Fire and Water Info Emergency and Drought Conditions

As of July 1, 2014 the San Diego Fire Rescue Dept. has a pilot program in Encanto with a Fast Response Squad (FRS). It is a two person crew, one of whom is a paramedic. Known by call sign Squad 55, they can assess and treat a patient prior to arrival of an ambulance +/or fire enguine. It cares a small amount of water or foam to begin firefighting, but doesn't have the capability to attach hose to a hydrant. Staffing is seven days a week, 8am-8pm at 6135 Imperial Avenue. The Encanto neighborhood was identified as an area that is underserved by the existing fire station distribution. This is a PILOT program. If successful, it may be expanded to other areas of the city.


Mission Trails had a small fire recently. If it happened in our area, would you be ready?
It's going to be another tough fire season with the drought continuing.

How Can I Prepare?

1. Prepare by registering your mobile phones with the AlertSanDiego emergency notification system

2. Protect your home by creating and maintaining a defensible space around your home

3. Utilize fire resistive landscaping techniques to reduce the fire risk to your home

4. Modify your home’s exterior to make it less vulnerable to burning embers

Wildfirezone.org - developed by the Farm and Home Advirsor's Office, UC Cooperative Extension, County of San Diego and with funding from Board of Supervisors and County of San Diego


Fire Safety Education -
CAL FIRE - Fire Safety Education

Ready Set Go - this was the guide at the July Meeting.
You can view the info at: Wildfire is Coming. Is Your Home Protected? Forest Fire Safety Tips


Ready Set Go! Wildfire Action Plan
http://www.readyforwildfire.org/docs/files/File/Ready%20Set%20Go%20Plan%2009_CALFIRE_sm.pdf

Just the Defensible Space Flier - Quick Checklist
http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/DefensibleSpaceFlyer.pdf
en espanol
Make Your Home FIRESAFE - A Quick Checklist (Espanol)


Homeowners Checklist  factsheets -2 page guide
http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/Checklist.pdf



CAL FIRE's Ready Set Go Video - Wildfires . Not a question of IF, but a question of WHEN.
VIDEO on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcf8FRAqUww

Wildfire Zone Cards
http://www.readysandiego.org/Resources/Widlfire%20Zone%20Cards%20City.pdf



Summer Storms During or After Info - old but helpful- lightning, electrical safety, gas safety, chemical safety, heating safety, generator safety.
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/docs/summer.pdf


Brush Management and Weed Abatement:
Brush Management and Weed Abatement | San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
Guide http://www.sandiego.gov/fire/pdf/brushpdf.pdf

On City owned open Space land:

Brush management on City-owned open space land: City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department, Brush Management Section (619) 685-1350. http://www.sandiego.gov/park- and-recreation/

Watch video about Brush Management

Watch video about Brush Management

Most of Emerald Hills / Encano Area is Considered Official Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (grid 16 of the City of SD Fire-Rescue maps)

http://www.sandiego.gov/fire/pdf/maps/grid16.pdf

Creating a Fire-Safe Home - Defensible Space videoWildfire Zone

quiz online -Before the Fire

Homeowners wildfire assessment online

http://firecenter.berkeley.edu/homeassessment/home_assess_intro.html

Prevent Runoff Pollution

Report Stormwater Violation


Fire-Resistant California Friendly Plants

Homeowner's Guide to Fire and Watershed Management at the Chaparral/ Urban Interface- 90 pgs. detailed info
http://www.bewaterwise.com/pdf_firewatershed.pdf


Save Our Water


Calculate Your Water Use at Home


Saving Water,Inside & Out


Build a Beautiful Water-Wise Garden

California Native Plant society

Master Gardener Association of San Diego County

The Water Conservation Garden

San Diego Horticultural Society

Fire, Plants Defensible Space - County of San Diego info  (BW, 18 pgs, includes plants list)
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/pds/docs/DPLU199.pdf

Emergency Notification System

Self Registration Instructions

Because the system uses 9-1-1 telephone databases, only land-line numbers are in the system. If you have a Voice over IP (VoIP) or cellular telephone and would like to be notified through that device, or if you would like an email notification, you must self-register those telephone numbers and/or email address with the system.

To register your VoIP telephone, cellular telephone, or email address, and to view the Frequently Asked Questions for more information, please click on the link below.

If you registered with the City's previous emergency notification system (i.e. Reverse 911®) before or on January 22, 2009 your data is already loaded into the Alert San Diego system.

Self Register for Alert San Diego
http://www.readysandiego.org/alertsandiego/

Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council News : July 2012

The Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council met on July 10th at 6pm at Johnson School, 1355 Kelton Rd. San Diego, CA (92114).

Topics of Discussion included Code Compliance Issues ( see previous post).  Roosevelt Williams III is our contact person with District 4/ City  Council President, Anthony (Tony) Young. You can reach him at 619-236-7010 with questions, complaints or concerns. He told us that our entire district only has 2 designated Code Compliance Officers, so it is usually slow in responding. Having Roosevelt get involved will speed up the process, and he is great at following through.

Roosevelt mentioned that there is an initiative to revamp our curbs and street signs in the district. We need to let him know what we need- fresh paint on curbs and on the ground in front of stop signs, new signs, etc. He is working with the Street Director to improve our area. Please keep him informed.  Gayle Reid, Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council President is also helping to compile the list of needs. You can email her at greid007@aol.com .

Our district is also getting large photo murals of students in graduation caps and gowns to help promote college and graduation for our diverse community.

Sheila, our local CNC (Coalition of Neighborhood Council's) rep noted noted that there are people living near the trolley tracks near Merlin and the Valencia Industrial Park. There's also quite a bit of trash there.

The graffiti near and on the concrete drain by the trolley tracks between the Encanto /62nd Street and Euclid Trolley stops have gotten much worse. In addition, the area heading up to Geneva from the Euclid Trolley Station has also gone downhill.

We're still looking for a responsible adult to take care of locking up the Emerald Hills Neighborhood Park each night, and reopening it in the morning. This would help us with the issues of late night potential crime/drugs/ prostitution that occurs there. Unfortunately, the RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Police) does not have the people-power to do the job.

It was also noted that our park has been used as a really-long break spot for city employees. Please write down their vehicle numbers and department, and send it to Roosevelt. Our tax dollars should be spent on WORK, not laziness.

We had a teacher from Johnson School attend, with a request for awards for the Johnson School Safety Patrol. Roosevelt stated that he could help out in that. 

Frustrations about illegal businesses on public and private properties was brought up by several members-

•68th and Imperial's empty lot has an business going on

• Pitta and Market Street and several other locations have garage sales on a regular basis.

  Garage Sales are only allowed 3 times a year inside the San Diego City Limits.

Category:	GARAGE SALES
Subcategory:	GARAGE & YARD SALES PERMITS
Contact:	ZONING
Website:	www.sandiego.gov/nccd
Phone:	(619) 446-5000

Address: 1222 First Avenue, 3rd Floor, MS 301, San Diego, CA 92101 Notes: No more than three garage sales permitted in one-year period

Citizens' Online Police Reporting / Sistema de Informes Policia
The Citizens' Online Police Reporting system allows you to report some non-emergency crimes online and print a copy for your records.

Citizens' Online Police Reporting

Citizen Request Form 
The Citizen Request form provides a means for requesting additional patrol services and/or to report narcotic activity in a specific neighborhood. Fill out as much information about the nature of the situation as possible, then submit the form online via the "submit" button at the bottom of the form. It will be routed to a representative in the Police Department for review and response as appropriate.

http://www.sandiego.gov/police/forms/citizen-request.shtml

Vehicle Violations

• 72-Hour Abandoned Vehicle Complaint Form 
  This online form should be used to report a vehicle that has been parked on a city street in the same location for more than three days (72 hours).
• Inoperable Vehicle Complaint Form 
  This online form should be used to report a vehicle on private property that is inoperable, for example, missing tires, missing engine.

The Southeastern Police Division serves the neighborhoods of Alta Vista, Bay Terrace, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Lincoln Park, Mountain View, Mount Hope, Oak Park, Paradise Hills, Ridgeview/Webster, Shelltown, Skyline, Southcrest and Valencia.

Southeastern Division serves a population of 175,757 people and encompasses 19.1 square miles.

Address:	7222 Skyline Drive San Diego, CA 92114
Phone:	(619) 527-3500
Hours:	Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Email:	sdpdsoutheastern@pd.sandiego.gov FAQ about Quality of Life and Nuisance Issues: Noisy neighbors, barking dogs, loose animals, narcotics and prostitution activity: http://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/faqs/quality.shtml

Fire Station #12  Fire Personnel reminded about giving 100 feet around our properties some "breathing space" to avoid fires/prevent them from coming up to our homes.

Worried about brush management and weed abatement? - please check out the city's page:

Review the following information on canyon fire safety, then, if merited, contact the Fire Hazard Advisor to make a brush management complaint at (619) 533-4444.

http://www.sandiego.gov/fire/services/brush/index.shtml

Weeds are an issue when they create the following problems:

• fire hazards to structures;
• visual hazards to motor traffic, bicyclists or pedestrians;
• physical hazards to motor traffic, bicyclists or pedestrians;
• an impediment in the right-of-way; or
• an impediment to drainage.

A good portion of Emerald Hills falls under the "VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY"  ZONES

http://www.sandiego.gov/fire/pdf/maps/grid16.pdf

• Erosion Control
• Annual Weed Abatement Vacant Lot Program
• Definitions
• Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
• Frequently Asked Questions

Canyon Fire Safety

The City of San Diego Fire Safety and Brush Management Guide (PDF) summarizes guidelines for brush management in canyon areas. This guide was prepared after the October 2003 Cedar Fire and most recently updated in 2010.

• Watch video about Brush Management   From http://www.sandiego.gov/fire/services/index.shtml

Fire Hazard Advisor - Brush/Weed Complaint	(619) 533-4444
Fire Hazard Advisor - Complaint	(619) 533-4411

Fire Season is year-round in San Diego

CREATING “DEFENSIBLE SPACE”

Defensible Space is the landscape between your house and the potential fuel source (dense stands of native or naturalized vegetation) that is your responsibility as a homeowner to maintain to reduce fire risk. The City’s Municipal Code* regulates brush management and creates two Brush Management Zones with different requirements. The Code was amended in October 2005 to make these Zones total 100 feet of defensible space from the structure. (However, your property may be governed by a previous entitlement requiring different zone widths. If in doubt, check with the Fire-Rescue Department or Development Services Department before you begin your work!)

Brush Management Zone 1 is typically 35 feet from the structure on the level portion of your property next to your house.

ZONE 1:

␣ Generally must be permanently irrigated to maintain succulent growth. ␣ Shall consist primarily of low-growing plant material, less than 4 feet in height with the

exception of trees. Plants shall be low-fuel and fire-resistive. ␣ All portions of trees, other than the trunk, which extend within ten feet of a structure or the

outlet of any chimney must be cut back. ␣ Trees adjacent to or overhanging any building must be free of dead wood. ␣ Roof and rain gutters of any structure must be free of leaves, needles, or other dead

vegetative growth.

␣ Irrigation from Zone 1 must not run into Zone 2 as it encourages growth of

flammable vegetation.

Brush Management Zone 2 is the remaining 65 feet that extends beyond Zone 1 and is usually comprised of native and/or naturalized vegetation.

ZONE 2:

␣ Can have NO permanent irrigation. ␣ Must be thinned and pruned on a seasonal basis to reduce the fuel-load of vegetation

greater than 24 inches in height without harming native plants, soil or habitats, as described below.

** Check your insurance policy. It might require more than 100 feet of Defensible Space!**

Handouts:

Bulletin #1 Brush Management Guide

http://www.sandiego.gov/fireandems/pdf/brushpdf.pdf

Bulletin #2 Fire Safety and Brush Management for Private Property

(includes Fire Safety Checklist - Roof, Landscape, Yard, Access, Fire Escape Plan)

http://www.californiachaparral.com/images/Vegetation_Management_CitySanDiego_2004.pdf


Official Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map- City of San Diego, inc. Emerald Hills
http://www.sandiego.gov/fireandems/pdf/maps/grid16.pdf

Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide ( San Diego County Office of Emergency Services)
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/oes/docs/FamilyDisasterPlan.pdf
Plan Familiar de Desastres y Guía de Supervivencia Personal  (en espanol)

Wildfires - SD County Defensible Space Days ( June 10-12, 2011)
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/oes/ready/wildfire_campaign/Wildfire.html
Includes info./ videos from "Before the Threat" DVD passed out at the May/June EHNC meetings

List of suggested plants for Defensible Space  (County of San Diego)

• Grow close to the ground.
• Have a low sap or resin content.
• Grow without accumulating dead branches, needles or leaves.
• Are easily maintained and pruned.
• Are drought-tolerant.

http://sdcounty.ca.gov/dplu/docs/SuggestedPlants.pdf


Make sure that your cell phone has an ICE phone number listed. What is ICE, you ask?                   In Case of Emergency 
Put "ICE" and the name of your emergency contact  in your phone list, for emergency providers to know who to call first.




Alert San Diego - register your cell phone, VOIP phone and email address to be alerted of an emergency or disaster in the County of San Diego that puts you at risk
(Home phones/land lines are already listed in the region's 9-1-1 database).
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/oes/ready/signup.html

Add to your Emergency Supply  Checklist
http://www.ready.gov/america/_downloads/checklist.pdf

Thank you to  Edward Baskin, San Diego Fire Bureau/ Fire Rescue, Proactive/ Complaint Fire Prevention Code Compliance Officer for the presentations at the May and June meetings of the Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council, and assisting President Gayle Reid and other members regarding Code Compliance in the neighborhood.

June 14th Meeting

We will have a speaker from the Fire Department's Code Compliance Office to help us with fire safety issues, especially those concerning our proximity to the canyons.

 Do you know what the defensible space zone is around your home?

Please check out this file for your reference.

Wildfire Zone Safety (adobe reader file)

http://www.sandiego.gov/fireandems/pdf/wildfire.pdf

In addition, we will discuss our summer picnic, the community cleanup coming up in August, along with the usual representatives from the offices of City Council (District 4 & Council President),  County Board of Supervisors ( District 4), etc.  giving updates / asking what we need.

If you have any questions or concerns about our neighborhood, or need to find a resource, this is the place to come.


Hope to see you at Johnson School at 6pm (promptly).