November 18, 2023
 Safer West CountyFire Safe Groups Newsletter Late November 2023 News in West County11/28 – Giving Tuesday, consider SWC11/19 – Free GMRS radios & training Sun11/30 – Does Home Hardening Work12/4 – Rio Nido Firewise meeting12/9 – LandSmart Grazing ProgramBurning debris – Quick Info11/30 – Want input on Sonoma County road work?Giving Tuesday is Novmber 28th Tuesday, November 28th is “Giving Tuesday.” In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Safer West County wants to thank all the official and unofficial volunteers who are the backbone of our organization, and each community organization that is working hard at building resilience and for you, the people who make living here great. We hope you find our work helpful to you personally and to the specific area you live in. We are happy to report that Fire Safe organizations are growing in West Sonoma County! Please consider a donation to help fund Safer West County’s volunteer efforts and if possible consider getting involved in your local Fire Safe Council. Your donation helps us buy tools for community work days, apply for and orchestrate grants, host our website, and hold webinars. Also, please consider helping as a volunteer. Your time could be the difference in Safer West County’s continued success at improving our collective resiliency. We will be tracking volunteer hours in 2023 to serve as matching for grant applications. Your work could help us bring important educational material to our community, or improve our alert systems. Whatever your finances, skills, and passions, there is a place for you to contribute to a safer and more connected West County. Donations can be made either to Safer West County itself or on behalf of your local Fire Safe Council. Simply make a notation on your donation, and we will be sure it is allocated as you prefer. Thanks for being WEST COUNTY! Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465 DONATE! You can donate now for Giving TuesdayWhat is Giving Tuesday? Giving Tuesday is a global movement that aims to encourage people to spread generosity through philanthropy. Giving Tuesday takes place every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. Many organizations, companies, non-profits, and individuals donate money to participate in this recognized day. It is common to see brands and companies launch giving campaigns as a way to showcase their mission and increase brand image. Ultimately, the day serves as a reminder for people to give back in whatever amount, form, or act of kindness they can. Free GMRS radios and training Sunday, November 19th from noon – 2 pm Next Sunday 11/19/23 12 noon – 2 pm, Safer West County and Fire Safe Occidental are sponsoring a GMRS training presented by WiConduit at the Occidental Community Center, and the first 100 households that RSVP and attend receive a FREE per-programmed GMRS radio purchased through a grant from Supervisor Hopkins and District 5. Recipients must commit to obtaining a GMRS FCC license ($35 for a 10 year license) and agree to regular use in an Occidental GMRS network group. Let’s make sure every neighborhood has backup communications! RSVP Here  RSVP HereFind out about WiConduit here Does Home Hardening Work? Webinar on November 30th, 7-8:30 pm Home hardening is an important tool to help make your property more resilient. Plan to attend this upcoming webinar to learn why some homes survive and how you can increase your own home’s survivability in the event of a wildfire in your area. Signup for this Free Webinar here here  Rio Nido FireWise Kick off Meeting!Monday, December 4th at 6:30 pm Join us for the Rio Nido FireWise Kick-off Meeting at The Rio Nido Lodge (also held via zoom) on Monday, December 4th at 6:30 pm. This event offers an opportunity to learn about fire safety and prevention in our community through the FireWise program. Participation in the FireWise Program could offer savings on your homeowner’s fire insurance. The NFPA FireWise program was designed to help people learn about wildfire and how they can make their homes and neighborhoods safer. It is based on research that shows how to prepare homes to withstand embers and prevent flames or surface fire from igniting the home and its immediate surroundings. A recognized FireWise Neighborhood can apply for grant funding to help offset some of the expenses of home hardening and vegetation mitigation. Membership may help you qualify for insurance and many companies provide a discount on your premiun for recognized FireWise neighborhoods. Learn how to reduce wildfire risk for your home and your neighbors through participation in the commmunity wildfire risk assessment and neighborhood work parties. This is the only meeting we will be hosting for the kick-off. Thanks! Anne McInerney – Firewise@rionido.net LandSmart Grazing Program Gold Ridge and Sonoma RCDs have opened their LandSmart Grazing Program designed to reduce fuel loading. The program provides participants a list of contract grazers and pays land participants to contract with the grazer. The program can assist in planning a grazing project and helping to assess the need of temporary infrastructure, such as electric fencing or portable livestock water. Priorities are multi-property projects and areas of high fire risk–especially if there is a close proximity to at-risk, densely populated, or underserved communities. The deadline to apply for LandSmart® Grazing is Friday, December, 8th. More information is available on our website here: https://goldridgercd.org/work-with-us/#toggle-id-1 A recorded webinar on the program is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7G7DKH1fBY Here is a link to the application, which should take less than 30 minutes to complete: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSBvzNW9ga9OObkGwaYYTJiRWH8dWN0zgX9m5JWNEQQ0Na5A/viewform   Burning Debris Quick InfoIt is time when many of you will begin burning piles of debris. Please make sure you have a current 2023-2024 burn permit, and that you call before you burn. And remember, Occidental, Camp Meeker, Monte Rio, and Forestville residents have free chipping service. Apply for chipping here. Sonoma County fire practitioners have created a very helpful and comprehensive “Burn Pile Guide” for 2023-2024 in which you can find links to permits, important phone numbers to call on the day of the burn, and a comprehensive list of best practices for building effective piles, weather markers to watch, and tips for extinguishing piles in dry weather. Please forward this link to your neighbors and community groups that you think might find this useful. https://sonomaforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Burn-Pile-Guide-23-24.pdf  What input on where we have bike lanes and more?Survey closes November 30th SCTA is currently creating a Sonoma County Active Transportation Plan (ATP)–“human-powered” modes of travel, like walking, biking, or using mobility devices. The ATP will focus on increasing access to active transportation modes by planning for infrastructure projects and supportive programs. The planning team needs your input to identify needs, barriers, and opportunities here! If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
November 12. 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter November 12, 2023 Free GMRS radios and training Sunday, November 19th from noon – 2 pm Next Sunday 11/19/23 12 noon – 2 pm, Safer West County and Fire Safe Occidental are sponsoring a GMRS training presented by WiConduit at the Occidental Community Center, and the first 100 households that RSVP and attend receive a FREE per-programmed GMRS radio purchased through a grant from Supervisor Hopkins and District 5. Recipients must commit to obtaining a GMRS FCC license ($35 for a 10 year license) and agree to regular use in an Occidental GMRS network group. Let’s make sure every neighborhood has backup communications! RSVP Here RSVP HereFind out about WiConduit here Rio Nido FireWise Kick off Meeting! Monday, December 4th at 6:30 pm Join us for the Rio Nido FireWise Kick-off Meeting at The Rio Nido Lodge (also held via zoom) on Monday, December 4th at 6:30 pm. This event offers an opportunity to learn about fire safety and prevention in our community through the FireWise program. Participation in the FireWise Program could offer savings on your homeowner’s fire insurance. The NFPA FireWise program was designed to help people learn about wildfire and how they can make their homes and neighborhoods safer. It is based on research that shows how to prepare homes to withstand embers and prevent flames or surface fire from igniting the home and its immediate surroundings. A recognized FireWise Neighborhood can apply for grant funding to help offset some of the expenses of home hardening and vegetation mitigation. Membership may help you qualify for insurance and many companies provide a discount on your premiun for recognized FireWise neighborhoods. Learn how to reduce wildfire risk for your home and your neighbors through participation in the commmunity wildfire risk assessment and neighborhood work parties. This is the only meeting we will be hosting for the kick-off. Thanks! Anne McInerney – Firewise@rionido.net If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link:Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com |
Novenber 5, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter Update November 5, 2023Homeowner’s Insurance 101 The Current Landscape If you are like most of us, watching large insurance companies leave California’s homeowner’s insurance market due to our fire risk is nerve-wracking. Safer West County is providing a series of meetings across our area, the first of which is in the Occidental area on November 8th, @7PM, at Harmony/Salmon Creek School. We will review the State’s current insurance strategy, hear guidance on your homeowner’s insurance policy, and get valuable tools about Fire Wise neighborhoods to help you protect your home and insurance. NOTE: This same event will be held later this fall in both Monte Rio and Forestville to serve the northern part of West County.  And some news related to this hot topic!As insurance companies raise rates, deny policies, or even pull out of California, many people are turning to the CA FAIR Plan and they started receiving around 1,000 applications a day. Even the FAIR plan rates are going up by around 15%, varying by wildfire exposure of the property. And they are offering discounts to people for taking steps to harden their homes. You can learn more about home hardening at https://saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation/ and the full article about FAIR is here: California Insurance Crisis: ‘Insurer of Last Resort’ Gets ‘Astronomical’ 1,000 Applications a Day Another resource for information is to watch: First Street Foundation’s 9th National Report: The Insurance Issue Safer West County continues to help residents learn about defensible space, especially the first 5 feet around your home called Zone Zero. Now there are possible CA Board of Forestry Codes to require adherence to a Zone Zero plan on all new construction. Below is the article about this. But why wait for government codes? Learn more about defensible space and Zone Zero on our website https://saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation/. With wildfires growing, California writes new rules on where to plant shrubs If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
October 31, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter November 2023 News in West CountyState of CA Homeowner’s InsuranceRoad ClosuresDefensible Space RebatesFire Safe Sonoma Speaker Series!Special GMRS Event coming soonYour Local Community News & EventsThe State of CA Homeowner’s Insurance If you are like most of us, watching large insurance companies leave California’s homeowner’s insurance market due to our fire risk is nerve-wracking. Safer West County is providing a series of meetings across our area, the first of which is in Occidental on Nov 8th at Salmon Creek School. We will review the State’s current insurance strategy, hear guidance on your homeowner’s insurance policy, and get valuable tools about Fire Wise neighborhoods to help you protect your home and insurance. NOTE: This same event will be held later this fall in both Monte Rio and Forestville to serve the northern part of West County. WHAT: Homeowner’s Insurance 101 – The Current Landscape WHEN: Wednesday, November 8th, 7 pm WHERE: Harmony / Salmon Creek School Presenters: Durriya Syed, California Department of Insurance Outreach AnalystAnnie Barbour, United Policyholders CoordinatorFire Safe Sonoma – Fire Wise CommunitiesAnd some news related to this hot topic! As insurance companies raise rates, deny policies, or even pull out of California, many people are turning to the CA FAIR Plan and they started receiving around 1,000 applications a day. Even the FAIR plan rates are going up by around 15%, varying by wildfire exposure of the property. And they are offering discounts to people for taking steps to harden their homes. You can learn more about home hardening at https://saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation/ and the full article about FAIR is here: California Insurance Crisis: ‘Insurer of Last Resort’ Gets ‘Astronomical’ 1,000 Applications a Day Another resource for information is to watch: First Street Foundation’s 9th National Report: The Insurance Issue Safer West County continues to help residents learn about defensible space, especially the first 5 feet around your home called Zone Zero. Now there are possible CA Board of Forestry Codes to require adherence to a Zone Zero plan on all new construction. Below is the article about this. But why wait for government codes? Learn more about defensible space and Zone Zero on our website https://saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation/. With wildfires growing, California writes new rules on where to plant shrubs Road Closures The county provides regular road closure updates on the link below for those of us lucky enough to have our local roads being improved. https://roadclosures-sonomacounty.hub.arcgis.com/ Defensible Space Rebates Forestville, Monte Rio, Camp Meeker, and Occidental residents can now apply for defensible space rebates of up to $1,000. To learn more about this program please visit our website grant page. And remember, any debris created by this or other defensible space work is eligible for free chipping from your local fire department. Apply for chipping from the same website grant page.  Fire Safe SonomaSpeaker Series! Fire Safe Sonoma offers a monthly virtual speaker series you may be interested in attending. This month they had Dr. Nancy Brown cover the changes in Sonoma County’s emergency management system since 2017. Topics included alert and warning, new emergency operations standards, preparedness programs, and more. Listen to the recording here. You can register here for the November Speaker Series! event. It will be coming up on November 16. This will be the last Speaker Series! of the year. Here are the other Speaker Series recordings from this year so far!January 2023 – CAL FIRE Forestry Fire Pilot, Justin WickFebruary 2023 – Registered Professional Forester, Jason WellsMarch 2023 – Wildfire Resilience Support FrameworkApril 2023 – CAL FIRE Wildland Fire Seasonal OutlookMay 2023 – OAEC’s Brock Dolman: “Fuels to Flows”June 2023 – Caerleon Safford of Permit SonomaJuly 2023 – Arborist Merlin SchlumbergerAugust 2023 – Durriya Syed of the CA Dept of InsuranceSeptember 2023 – Mike Wilson of the CA Fire Safe Council |
October 7, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter October 2023 News in West CountySWC taking applications for Defensible Space $1000 RebatesAmazing work using FREE chipping program.Increased fire risk weather — are you prepared?Oct 12th — PGE presentation at LRRMAC meetingSpecial GMRS radio distribution & trainingOct 22nd — Final Session of the Resilient Forest SeriesOct 22nd — Meeting of Bohemian Corridor Large Parcel Owner GroupCal Fire establishes defensible space & home hardening training programYour Local Community News & Events $1000 Defensible Space Rebatesfor residents of Forestville, Monte Rio, Camp Meeker, and Occidental Safer West County, in partnership with Fire Safe Sonoma, received a Calfire grant that includes the free chipping many of you are already using and also up to $1000 rebates for defensible space work. Applications are now open for people to apply for these rebates to assist in improving their home’s resilience to fire. You can learn more information about qualifications and how to apply at: SaferWestCounty.org/grants Amazing work by residents and firefighters in Occidental, Camp Meeker, and Monte Rio Local residents of these areas have been hard at work improving their lands’ fire resiliency by limbing and trimming around their homes, and their local firefighters have been chipping the resulting debris for free using the new chippers purchased from the Calfire grant awarded Safer West County and Fire Safe Sonoma. In just a few short months, this grant and your local firefighters have: · Served 160 requests for chipping · Chipped over 250 piles To apply for FREE CHIPPING please go here for the application.  Increased fire risk weather — are you prepared?1. Prepare yourself: pack a go-bag, identify what and where your important items are that you will take in an evacuation, know where your alternative evacuation routes are, and have your evacuation zone on your refrigerator or another place easy to find. You can find out more about go-bags, evacuations, and links to sign up for alerts at saferwestcounty.org/you. 2. Prepare your household: agree to a meeting place if you evacuate from different locations, practice what needs to be done if you evacuate (closing windows, turning off propane, etc.), and talk about it beforehand, not just if it happens. You will find practical ideas at saferwestcounty.org/your-home-and-family 3. Prepare your home & land: Look for ways to improve your home’s ability to survive a fire and make it easier for firefighters to defend. Move flammable firewood and other material away from your house, cut back tree and shrub limbs that overhang your roof, and clean out your rain gutters. You will find more ways to improve your home’s resiliency here saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation. While we all hope we won’t experience a wildfire, our best tactic for decreasing the anxiety the idea can create is to take action to reduce our risks and be prepared. Safer West County will continue to add resources to our website, apply for grants, and educate our community to help you and your family stay safe. In the meantime, it is up to us individually to connect with our neighbors because, in an emergency, the most resilient communities will be those that work together. If you want to connect with your local fire-safe organization, email us at SaferWestCounty@gmail.com. Another great resource was recently published by the Chronicle that will give you lots of ideas on how to prepare for fire season.2023 fire survival guide.pdf Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council 5:30- 7:00 PM, October 12 Monte Rio Elementary School Gym 20700 Foothill Drive Monte Rio In Person or by Zoom This will be of interest to Safer West County residents as the major agenda item will be a presentation by PG&E, discussing unplanned power outages, EPSS events, veg management, emergencies, and more.You can find additional information here Special GMRS Event coming soon Thanks to Mike Nicholls, newest member of the Safer West County Board, for initiating the next phase of the GMRS radio grant that we received from the County. The radios have been ordered, received, and programmed. There will be a 1.5-hour distribution, training, and licensing procedure meeting for radio recipients – within the next 30 days. If you are interested in being part of your community’s GMRS network, contact us at info@saferwestcounty.org Stay tuned for the announcement. Final Session of the Resilient Forest Series Our friends at Resilient Forest Series and Green Valley Farm + Mill are hosting a Resilient Forest Series and the last date is October 22nd. It is intended for forest landowners, managers, and those interested in restoring our forest ecosystems. You will hear from expert speakers, tour the forest, make connections between forest health and watershed health, see a milling demo, learn more about regional infrastructure, and work together on planning and practices to bring about greater forest health. We hope that you’ll join us! It is limited to 30 attendees and costs $25. Register here.  Bohemian Collaborative of Large Parcel OwnersA group of large parcel owners between Green Valley on the east, Monte Rio on the north, and Freestone on the south all the way to the coast has begun a collaboration to steward the beautiful forests and watersheds surrounding our West County communities. If you own a parcel of 50 acres or more and want to get involved in this stewardship effort, please get in touch with us at info@saferwestcounty.org. Our next group meeting is Oct 22nd. Cal Fire expanding who can do home hardening and defensible space assessments Calfire is initiating training of people outside their organization to help expand the ease with which we can have our properties assessed. Assessments help us understand our highest risks and how to reduce them—empowering us to make our homes more fire-resilient, which is critical if we elect to live in a WUI area (Wildland Urban Interface). Read more details on their training program and who is eligible here. Your Local Community News & Events Occidental Occidental Building the Future – This is the last week to give your input for Occidental’s Community Action survey that will help shape the next decade in Occidental. Topics include the Community Center, roads, and governance, and we need your input. There is also a community meeting on Oct 11th at the Community Center TIME where you can learn more about this effort and give your input. Learn more here. Next FSO Leaders and Steering Committee meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 17th at a NEW TIME, 7 pm. We are hoping this will allow more folks to attend. We are still looking for Leaders for Neighborhoods #4, 5, 10, 11 and 12!! Please contact us if you are interested at carolynsell@gmail.com. Sonoma County has informed us that there will be paving work requiring road closure due to narrow road width on Joy Rd scheduled for Oct 9-11, from 8am to 5pm. Neighborhood #1 has a meeting this Sunday, Oct. 8th, at 3 pm at the property of John and Pauline Loades (we’ve been there before–5502 Graton Rd.). Topics include our Fire Wise requirements to complete before the end of the year; GMRS radios; evacuation plans; the Community Council survey; and the rebate program now rolling out (part of the Cal Fire grant). Neighborhood #3 is meeting on Sunday, Oct. 29th, at 3 pm at the home of Asmara Marek, 7117 Stoetz Lane. The agenda will focus on a One Call Now test, GMRS radios, the requirements and option of becoming a Fire Wise Community; and the money available via the Cal Fire rebate program for defensible space work. If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
October 2, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Special Alert October 4 2023 Special Federal Level Alert Greetings, (from Skip Jirrels, City of Sebastopol Public Safety Outreach Coordinator) Underlines below are my highlights: The federal government said it will conduct on Wednesday afternoon a nationwide test of its Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. The EAS portion of the test will send an emergency alert to all radios and televisions, while the WEA portion of the test will direct alerts to all consumer cell phones. “The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is conducting the test in coordination with the Federal Communication Commission, said in a statement. Here’s what to know. How does this impact me? Beginning at approximately 2:20 pm ET (11:20 am PT) this Wednesday (4 October), all wireless phones should receive an alert and an accompanying text message that reads: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The free text message will be sent in either English or Spanish, depending on the language settings of your device. The text will be accompanied by a unique tone and vibration that is meant to make the alert accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, FEMA said. The test will be broadcast by cell towers for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:20 pm ET, FEMA said. During this time, all compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless providers participate in WEA tests should receive the text message. Meanwhile, all radios and televisions will also broadcast a test emergency alert at the same time as part of the broader test. This message, which will run for approximately one minute, will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” As the agency has said, no action is required by youafter you receive the emergency alert test on your phone or hear it through the radio or TV. ************* Keep in mind these are federal level systems being tested, not county. There are a few caveats as to why you might not hear the alerts. Your phone may have a setting that impacts such alerts. Or your service provider might not participate in WEA test (larger providers are more likely to participate than small ones). Do check it out on Wednesday at 2:20…all tv’s and radios and cell phones at one time. Damn. Be safe, Skip Skip Jirrels City of Sebastopol Public Safety Outreach Coordinator 707 799 2204 SebastopolReady.org If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
August 23, 2023
|
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter Late August 2023 |
| News in West CountyWest Sonoma County Town Hall with Senator Mike McGuire – Aug 24Your Local Community News & EventsThe Ins and Outs of Structural Hardening: What Insurers are Looking forCA FAIR to Offer Wildfire Mitigation DiscountsNews from Listos |
| Save the Date! August 24, 5:30 – 7:30West Sonoma County Town Hall with Senator Mike McGuire hosted by the Lower Russian River and Sonoma Coast Municipal Advisory Councils. Insurance will be one of the topics discussed |
| Your Local Community News & Events Occidental August 27th: Pod and Neighborhood Leaders’ Meeting, 2-4:40PM at the lower CYO campground. September 12th: St. Philip’s is hosting an AED/CPR class at 11 a.m. on Sept. 12th. The class will be 1 to 1.5 hours. If anybody is interested, please let Cathy McCool know as they need a headcount prior to the class (cmccool318@hotmail.com). There is no charge but St. Philip’s is requesting a donation. |
| The Ins and Outs of Structural Hardening: What Insurers are Looking forCOPE (Northern Sonoma County Communities Organized to Prepare for Emergencies) has released this great video by Ivan O’Neill of Madronus Widfire Defense on “The Ins and Outs of Structural Hardening”: Here |
| CA FAIR Plan to offer wildfire mitigation discounts This is one of the first rate plans to be approved under the CA Dept of Insurance’s new wildfire risk rating and mitigation discounts policy. All admitted carriers in CA will soon be offering discounts ranging from 3-30% subject to receiving rate plan approval. More info here. |
| News from Listos Given September is Emergency Preparedness month, Listos California would like to provide you the tools and resources ahead of time for you to use. There’s no better time than now to make sure you are prepared and ready to play a part in helping your community stay safe. See the newsletter here. |
August 9, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter August 2023News in West CountyAs we head into fire season, prepare in three important waysChipping updateParks lead the wayUpcoming Resilient Forest SeriesYour Local Community News & EventsWest Sonoma County Town Hall with Senator Mike McGuire – Aug 24News from the CountyCalfire partners with UC and AI to improve alertsAs we head into fire season, residents of West County must prepare in three important ways1. Prepare yourself: pack a go-bag, identify what and where your important items are that you will take in an evacuation, know where your alternative evacuation routes are, and have your evacuation zone on your refrigerator or another place easy to find. You can find out more about go-bags, evacuations, and links to sign up for alerts at saferwestcounty.org/you. 2. Prepare your household: agree to a meeting place if you evacuate from different locations, practice what needs to be done if you evacuate (closing windows, turning off propane, etc.), and talk about it beforehand, not just if it happens. You will find practical ideas at saferwestcounty.org/your-home-and-family 3. Prepare your home & land: Look for ways to improve your home’s ability to survive a fire and make it easier for firefighters to defend. Move flammable firewood and other material away from your house, cut back tree and shrub limbs that overhang your roof, and clean out your rain gutters. You will find more ways to improve your home’s resiliency here saferwestcounty.org/risk-mitigation. While we all hope we won’t experience a wildfire, our best tactic for decreasing the anxiety the idea can create is to take action to reduce our risks and be prepared. Safer West County will continue to add resources to our website, apply for grants, and educate our community to help you and your family stay safe. In the meantime, it is up to us individually to connect with our neighbors because, in an emergency, the most resilient communities will be those that work together. If you want to connect with your local fire-safe organization, email us at SaferWestCounty@gmail.com. Another great resource was recently published by the Chronicle that will give you lots of ideas on how to prepare for fire season.2023 fire survival guide.pdf Chipping Update for West County There are many ways to get free chipping, making it easier and more cost-effective to continue improving your home’s fire resiliency!Sonoma County’s free chipping program is again open to residents throughout West County. Residents can apply for the program up to three times each year. To apply, please go here. Forestville, Monte Rio, Camp Meeker, and Occidental residents also have access to free chipping through their local Fire Departments from a Safer West County Calfire grant. Note that this program depends on firefighter availability, as their first priority is responding to emergency calls. As we enter fire season, they will be less likely to travel far from the station, so they have quicker response times. The County will be helping Occidental’s fire department complete existing piles and any new applications that come in through August 17th, the last week of August. To apply go to www.saferwestcounty.org/grants. Occidental Fire will resume chipping after the end of fire season. Please apply for chipping through the County programs between August 17 and then. Community chipping days. Fire Safe Occidental coordinates community chipping for the County if you live within the OCSD boundaries. The deadline to apply for the next Occidental chipping days is also August 17th. Piles must follow County guidelines as in the past. Sign-up by emailing David Shatkin (dshatkin@sonic.net),or contact David if you have any questions. Parks continue to lead the way toward a safer West County! “If you have walked Willow Creek lately, you know that CA State Parks has been doing amazing clean up along their roads and trails, making West County a little bit more resilient! Thanks, CA State Parks!”Elizabeth Lawson  Sonoma County Regional Parks is inviting you to get involved in their Sonoma County Parks Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan here.Regional Parks has more than 50 parks and beaches from Petaluma to Gualala and Sonoma to Bodega Bay. They also manage the county’s largest ocean marina and largest extracurricular environmental education center.Resilient Forest Series Our friends at Resilient Forest Series and Green Valley Farm + Mill are hosting a Resilient Forest Series this fall. The series is intended for forest landowners, managers, and those interested in restoring our forest ecosystems. During the series, you will hear from expert speakers, tour the forest, make connections between forest health and watershed health, see a milling demo, learn more about regional infrastructure, and work together on planning and practices to bring about greater forest health. We hope that you’ll join us! Each date is limited to 30 attendees and costs $25. Register here. Your Local Community News & EventsOccidental August 13th: Neighborhood #8 (Bohemian Hwy south of town) is meeting at the CYO camp, 3:30 pm (follow signs). Residents in this area, please plan to attend and to meet Noah, our new co-Leader who works at the camp. August 27th: Pod and Neighborhood Leaders’ Meeting, time and place TBD. Watch for an announcement. September 12th: St. Philip’s is hosting an AED/CPR class at 11 a.m. on Sept. 12th. The class will be 1 to 1.5 hours. If anybody is interested, please let Cathy McCool know as they need a headcount prior to the class (cmccool318@hotmail.com). There is no charge but St. Philip’s is requesting a donation. Save the Date! August 24, 5:30 – 7:30West Sonoma County Town Hall with Senator Mike McGuire hosted by the Lower Russian River and Sonoma Coast Municipal Advisory Councils. Insurance will be one of the topics discussed News from the County A panel of fire and emergency leaders told the Board of Supervisors last month that an unusually wet winter and chilly spring are delaying the onset of conditions that fuel explosive fires. “This is not the time for us to breathe a sigh of relief and expect that we will have a low-key fire season,” Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nicholls told the board. “It just gives us roughly a month extra of time to prepare.” Fire and emergency response agencies are taking advantage of the extra time, using prescribed burns to reduce fire fuels in key areas, conducting emergency alert and evacuation exercises, training staff, and meeting weekly to prepare for potential threats. (Click here to view a video of the 26-minute presentation) Calfire partners with UC and AI to improve alerts CAL FIRE and University of California San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia Program Join Forces to Enhance Wildfire Response with Artificial Intelligence Implementation Trial. See the full News Release here. If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
August 4, 2023
| Occidental Community Council CAP Survey August 4, 2023 |
| Greetings! The Occidental Community Council is on a mission to improve life for everyone in our town. We’ve formed a Community Action Planning (CAP) committee that focuses on enhancing the downtown area to meet local needs. We want your input to identify priorities and find volunteers for action. In our first CAP meeting, we collected valuable insights from a diverse group of representatives, including businesses, schools, non-profits, residents, and county parks. Based on surveys and community input, we’ve outlined NINE (9) high-priority initiatives and created three (3) sub-committee groups. Please help us by taking this important survey and sharing it with anyone who loves Occidental. Our goal is to ensure we’re focusing on the right priorities and find dedicated volunteers to contribute ideas, time, donations, or support. Together, let’s shape the future of Occidental and create a stronger, more vibrant community. Your participation matters! Survey Link_________________________________________ |
July 23, 2023
| Safer West County Special Announcement July 23, 2023The Ins and Outs of Structural Hardening: What Insurers are Looking for Join COPE on July 27th at 5PM for a free webinar It’s harder and harder to get insurance! What can a homeowner do? In this webinar learn about: The 5 most important interventions to make your home more ember resistant and programs available to help. Practical information will be presented and ample time will be provided for discussion. REGISTER HERE  Save the Date! August 24, 5:30 – 7:30West Sonoma County Town Hallwith Senator Mike McGuire hosted by the Lower Russian River and Sonoma Coast Municipal Advisory Councils. Insurance will be one of the topics discussed |
July 7, 2023
| Safer West County Special Announcement July 6, 2023  |
July 6, 2023
| Safer West County Fire Safe Groups Newsletter July 2023News in West CountyHas Occidental ever burned?—Major Fires That Have Burned in the Occidental AreaThere’s a lot going on this month in West County!July 15th – Atascadero-Green Valley Watershed Gathering, Saturday from 10 AM-NoonJuly 16th – Occidental Volunteer Fire Dept. Annual BBQ, Noon-6PMJuly 29th – Watch Duty Annual Fundraiser, Saturday from 5PM-9PMFree Chipping continues for Forestville/Camp Meeker/Occidental/Monte RioHas Occidental ever burned? Major Fires That Have Burned in the Occidental Area ___ This poster was created and donated by members of the Salmon Creek Watershed Council  There’s a lot going on this month in West County!Atascadero-Green Valley Watershed GatheringJuly 15th Saturday from 10 AM-Noon ______________________  Occidental Volunteer Fire Dept.Annual BBQ July 16 Sunday, Noon-6PM  Watch Duty Wine Country FundraiserJuly 29 Saturday, 5PM-9PM _____________Watch Duty is a citizen-driven wildfire alert app (free to all) that provides real-time intelligence about wildfires and firefighting efforts. Our staff and technology’s immediacy and accuracy has been embraced by citizens and fire chiefs alike, alleviating stress and trauma for fire-affected residents of California and the American West.This year’s event will be set in a picturesque vineyard a short distance from Healdsburg Plaza at Orsi Family Vineyards. We will be featuring their beautiful Italian wines grown in Sonoma as well as local food truck favorites from 6-8 PM:Los Plebes Taco Truck (staple of Lytton Springs exit)Cajun Connect Truck (former head chef of the Parish Cafe) Please come and enjoy a beautiful evening connecting with your community, firefighters, and many of the Watch Duty staff. We look forward to seeing you and sharing what’s next for Watch Duty! Get Tickets HERE Free Chipping continues for Forestville/Camp Meeker/Occidental/Monte Rio ______________________ Free Chipper Request Link Camp Meeker, Monte Rio and Occidental Fire crews have begun chipping in their local neighborhoods, helping the community remove downed debris from winter storms and removing fuel before fire season. The chippers were provided by a recent Safer West County awarded CalFire grant that will help communities of Occidental, Camp Meeker, Monte Rio and Forestville make greater progress at fire mitigation efforts. To apply for FREE chipping in one of these communities, go to:https://saferwestcounty.org/grants/ Need financial help with your defensible space work? Our incentive program will begin Aug. 1 and provide $1,000 of refund for a $1,500 expense. Stay tuned for details! If you want to share this Newsletter with a friend, please use this link: Forward to a Friend If you have fire safety or emergency information that is related to your local West County community that you want us to publish please email us at: SaferWestCounty@gmail.com While not required, we ask everyone to consider making an annual donation of $25-50. We appreciate any and all contributions of any size. Donations contribute to our expenses such as web hosting, bulk email services, and similar expenses. Please make a donation through our website, or by pushing the button below, if you can. Our US Mail address if you want to send a check is: Safer West County PO Box 1132 Occidental, CA 95465DONATE TODAY |
| Safer West County Fire Safe Communities BODEGA/BODEGA BAY CAMP MEEKER FREESTONE FORESTVILLE AREAS OF HOLLYDALE/CANYON/TERRACES, CHAMPS, AND HACIENDA GRATON/GREEN VALLEY GUERNEVILLE MONTE RIO OCCIDENTAL POCKET CANYON RIO NIDO WEST SEBASTOPOL |
| See our most recent Newsletters hereStay safe and keep in touch. Safer West County is always looking for people who can get involved, or ideas you may have about how we can best serve our community. Let us know by emailing us. Copyright © 2023 Safer West County & FireSafe Groups, All rights reserved. You asked to be contacted with important Community Safety Information from Safer West County and FireSafe Groups Safer West County saferwestcounty.org/ info@saferwestcounty.org Our mailing address is: Safer West County & FireSafe GroupsPO Box 1132Occidental, CA 95465 |