With the recent fire disaster we’ve had many community members reach out and offer services that might help in a future disaster. Go to the Volunteer Resource Registration page and fill out the form.
Seeking donations for Fire Safety Education Program
Dear Fire Safety Friends:
The Volunteer Fire Districts of the San Lorenzo Valley has initiated this year’s Fire Safety Education Program for children and families of our community, however, we need your help. This vital program will assist us in teaching children fire safety and burn prevention. We strongly believe that by making children and families aware of fire safety, we can prevent tragic fire losses and deaths.
Fire Safety & Prevention Tips
As we head into the holidays, we want to offer locals five quick safety tips to help prevent a home fire during what should be a festive time of the year.
1. Have Working Smoke Detectors
This may seem like a no-brainer, but some people forget to change batteries and regularly test the smoke detectors in their homes. Set a day every year – like January 1st – to install new batteries, or immediately when the alarm begins to chirp. Smoke alarms are designed to alert you before the battery dies, allowing you time to replace it. Smoke detectors should be placed on every level of your home, tested monthly, new batteries installed annually, and the units replaced after 10 years. Some alarms can also be Interconnected, so that when one goes off in one area of a house, they all sound.
2. Create an Escape Plan
Once you have working smoke alarms installed throughout your home, you should have a fire-exit plan that all family members are aware of with the quickest escape routes from every room in your home. Run through safety drills occasionally, so that everyone remains on the same page and the escape plan becomes second nature. Fires are scary and will likely bring chaos and panic, and a well-rehearsed family exit plan is beneficial for both adults and children. In addition, ensure children are aware of fire hazards and rules – for example, feeling a door for heat before opening it, and “stop, drop, and roll.” Once you’re out of the home, never go back inside.
Fire Prevention: 5 Outdoor Tips
As fires continue to rage throughout our state and some of our Ben Lomond volunteers assist in the fight, we want to offer locals five quick outdoor safety tips to help prevent a fire disaster in our community.
1. Clear Trees & Brush
Your property should be maintained as a “reducedfuel zone.” This means that the area at least 100 feet out surrounding your house must be kept clear of dry vegetation, dead trees and shrubs, and low-hanging branches. And it’s not just us saying this – California law requires a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space. Dry trees create fuel for wildfires, so keep a clear zone that may redirect a wildfire around your home. Examine your yard monthly and clear debris, trim branches, and clear your roof, gutters, and wooden decks of dry vegetation. Always remember that the clearer and more open an area is, the better chance we have to protect your property.
Keep Volunteers in Ben Lomond
With housing and rental costs at an all-time high, volunteers are fighting to stay in our community
The Ben Lomond Volunteer Fire Department is the epitome of “it takes all kinds.” From construction workers and paramedics, to accountants and retirees, these are the trained volunteers who respond when you have an emergency.
And who better to protect our community than those who know it, love it, and live among its residents?
Though most of our on-call volunteers are scattered throughout the community, the fire station offers limited housing that some of the firefighters, like Hunter Anderson, are grateful for.
“I’m one of four firefighters that live at the station full time,” he said. “We have living quarters upstairs with four bedrooms, a bathroom, a rec room, and a gym.”
A Community Announcement from the Ben Lomond Volunteer Fire Department
The Ben Lomond Volunteer Fire Department is requesting your participation in an important community project. We’re excited to announce the launch our new email newsletter to keep local residents updated on important information that affects our mountain community including events, and Department and area safety information. As volunteers who love & serve this community, we encourage you to sign up to receive the e-newsletter, follow us on Facebook – or both. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive information that impact all those who call Ben Lomond home.
Garden Project
Ben Lomond Fire Protection District Fire Resistant Plant Demonstration Garden Project In collaboration with Boulder Creek and Felton Fire Protection Districts, Ben Lomond Fire Protection District is planning on redesigning the front of the fire station with a Fire Resistant Plant Demonstration Garden but we need your help! Ben Lomond Fire Protection District is asking… Read More »
San Lorenzo Valley Volunteer Fire Districts Receive Assistance to Firefighters Grant to Improve Firefighter Safety
The Ben Lomond Fire Protection District on behalf of itself and the Boulder Creek, Felton and Zayante Fire Protection Districts has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the amount of $589,780.00 for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). The goal of… Read More »