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Hi guys.
Jeffs back on the fire line today, after spending the night running calls on
his
" regular " medic unit. Life go's on, and even people in his area who do not
have fire related needs, get rides to the hospltal all day and night.
Today, Jeff is up Silverado Canyon putting water into the helicoptors as
they work all day trying to hold back the fire from getting down into the
canyon
from the top, which is heavy with old growth oaks and scrubb. Last night, the
Santiago peak had fire reaching the top, which cannot be fought from the
ground, but they did have alot of air support and have managed to keep the
major
front from burning down into Silverado as of mid-night. There are still 2,000
homes near there threatened. They expect a " mild " Santa Ana wind condition on
Mon. which will not be welcome. The communities of Lake Elseanor, Corona,
Norco and Riverside are nearby, but waiting for now.
Everyone in the canyon is evacuated. Mojaska and Williams canyons next door
have lost 22 structures, 12 homes at least are totally gone, all lost on that
horrible first 2-3 days when no extra personal or air support was in place.
The park across the street from Jeffs station in Tustin is gone. The deer are
still around, must have taken refuage in peoples green back yards, and they are
happy munching on all of the acorns. The friendly mountian lion who used to
sit in the mornings across from the station ( much to the guys delight ! ) has
moved on. Hope he is ok. Hope he has enough deer to eat this winter.
Jeff went up yesterday to see some of the streets that he fought fire from
backyards on during the first 2 days, Sun. and Mon. This is when they had no
extra teams, just their own crew. It was his regular crew who had to escape
flames into their " shake and bake " suits, one block over, and where Jeff,
working on an overtime crew, took an ember to his face. They personally saved
many
homes. The people will never know. The homes that were lost are affecting the
Fire crews personally. This is their neighborhood. They have both comfort
seeing standing the homes that they had HOPED survived, but wernt sure did
!.....and trying to absorb the reality that they couldnt save them all. At
least the
PEOPLE, Pets and livestock all got out, even the ones who thought they could "
shelter in place " and ended up yelling for rescue when the flames reached
them. Now I get emotional. Pissed off more like it.
It sounds sort of " romantic " .... " brave " " courageous " ..... "
shelter in place. " I have other thoughts.
These are MY thoughts, not nessessary Jeffs. You dont want to hear his.
I have read some tips here and on other lists about what to do (((( IF )))))
you DECIDE to stay with your home in face of a manditory evacuation order.
Bad idea, sorry.
I dont even like to see TIPS....about letting horses go, taking refuge in
homes and vehicles, someone staying behind with that stupid stupid stupid
rubber
garden hose. Did you see any of the coverage during the winds of homes going
down ? Do you really think that your home would be " saved " by a drip of water
and you on your roof ? When the flames reach you, your hose will melt. When
the flames reach you, there will be no power, no water. By the time the flames
reach you, the heat, poison gas's and wind have already taken you off the
capacity of fighting fire. If you now.... and they DO, call for help or try to
make a run for it, you will be risking the lives of firefighters, sheriffs, EMS
personal, other neighbors ect.
( most working without the benifit of breathing aperatus, flame resistant
suits ect. ) by your defiance. You, by waiting.....and choosing to IGNORE, and
DEFY, and CHOOSING to remain around to protect your STUFF. You are not only
impacting you. It is the ultimate in selfishness. It is not what you would
advise other family members to do, right ? Think of your family members in some
other place..... yet people never apply advice to themselves. They think it
wont
reach them. They think if it does....it wont be that bad. I have heard this
one...." oh if it really got here, we would jump into a pool, spa " NOT. It
can take 10 min. for a fire to blow over, and even without anything burning,
the super heated air and gas's from the fire storm will kill you when you try
to
come up for a breath. Lots of people died in their pools a couple of years
ago. They should make another sign for pool owners, not about children or
running or gates........." THIS POOL SHOULD NOT BE USED TO TRY AND SURVIVE IN
CASE
OF FIRE. GET YOUR DUMB ASS OUT WHEN THE FIGHTERS TELL YOU. " They think that
by staying behind, it is their CHOICE and does not or shouldnt be someone
elses. So wrong.....
The Firefighters and others doing evacuating rescues will always ( try ) and
protect live before property. Now....they have to send additional support to
your door ( again and again ) instead of doing something more productive, like
Fire fighting. They must stage already streched personal at your roads to keep
you from sneaking out, then sneaking back in. The game of " I know ways in
and you cant keep me from going back....." takes up thousands and thousands of
personal and manhours. Maybe someday they WILL allow Firefighters to force
people from their homes when they are in extreme danger. Maybe they will have
those people refusing to evacuate, sign a " right to refusal " form admitting
that
they have been informed that they are in grave danger, and will continue to
DEFY Law Enforcment and the Firefighters to get them out while it is not a
super dangerous rescue. Maybe INSURANCE companys will quit paying out coverage
to
people holding up rescuers when homes around burn down due to lack of enough
personal to put water down.....because some dumb jerk next door is refusing to
get off his roof.
Doubt it, but for me, its a nice thought. When I hear that " shelter in place
" crap after a manditory evacuation order is being ignored, I wish the
Firefighters could now ignore them ! Wont happen, saving even dumb ass live's
will
always come before saving YOUR empty house.
They say that 950,000 people DID follow directions and get out when told to.
Just think how many people would have died.....when the structure loss toll
is now aproaching 1,700 with maybe 2/3's that many of others uninhabitable.
Watching the heartbreaking news today of people returning to their home
sites, with nothing left, something strikes me. Almost 100 % of those people
say
the same thing. " It dosnt matter. Its just STUFF. It can be replaced except
for sentimental items, photos, trinkets with memorys. The rest of it is just
STUFF. Its PEOPLE WHO CANT BE REPLACED. PEOPLE GETTING OUT AND STAYING ALIVE IS
THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING. FAMILY, FRIENDS, LOVES ONES, NEIGHBORS, PETS.
Thats all that is important.
I agree. The heros of course will be the Firefighters, Sheriffs, Pilots, EMS
personal ect. who risked their lives to try and save others and their
property.
But I also think that everyone who OBEYED manditory evacuation orders are
also heros. They didnt want to leave....didnt plan enough ahead to
leave.....were
going to be terribly inconvienced to say the least, uprooting livestock,
pets, kids but still left. With 950,000 people reluctantly following those who
know better, they also saved lives. Their own and their familys. Theres my tip
for the day. Sorry to be emotional about it.
Hoping they release Jeff a day early tomorrow and he will head home. He got
held back when the Malibu fire started and he has been on duty now 14, ( 24 hr
days ) straight. We are supposed to leave next week for the PNW and the
Fjord club meeting up there...visit with friends.....deliver Caesar to his new
home, vote on the club issues regarding Libby, Moses Lake ect. Keep you fingers
crossed he is on his way home tomorrow !
Lisa
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