Firewise Training Workshop: Community Comes Together for Wildfire Preparedness

The event began with a warm welcome from SDCEA General Manager Carl Weise, who thanked attendees for their commitment to community safety. Homeowner and Firewise Subcommittee Chair Richard Drewery followed with a presentation on the committee's mission: to help SDCEA achieve Firewise USA® certification, reduce wildfire risk, increase preparedness, and potentially lower insurance premiums for both homeowners and the Association.

Retired firefighter, Mark McDonald, stressed the importance of temporary refuge areas. He wants to help SDCEA residents find a safe spot to evacuate during a fire evacuation emergency. He has three refuge areas: the San Vicente golf course, the IEC track, and Barnett Elementary School. He is developing a flier, which will be mailed to SDCEA residents.

Kristi Mansolf, President of the Ramona West End Fire Safe Council, highlighted ongoing efforts to widen Highway 67 to 3 lanes for safer evacuations. She also promoted the free Home Fire Safety Assessments, with hopes for another round in July. These fast, free, informative evaluations can even lead to eligibility for additional support programs. Learn more at Fire Safe Council.

Lieutenant Alex Navarro and Sergeant Joe Saelens, representing the Sheriff's Department, reassured residents of their preparedness and ongoing commitment to community safety. With four helicopters and one of the nation's largest sheriff departments (4^th), resources are on our side. Still, they stressed personal responsibility: "Be prepared. Don't wait—get yourself out." They also introduced YANA (You Are Not Alone), a program designed to check in on vulnerable residents during emergencies. To underscore their message, the sheriffs gave a live demonstration of the Hi-Lo evacuation siren, a loud "bee-boo, bee-boo" that signals it's time to leave immediately. Get the latest updates at San Diego Sheriff’s Office.

Edwing Ulloa, Duty Officer from SD County Emergency Services, emphasized having a ready-to-go emergency bag tailored to individual needs. One lucky participant even won a fully stocked go-bag during a raffle giveaway. He also encouraged homeowners to review their insurance policies to ensure they include adequate coverage for recovery in the event of loss. Find everything you need at Alert San Diego.

Cal Fire Captain Thomas Shoots is also the Regional Coordinator for Firewise. He delivered a passionate reminder: "Embers are the #1 cause of homes catching fire. Start with Zone 0—those first five feet around your home." He encouraged neighborly collaboration and noted that insurance discounts may become available as SDCEA progresses toward Firewise certification. For more information, visit Cal Fire.

Attendees were also introduced to essential emergency apps, including:

• Genasys Protect – provides fire alerts and evacuation info specific to your location.
• Watch Duty – offers real-time wildfire tracking.
• SD Emergency – a full-featured app from Ready San Diego for alerts and recovery resources.

Finally, Richard Drewery encouraged community members to join the Firewise Subcommittee. Residents can contribute by logging their hours spent on fire prevention activities, like home hardening or educational outreach, in a community tracking spreadsheet. Discover what's next at Fire Wise-USA.

Joshua Jones, SDCEA Assistant General Manager, says the Association is working on fire fuel management in open spaces. He's putting together a PowerPoint on the work that has been done by the Landscape and Open Space Team, led by Manager Nancy Zadrozny.

A heartfelt thanks goes to our generous donors: Country Wine and Spirits (cookies and water) and Starbucks (5 gallons of coffee) kept our participants fueled and focused throughout the 3-hour workshop.

Let's keep the momentum going! One neighbor, one home, one ember-resistant step at a time.

Photos by Cheryl Schlauch.