Oak Park Fire Safe Council continues to move forward with Firewise communities. We are also putting a strong focus on how Firewise communities can help at-risk residents and are beginning to help these communities implement assessment recommendations with new tools.
Here are our major activities and accomplishments in July:
Firewise
- Country Glen HOA was awarded a $1,000 grant for defensible space improvements and has begun putting that award to work.
- Canyon Cove HOA was awarded a $1,500 grant for dryer vent replacement and has begun utilizing it for purchasing new dryer vents and new mesh for other vents.
- Country Meadows HOA is modifying its micro grant award from the Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council (VRFSC) to include painting of curb addresses, publishing Ready-Set-Go one-pagers for residents, and providing a fire extinguisher for each home. HOA leaders have received the fire extinguishers and laminating tools and will be scheduling an event to give out the extinguishers and sign residents up for curb address painting and assessments.
- Three communities had their risk assessments approved by the Ventura County Fire Department: Morrison Sutton, Regency Chambord and Mae Boyar East (a neighborhood, not an HOA). Each of these communities has now developed a three-year plan and has a first annual event scheduled for August 7. Each community has also gathered the required 2024 Firewise investments year to date, which is the final piece of the application package. The communities should be able to submit their complete Firewise applications by the end of August to the National Fire Protection Association.
- A fourth HOA, Tract #3141, is now going through the Firewise process and may be able to submit its application by the end of August as well.
Assessments
- Five assessments were performed in July.
- Another 10 residents – more than 850 now – have signed up for our Newsletter
- The Oak Park Fire Safe Council (OPFSC) website is now integrated with the Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council scheduler for assessments. Residents simply need to sign up for an assessment on the OPFSC site, and they will be automatically routed to the scheduler.
Marketing
- We are working with Fire Station 36 and the county supervisor’s office to host an open house at the fire station in September. This would be a family event similar to last year’s successful event (several hundred people attended). This exciting event has already been approved by Ventura County Fire and the supervisor’s office, and we are working on logistics. Some of the fun things that will be happening are:
– Fire trucks for kids to sit in, and fire hats to wear.
– Goats (many of you have seen them on local hillsides mitigating brush). Yes the kids can pet them
– Food trucks
– Several agencies and organizations will be in attendance if you want to discuss improved fire resiliency, insurance benefits, etc.
- Sent out the August newsletter.
Grants
- No updates at this time.
Other
- At-risk residents require special considerations during evacuation events. We are developing a phone tree for these residents with opt-in functionality on our website. Our vision is that this would be used by the Fire Safe Council in conjunction with Oak Park Firewise communities to assist these at-risk residents during evacuation events.
- OPFSC is working with Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council to develop a list of materials and contractors who can help residents perform work on their homes (structural hardening) and their yards (defensible space).
Please click here to set up a free Home Wildfire Assessment, and contact us on our website if you are interested in launching a Firewise program in your community.
