HOLBROOK FIRE SAFE CHAPTER NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2008

What a HOT Summer!!  I hope most of you are staying as cool as can be.

Community Slash Pile Project

We have had another successful year for this project.  Most of you are probably wondering why the pile is still at the sight?  Because of the horrific California fires, most of the equipment needed is being used by Contractors to help with the fires.  Pat Murphy, Nevada Fire Safe Council Project Coordinator, has been working diligently to find a contractor to come and grind and haul away the biomass.   It makes me very nervous with the pile sitting there.  I’ve been in constant contact with Pat to see what we can do to resolve this issue.  I want to commend those of you who have taken advantage of the community slash pile.  I am once again including a Volunteer In-Kind Contribution Documentation Form for you to complete and get back to me as soon as possible.  We need these hours for a match to the grant monies awarded for this project.  As big as the pile is this year, I know that many of you worked many hours to reduce the fuel and create defensible space around your homes and properties which is one of the most effective activities aimed at reducing the threat of wildfire for our community.  I NEED YOUR VOLUNTEER FORMS ASAP!!!!!!

Special Meeting July 3, 2008 with Senator Harry Reid

I had the privalege to meet with Senator Harry Reid, representing the Holbrook Fire Safe Chapter as the Chapter Leader along with the Nevada Fire Safe Council, BLM, NDF, Local Fire Districts and other representatives to discuss the threat of wild fires in Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area both on the Nevada and California side.  Senator Reid personally requested to meet with us which is great for us, and may help in the future for grant funding in the state.  He is a great fan of the NFSC!!

Nevada Fire Safe Council Membership for our Chapter

I recently asked for a tally of how many of my chapter members have sent in their 2008 dues to the Nevada Fire Safe Council…not good, I’m embarrased to say that only 18 of you have taken the time to send in your dues.  We are a Chapter of the NFSC.  If it were not for the NFSC we would not have the grant funding monies available to complete the various projects we have done over the past years.  I also want to thank once again, those who have sent me Holbrook Fire Safe Chapter dues for the year. 40 of you have mailed in your chapter dues to date!  If you want to take advantage of the NFSC assistance and support visit www.nvfsc.org today to get your membership form, and while in the web page take time to read about what is happening with the council and all the NFSC chapters.  It’s exciting to know that we are part of this grass roots organization.

Possible Community Slash Pile this fall????

Our chapter may have some funds left this fall, which needs to be spent down by December 2008.  In speaking with Pat Murphy our NFSC Project Coordintor, we visited the idea of another Community Slash Pile Project this fall.   You will be notified, if we can have such a project.  If we are to have the community drop off this fall Chapter members MUST abide by what can be dumped at the site.  This year we had abuse (I did have a call and the property owner that dropped off the yard material came a picked up…Thank you for being so conscience).  As is there still are tree stumps, dirt and other yard debris that will have to be hauled away at an extra expense, this CANNOT be ground for biomass use.  This site is to be used on the honor system. I cannot be there 24/7 to watch what is being dumped.  Also, this site is for Holbrook Fire Safe Chapter Members only. This would be Holbrook Highlands/Penrod/Reese/Quail/Conejo/Victory Circle/ and some folks off of Hwy 395 on West side DO NOT TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE SIGHT….our grant monies is for our use only!  If we want to continue having this successful project in the future, it must not be abused.

Save this date – You are invited

September 18 & 19, 2008 is the 2nd annual Nevada Wildland Urban Interface Fire Summit to be held at the University of Nevada Reno Crowley Student Union Center, Reno, Nevada.  Visit www.livingwithfire.info for more information about the Fire Summit.  I attended last year, it was very informative.  If you want to make a difference, plan to attend.

Future of Projects for Holbrook Fire Safe Chapter

Year end will be here before we know.  As of this newsletter, I do not have any projects for 2009.  Until we can see what grant monies will be available, I cannot promise any projects to be funded by these grants.  But, all is not lost, as a community we can do projects that do not require funding.  In October of 2002 Resource Concepts, Inc. prepared a community plan for Holbrook community.  If you want to know what actions we need to accomplish as a community from their findings, visit www.rci-nv.com/reports/douglas/section14.html. Feel free to call me so we can discuss other projects we can accomplish as a community without having to use funding.  One of my goals is still to put together an emergency plan for our Community.

Tid Bits

-Did you know that the East Fork Fire District offers a “Residential Defensible Space Evaluation”?   The evaluation is done by seasonal’s (June thru September) who will evaluate your property to give you key pointers to improve the odds of your house surviving a wildfire by the defensibility of the house itself.  If you are interested, please call Deputy Chief Dave Folgerson at (775) 782-9040 to arrange to have your property evaluated.

-Do you have a “Reflective Address Sign”?  If not, you need one.  To purchase your address sign, give Dave Thomas with the Topaz Lake Volunteer Fire Department a call at 266-4864.  They will install your new address marker “FREE”.  Remember if Fire*Rescue*Ambulance*Law Enformcement* or Friends can’t find you they cannot help you!

-Are you prepared?  With the fires raging in California, have you given any thought as to what if it were Nevada experiencing the same devastation?  Holbrook has been classified as a High Hazard community.  With that in mind, you must be ready to evacuate should a fire occur.  Visit www.livingwithfire.info or www.usfa.fema.gov for information on how you can be prepared.

I hope that many of you take the time to read your newsletter and visit the web sites provided to educate you about fire danger.  The more informed you are the better prepared when a fire happens…….

WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP HOLBROOK GREEN

                                                                                                            Janice Roberts                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Chapter Leader                                                                                                                                                      (775) 266-1076                                                                                                                                                      eriknjan@schat.net