs, call El Dorado County Animal Control at 530-621-5795.

MaryLou Brown, Grizzly Flats FireSafe Council