The men and women of the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department would like to encourage members of the community to help the earthquake victims in Haiti in whatever ways they can. We also urge you to use caution when considering where to send your financial support. As we have learned from past tragedies, the suffering of others is often further compounded by scam artists trying to steal money intended for victim's assistance.
CBSnews.com has compiled a list of respectable charitable organizations, as well as information on how to look for loved ones in Haiti. You can find that list by clicking here.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and also to the thousands of support personnel on the ground in Haiti.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Burn Permits 1/20/10
Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department is not issuing burn permits today.
The weather forecasts for this week show the potential for high winds, and gusts as high as 50 MPH are expected on Friday. We may issue permits on Thursday, depending on the wind forecasts.
Even though you may still have snow on the ground, if an ember from your controlled burn gets into the trees, it will not take long for the winter-dry trees to flare and a fire can spread quickly through only the treetops. Once that fire gets to areas where there is no snow on the ground, the results can be devastating. Las Animas County has already experienced at least two wild land fires in January. While these were small and fairly quickly contained, the potential for a damaging fire is still there.
Also please remember that our District is a large one. Forecasts for our protection area as a whole may show wind, although some areas, primarily mountain valleys and canyons, may not experience much wind. While spot weather forecasts are possible, they are very time consuming and it is simply not feasible for our volunteers to put these together.
The weather forecasts for this week show the potential for high winds, and gusts as high as 50 MPH are expected on Friday. We may issue permits on Thursday, depending on the wind forecasts.
Even though you may still have snow on the ground, if an ember from your controlled burn gets into the trees, it will not take long for the winter-dry trees to flare and a fire can spread quickly through only the treetops. Once that fire gets to areas where there is no snow on the ground, the results can be devastating. Las Animas County has already experienced at least two wild land fires in January. While these were small and fairly quickly contained, the potential for a damaging fire is still there.
Also please remember that our District is a large one. Forecasts for our protection area as a whole may show wind, although some areas, primarily mountain valleys and canyons, may not experience much wind. While spot weather forecasts are possible, they are very time consuming and it is simply not feasible for our volunteers to put these together.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
2009 Call Statistics
In 2009, the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department responded to over 120 calls. Here is our call breakdown by type of incident:
Wildland Fire-6
Structure Fire-5 (Includes residential, outbuilding, and even a set of railroad ties!)
Vehicle Accident (no injuries)-2
Vehicle Accident (with injuries)-21
Medical-61
Natural Gas Leak-2
Hazardous Spill-1
Cancelled En Route-2
Service Call-9 (Includes staging for events such as mud races and the Holly Ringo Memorial Volleyball Tournament)
No One Available for Call-3
Misc-12 (Includes eight calls for unauthorized controlled burns)
We saw a slight decrease in total calls from 2008, with an increase in medical calls.
Residents of the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department's protection area should consider this a reminder that you must obtain a burn permit to do any controlled burning on your property. When your neighbors see your smoke and call 911 to report a possible fire, if we know you are burning, we can address the issue with a simple phone call. If you do not obtain a burn permit, we have to send fire engines to your address, resulting in fuel charges and wear and tear on the Department's vehicles. Getting a burn permit is not only the responsible thing to do, it saves taxpayer dollars! It can also help you avoid a costly fine. In 2009, a resident was ticketed for uncontrolled burning.
You can obtain a burn permit by stopping by the Aguilar station Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. If you are unable to stop in at those times, you can call 941-4107 or 941-4505 to schedule a time to come in and fill one out. You can activate your burn permit by calling 941-4107 or 941-4505. Burn permits are activated based upon forecasted weather conditions and availability of firefighters in case your fire becomes uncontrolled.
It is free to obtain and activate your burn permit.
Wildland Fire-6
Structure Fire-5 (Includes residential, outbuilding, and even a set of railroad ties!)
Vehicle Accident (no injuries)-2
Vehicle Accident (with injuries)-21
Medical-61
Natural Gas Leak-2
Hazardous Spill-1
Cancelled En Route-2
Service Call-9 (Includes staging for events such as mud races and the Holly Ringo Memorial Volleyball Tournament)
No One Available for Call-3
Misc-12 (Includes eight calls for unauthorized controlled burns)
We saw a slight decrease in total calls from 2008, with an increase in medical calls.
Residents of the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department's protection area should consider this a reminder that you must obtain a burn permit to do any controlled burning on your property. When your neighbors see your smoke and call 911 to report a possible fire, if we know you are burning, we can address the issue with a simple phone call. If you do not obtain a burn permit, we have to send fire engines to your address, resulting in fuel charges and wear and tear on the Department's vehicles. Getting a burn permit is not only the responsible thing to do, it saves taxpayer dollars! It can also help you avoid a costly fine. In 2009, a resident was ticketed for uncontrolled burning.
You can obtain a burn permit by stopping by the Aguilar station Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. If you are unable to stop in at those times, you can call 941-4107 or 941-4505 to schedule a time to come in and fill one out. You can activate your burn permit by calling 941-4107 or 941-4505. Burn permits are activated based upon forecasted weather conditions and availability of firefighters in case your fire becomes uncontrolled.
It is free to obtain and activate your burn permit.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Burn Permits
Is it January? Really? 60 Degree temperatures make me wonder?!
With our unseasonably high temperatures, humidity is decreasing. Even though there is snow on the ground, a wild land fire can quickly burn into the crowns of winter-dead trees when the humidity is low.
The SPVFD is currently issuing burn permits on a day-by-day basis. Each morning the weather is checked, and the determination whether or not to issue burn permits is based on the forecasted temperature, humidity, and wind speed. We will likely not be issuing three day permits in the near future.
If you need a burn permit and do not have a current list of people to call, you may call the station at 941-4107 or email SpanishPeaksBase@hotmail.com.
With our unseasonably high temperatures, humidity is decreasing. Even though there is snow on the ground, a wild land fire can quickly burn into the crowns of winter-dead trees when the humidity is low.
The SPVFD is currently issuing burn permits on a day-by-day basis. Each morning the weather is checked, and the determination whether or not to issue burn permits is based on the forecasted temperature, humidity, and wind speed. We will likely not be issuing three day permits in the near future.
If you need a burn permit and do not have a current list of people to call, you may call the station at 941-4107 or email SpanishPeaksBase@hotmail.com.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
About Wildfire
Article from http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/wf-about.html
Fire has been an essential part of our environment for millennia, shaping natural ecosystems such as forests and rangelands.
Fire is a vital and natural component of healthy forests, especially in the West. Many species, such as lodgepole pine, partially depend on fire to spread their seeds.
Three components must be present before a fire can start: oxygen, heat and fuel. In the context of wildfires, fuel is any living or dead material that will burn, such as dry leaves, pine trees, fallen branches, grasses and even homes.
Low-intensity fires reduce fuel buildup on the forest floor, thus helping prevent susceptibility to insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Additionally, fire helps recycle nutrients back into the soil and creates a fertile environment for seeds to germinate. Forest fires can enhance wildlife habitat and improve access and appearance.
Historically, fires caused by lightning and ignited by Native Americans helped maintain open forests and grasslands.
By the 1900s, however, Americans grew to fear fire — whether natural or human caused — due to damages to personal property, farmland, livestock and wildlife, and threats to human life. As a result, fire suppression became the norm.
The great fires of 1910 burned more than 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana, took the lives of 78 firefighters and cost the USDA Forest Service more than $20 million (adjusted for inflation). This historic event, known as "The Big Blowup," prompted a decision to put out forest fires as quickly as possible. Now, almost 100 years later, fire suppression has led to severe changes in America's forests.
A century of fire suppression has produced dangerous accumulations of fuels, causing hotter and more intense fires when they do eventually burn. Because of the arrangement of these fuels, fire travels to the top of the forest instead of staying close to the ground. These crown fires are extremely threatening to soils, habitat, property and people.
Excessive fire suppression and fuel buildup have negative impacts on forest health and the humans and wildlife that inhabit the area. However, land managers and homeowners can take preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of catastrophic crown fires. Such actions include clearing dead and downed materials, thinning tree stands and removing other hazardous fuels. Allowing naturally occurring fires to burn without interference or applying fire through prescribed burning can help prevent intense crown fires and maintain a healthy forest.
Fire has been an essential part of our environment for millennia, shaping natural ecosystems such as forests and rangelands.
Fire is a vital and natural component of healthy forests, especially in the West. Many species, such as lodgepole pine, partially depend on fire to spread their seeds.
Three components must be present before a fire can start: oxygen, heat and fuel. In the context of wildfires, fuel is any living or dead material that will burn, such as dry leaves, pine trees, fallen branches, grasses and even homes.
Low-intensity fires reduce fuel buildup on the forest floor, thus helping prevent susceptibility to insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Additionally, fire helps recycle nutrients back into the soil and creates a fertile environment for seeds to germinate. Forest fires can enhance wildlife habitat and improve access and appearance.
Historically, fires caused by lightning and ignited by Native Americans helped maintain open forests and grasslands.
By the 1900s, however, Americans grew to fear fire — whether natural or human caused — due to damages to personal property, farmland, livestock and wildlife, and threats to human life. As a result, fire suppression became the norm.
The great fires of 1910 burned more than 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana, took the lives of 78 firefighters and cost the USDA Forest Service more than $20 million (adjusted for inflation). This historic event, known as "The Big Blowup," prompted a decision to put out forest fires as quickly as possible. Now, almost 100 years later, fire suppression has led to severe changes in America's forests.
A century of fire suppression has produced dangerous accumulations of fuels, causing hotter and more intense fires when they do eventually burn. Because of the arrangement of these fuels, fire travels to the top of the forest instead of staying close to the ground. These crown fires are extremely threatening to soils, habitat, property and people.
Excessive fire suppression and fuel buildup have negative impacts on forest health and the humans and wildlife that inhabit the area. However, land managers and homeowners can take preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of catastrophic crown fires. Such actions include clearing dead and downed materials, thinning tree stands and removing other hazardous fuels. Allowing naturally occurring fires to burn without interference or applying fire through prescribed burning can help prevent intense crown fires and maintain a healthy forest.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Well-belted kids
You’re just going to the store, or for a short drive over to the neighbors. You live on a dirt road and no one ever speeds, including you. The kids are sleeping, and they need to be able to get more comfortable.
Ever said these words before when thinking about whether or not to belt your kids into the car? According to healthychildren.org, each year thousands of children are killed or injured in car crashes-and a lot of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented with proper seat belt usage.
Infants should be in a rear facing car seat, preferably in the back seat, until they reach a minimum of 20 pounds and are a year old. If your child outgrows his or her infant only seat, a convertible car seat is the next step up. This car seat can be placed in either the rear or forward facing position, and gives larger infants who haven’t yet reached their first birthday a bit more room while still in the rear facing position.
Once your little one has reached 20 pounds and made a huge mess of his or her first birthday cake, they can sit in a forward facing car seat. A forward facing car seat should have a five point harness system for maximum safety.
School aged children can sit in booster seats, which come in a variety of sizes. One, for younger children, is a complete seat with a bottom and back, allowing the vehicles seat belt to fit them properly. Older children can use a booster seat with only a bottom, provided they are tall enough that the seat belt sits across their chest. Booster seats should be used until a child reaches 4’9” tall and is 8-12 years old.
Older children can use seat belts, but Dr. Arlene Greenspan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat. This provides the best protection.
Your car insurance provider may provide car seat installation service, in which a qualified technician will come out and make sure your children’s car seats are installed in your car properly.
If you need more information to help you purchase the best carseat for your child, please visit HealthyChildren.org.
Ever said these words before when thinking about whether or not to belt your kids into the car? According to healthychildren.org, each year thousands of children are killed or injured in car crashes-and a lot of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented with proper seat belt usage.
Infants should be in a rear facing car seat, preferably in the back seat, until they reach a minimum of 20 pounds and are a year old. If your child outgrows his or her infant only seat, a convertible car seat is the next step up. This car seat can be placed in either the rear or forward facing position, and gives larger infants who haven’t yet reached their first birthday a bit more room while still in the rear facing position.
Once your little one has reached 20 pounds and made a huge mess of his or her first birthday cake, they can sit in a forward facing car seat. A forward facing car seat should have a five point harness system for maximum safety.
School aged children can sit in booster seats, which come in a variety of sizes. One, for younger children, is a complete seat with a bottom and back, allowing the vehicles seat belt to fit them properly. Older children can use a booster seat with only a bottom, provided they are tall enough that the seat belt sits across their chest. Booster seats should be used until a child reaches 4’9” tall and is 8-12 years old.
Older children can use seat belts, but Dr. Arlene Greenspan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat. This provides the best protection.
Your car insurance provider may provide car seat installation service, in which a qualified technician will come out and make sure your children’s car seats are installed in your car properly.
If you need more information to help you purchase the best carseat for your child, please visit HealthyChildren.org.
New Year, Exciting New Changes!
On December 5, 2009, Chief Mike Zanolini stepped down as Chief of the Spanish Peaks Fire Department. His retirement, after 13 years of service to the Department, came about as the result of a hectic work schedule. Most of our volunteer firefighters are employed full time, and it can be challenging to find the balance between work, family, and volunteerism-especially when you are in a position as demanding as Chief! We were saddened to see Chief Zanolini go. His firefighters surprised him recently with a plaque and beer stein thanking him for his courage and leadership. It was a memorable evening!
With Chief Zanolini’s retirement, Deputy Chief Larry Broach moved into the position as Chief, as per the District’s Standard Operating Procedures. Chief Broach has been with the SPVFD for five years, and has served various Officer positions, including Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief. Chief Broach recently cemented his commitment to the community by becoming a Nationally Registered EMT-B. He brings a wealth of experience and training to the position of Chief.
Spanish Peaks VFD’s other Officers include:
Wyatt Lisonbee-Assistant Chief
Joe Julian-Captain
Derek Grubb-Training Officer
We look forward to the coming months, and benefitting from the continued leadership of our committed Officer staff!
With Chief Zanolini’s retirement, Deputy Chief Larry Broach moved into the position as Chief, as per the District’s Standard Operating Procedures. Chief Broach has been with the SPVFD for five years, and has served various Officer positions, including Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief. Chief Broach recently cemented his commitment to the community by becoming a Nationally Registered EMT-B. He brings a wealth of experience and training to the position of Chief.
Spanish Peaks VFD’s other Officers include:
Wyatt Lisonbee-Assistant Chief
Joe Julian-Captain
Derek Grubb-Training Officer
We look forward to the coming months, and benefitting from the continued leadership of our committed Officer staff!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Prepare for anything in 2010!
The Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department urges residents to prepare for any type of unseen emergency. While the weather may be lovely, Colorado weather is still unpredictable, and with humidity levels creeping lower and lower, wild fire is again becoming a threat-even with snow still on the ground!
The men and women of the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department want you and your family to be safe in 2010. The Los Angeles Fire Department has written an excellent blog regarding preparedness, and there are some great links that apply to everyone, regardless of your location.
http://lafd.blogspot.com/2010/01/prepare-for-whatever-comes-in-2010.html
The men and women of the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department want you and your family to be safe in 2010. The Los Angeles Fire Department has written an excellent blog regarding preparedness, and there are some great links that apply to everyone, regardless of your location.
http://lafd.blogspot.com/2010/01/prepare-for-whatever-comes-in-2010.html
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Annual Appreciation Dinner - Part Two
Our annual Appreciation Dinner, hosted this year by Bon Carbo and held at the Holiday Inn across from Wal-Mart, was an enjoyable get-together. The Italian Buffet, that auxiliary members voted on previously, turned out to be a good choice ... dee-licious! The room was set up with round tables with white tablecloths and black napkins - very elegant. The auxiliary purchased centerpieces of Kwik-Shot Soot Stoppers and small fire extinguishers which added a decorative "flare" (pardon the pun) to the tables, along with curled ribbon strips in red, black and yellow.
Spanish Peaks' Chief Mike Zanolini spoke a few words and gave awards and gifts to members of his team, as did Bon Carbo Chief MaryAnn Herzog to her team (Photo #1 shows MaryAnn on the far left with Mike next to her). Auxiliary members were acknowledged with certificates of appreciation for their many volunteer hours and dedication.
WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND DONATE RESOURCES TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND AUXILIARIES.
A special plaque (Photo #2) was given to Bon Carbo's former Captain, Liz Cedor, for her ten plus years of service to the community. In late August, Liz made the difficult decision to step down from the fire department. Needless to say (but it'll be said anyway), she is sorely missed.
During dessert, guests were asked to look at the bottoms of their chairs. One lucky person at each table sat in the WINNER seat and was rewarded with the Kwik-Shot or fire extinguisher to take home.
Come join our firefighters and/or auxiliary and be a part of the 2010 Appreciation Dinner festivities!
For information on how you can get involved and/or support our efforts with tax-deductible donations, please contact:
Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Dept. Auxiliary
P.O. Box 26
14589 County Road 57.7
Boncarbo, CO 81024
(719) 846-2399
Office hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
bcvfd_1@netzero.com
Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Dept. Auxiliary
P.O. Box 156
121 W. Main
Aguilar, CO 81020
(719) 941-4107
spanishpeaksbase@hotmail.com
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