Page 4 - Sonoma County Gazette 12-2019

LETTERS cont’d from page 3
The moment I slipped my arms
into the poem of falling leaves shrugged my shoulders just so
the threads of mystery in the fabric pulled my body straight
had operational traffic lights and other signs of life. We ended up heading east on Piner Road where
we were able to buy gas for both vehicles and all the lights in that area were operational. Since by then we understood that there was no room at the inn in Petaluma, we drove to the east side of town and found a friend who was not evacuated.
On a side note we may be getting a siren on our fire house to warn of Tsunami.
Say Yes
In January the board is planning a meeting at the JCC to hear from some of the emergency planners from the county.
This poem, an old jacket passed down
Whoever was in charge needs
to examine any evacuation “plans” that were supposedly in place that morning since they were less than helpful and create a plan that would work.
Non-Compliance with Mandatory
Evacuation during the Kinkade Fire
to my waiting hands
its elbows and cuffs shedding
old language of wonder and hope was a perfect fit
This poem of crying violins
rusting sunsets, broken hearts and lavender mornings
wrapped around my aching heart and said yes, no matter what, yes
Charlene Stone
Per the Sonoma County Fire District, residents who do not evacuate following a mandatory order are extremely problematic
for the firefighters. When residents remain in a neighborhood, air tankers cannot deploy fire retardant. Firefighters must stop their work of fighting the fire to deal with people who are not supposed to be present. This puts entire neighborhoods at risk of burning.
the bread will rise and the birds will sing
You are not the first and not the last Say yes, no matter what, say yes.
- Doug von Koss
As usual, Vesta, you hit
Fire season: We’re in our mid- 80s and, even though keepsakes and critical papers are ready-to-go in easy-lifting lidded boxes, getting clothes and toiletries together, making sure the deck is clear of burnable stuff is tough on failing muscles.
Bob
Evacuation Plan?
The good news is that as a result
of the recent disasters we have been forced to focus in on what works
and what does not work, resulting
in a number of highly intelligent motivated people working to keep us safer.
During the fire and related power shutdown, many people in areas not affected by the fire felt it was OK to remain in their homes. It was more comfortable than evacuating to a shelter, or to wherever they could find someone to take them in. Many people didn’t plan ahead as to where they could find a shelter that would allow their pets.
Cal Ares, Jenner
The music will sound, your friend will come
I want to share with you the things we learned at the fire focused MAC meeting last evening in the town
of Bodega. We heard from a host of fire and emergency people on the response to the Kincade fire (largest in the history of Sonoma Co.) and the upgrades to communications and warning systems. Folks there is both good and bad news.
Fire Safety in Jenner
nails squarely.
September first next fall, we’ll box everything we need, store it in easy-loading range of the car, clear flammables off the deck until rains come.
The bad news is that our community is overdue for a major fire catastrophe. The expert consensus concludes that had the Kincade fire gone any further, there would be nothing to stop it till the Pacific ocean. We need to plan for a real disaster right here and right now.
The biggest firefight of the Kincade event was along Hwy 101, to prevent the fire from jumping the highway and being propelled by the high winds to the west and southwest.
The route from East Windsor to Guerneville is very short both in distance and time when there are strong winds. The fire was projected to follow Sweetwater Springs Road, over the hills into Guerneville. Guerneville WAS in danger, hence the mandatory evacuation order. This wasn’t guesswork. It was based on satellite photos from NASA.
This fire discussion went on for over 2 hours and a goodly portion of that was dedicated to personal safety, evacuation, and testosterone.
4 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 12/19
LETTERS cont’d on page 6
At about 5 a.m. the morning of October27, my family of 5 and their dog climbed into two vehicles to begin “evacuation” of our west side homes. We turned east on Third Street in an attempt to reach Stoney Point Road and thence hopefully towards Petaluma, where we understood we would find a refuge.
The highest priority of all responders is personal safety, therefore staying behind when asked to evacuate puts you and rescue men and women at a much higher and unnecessary danger.
To me, it seems both foolish and selfish of residents to put the lives of firefighters at risk because they must stop doing their job on the fire to personally escort those residents away from danger.
After over 4 hours, we were still on Third Street having travelled only 5 blocks. At that rate the fire could have overtaken us and hundreds of others on the same path.
Fellow citizens picture your self
in the front yard in 70mph winds with flaming embers like fast balls coming at you, visibility is now down to 20 feet,and you are breathing superheated dense smoke.
By then we decided to turn around -- heading west on Third Street and north on Fulton Road which by then
Meanwhile an emergency responder who got word that you are still there is risking his/her life to get your sorry ass out. Well you get the idea.
While I have not seen them yet
the two documentaries about the Paradise fire are promoted by the fire fighters as an illustration of what you would face in a fire storm.
Sonoma County fire districts are grossly understaffed. Do you want them to be able to do their job of saving areas from burning? Or do you want them to let homes burn while they babysit residents who think they don’t have to obey the evacuation orders? We don’t have enough firefighters for them to do both.