Fire Safe Councils are grassroots, community-led organizations that mobilize residents to protect their homes, communities, and environments from catastrophic wildfire. A local Fire Safe Council may be sparked by a catalyst—perhaps a recent fire spurs a group of neighbors to spread a fire-safe message. Community residents might then turn that initial interest into a commitment to make the community safer.

In the fall of 2021, a local college graduate, Sam Gunn, wanted to do something helpful for the town he grew up in after the devastation of the Woolsey Fire. Starting with a gathering with firefighters held on Buttonwood Street, the Oak Park Fire Safe Council (OPFSC) was founded in December of 2021. Our mission is to work with federal, state and local agencies to protect property and life from wildfire in Oak Park. We plan and execute projects geared toward educating homeowners on how to protect their homes and the surrounding defensible space. We’ve also participated in various fuel mitigation projects to reduce the impact of wildfire on Oak Park’s open spaces.

With the rise of homeowner insurance rates in our area since the Thomas and Woolsey fires, we are also focused on methods of assuring widespread insurance coverage and reducing its cost. We have become a communications hub between homeowners and the various fire-related and municipal agencies. This communication and feedback guides our various programs and projects. We are recognized as a 501(c)(3) by the IRS, under the umbrella of the Community Foundation for Oak Park.

THE FOLLOWING ARE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman: Doug Wilson
Vice Chairman: Jay Fernandez
Treasurer: Bob Convey
Secretary: John Faucher
Board Member At Large: Lori Gunn
Board Member At Large: Ed Reiner