Fire protection day shares Waldbrand -prevention tips with the residents | Journal news

Shannondale – The first fire protection day took place on Saturday in Mountain Lake Club to help residents learn how forest fires can spread.

Jefferson County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Blue Ridge Mountain Volunteer Fire Company, West Virginia Division of Forestry, DEL. According to Stephen Rivera, the public information officer of Jefferson County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the purpose of the fire protection day was to spark discussions and to provide the public information.

“We are happy to be here,” said Rivera. “This day is about engaging the community. We help you to learn how to protect your family and how you can protect your community.”

Rivera noted that the situation of the event was deliberately selected because Ti was predisposed to forest fires. In fact, one of the fire engines present had to go at the event within the first hour of the event to react to a running fire in the area.

“In Shannondale there is a unique risk of having forest fires with the forest. That is why we selected this place,” said Rivera. “This is our first day of fire protection, but we can hold such events in other areas in the future.”

The deputy director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management by Jefferson County, Dick Myers, agreed when he helped people register in the district of weather and traffic emergency walers.

“The main thing we want to get out is that more people have to register for Everbridge. If people want to be alerted about weather -related events or road closures, they have to register,” said Myers and referred to the service that was used to send the emergency warnings. “We had initially planned to stop a meeting with Shannondal residents on this topic. This idea became this event.”

Firefighters and half a dozen fire engines of the Blue Ridge Mountain Volunteer Fire Company were available for the interaction of the participants in the parking lot of the Mountain Lake Club. This was an important aspect of fire protection prevention, according to the Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency First Responder Amanda Rice.

“People have to be able to meet the firefighters and to see the equipment that runs the calls,” said Rice, mentioning that firefighting masks can scare people with their resemblance to Darth Vader's helmet. “Children in particular have to be able to interact with us so that they are not afraid if they hit us in an emergency. We want them to run to us instead of running away from us because we look scary.”

The Blue Ridge Mountain Volunteer Fire Company First Responder Kristy Grove fully agreed.

“We are the same that run up here for most emergency situations,” said Grove. “It is good for you to set a face with a name.”

Smokey Bear ran in the parking lot with the West Virginia Division of Forestry Regional Forester Rosey Santerre and Morgan, Berkeley & Jefferson County Service Forester Kinlein.

“We are here to talk about the Feuerwise program. We have displays about how people can make their houses stronger for a forest fire,” said Santerre. “This is the main goal for us today to prevent forest fires and teach people the willingness.”

Richard Beaulieu from Harpers Ferry was able to see these displays and recorded coloring pages for his grandchildren.

“I think of forest fires all the time, especially up here. It is an area that is ripe for a big fire. There are trees everywhere,” said Beaulieu. “When I moved here in 1989, I spoke to an old timer and asked him what he did for the excitement up here. He said: 'Oh, I look up every 50 years and watch the mountain burn down.' Seriously!