Lake Hodges group serves as eyes and ears firefighters

By: SHANNON WINGARD - For the North County Times | Friday, June 22, 2007 10:44 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- Recognizing that the Escondido Fire Department can't be in all places at all times, residents of the Lake Hodges Hills community formed a group to serve as the department's extra eyes and ears for their community.

Tisha Bennett, chairwoman of the Lake Hodges Hills Fire Safe Council, said the volunteer group was formed last September to educate residents on fire prevention and safety.

The council is part of the statewide Fire Safe Council, an organization with more than 90 local councils throughout California that work to minimize the potential for wildfire damage to communities.

Noting that the combination of arid climate and Santa Ana winds makes wildfires a threat to the community, Bennett said residents felt it was important to be as prepared as possible. She said one of the group's goals is to alert the fire department and homeowners if a wildfire breaks out in the community's hilly landscape of Mount Bernardo.

Among other things, she said, the council has provided residents who live in "highly visible areas" with horns to alert the community if a fire breaks out. ÝÝ

She said the council, which is the first of its kind within city limits, also uses phone and e-mail messages as well as door-to-door visits to pass information on fire safety and prevention.

"We are very active in our area," she said. ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

Bennett said group members also keep an eye on brush and weeds. For example, the group may fax the fire department a map pinpointing a house with overgrown vegetation so firefighters can ask the homeowner to take care of the problem.

In addition, she said the group works to remind residents to remove dead trees from their properties and to maintain a cleared, 100-foot "defensible space" around their homes.

She said the group also works to educate residents on which plants are particularly flammable and on ways to be prepared to evacuate quickly in case of a wildfire.

Fire department Division Chief Mike Lowry said the organization is an important partner for fire prevention, saying it's similar to a Neighborhood Watch Program for the police department.

"It's really neighbors helping neighbors, and being aware and prepared," he said.

Lowry said the council also works closely with the department's weed abatement officer to watch out for potential hazards.

Although the department has six fire engines "strategically positioned" throughout Escondido, Lowry said the fire council helps the department by pointing out hazard areas that the department may not be aware of.

"It allows us to take and utilize (the members of the council) as our eyes out there to see what is going on," he said.

Lowry said he hopes more communities will organize fire safe councils, because "Escondido is a really large area."

Bennett agreed that more fire safe councils are necessary for the area, especially since "we can immediately react where they can't necessarily be."

For information on fire safe councils, go to www.firesafecouncil.org or contact the Escondido Fire Department's public education specialist, Carol Rea, at (760) 839-5411.

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