Assisting on the Baker Fire

CAL FIRE BDU Dozer 3540 assisting Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) on the BAKER FIRE that started Sunday morning. For more details on the incident click on the photo below.

Photographed by ORC BC Pokey Sanchez

Retirement Celebrations

You're CAL FIRE family will miss you both dearly! 

You've worked hard to get to this point,
ENJOY RETIREMENT !!!

Firefighter Appreciation Week

CAL FIRE staff from several Units 

(as well as many other local fire cooperators) 

participated in this years Price is Right show honoring all the hard working FIREFIGHTERS.

Check it out, the show airs May 24th, 2013 on CBS Channel 2

More Info: http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_price_is_right/ 

San Bernardino Unit participants:

Fire Activity

For fire status updates that CAL FIRE resources are committed to and/or assisting with, click the link below:

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current

CAL FIRE Director Ken Pimlott visiting the Southern Region

From left to right:

Janet Barentson, Matthew Kirkhart, Shelly Redden, Ken Pimlott, Dean Kowalski, Travis Wylie, Tony Favro

Fire Preparedness Exercise in Lytle Creek

The CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit's Fire Preparedness Exercise is going on Tuesday, April 23rd and Wednesday, 24th for the Southern portion of the Unit. The Northern portion of the Unit will be completing theirs on Friday, April 26th. 

For details check out THE SUN article from yesterday's exercise by clicking on the link below:

CAL FIRE inmate firefighters gear up for fire season

We are PREPARED and READY!

Successful Management Review

Bi-Annually CAL FIRE/CDCR Conservation Camps statewide go through a cooperative agency management review to ensure all expectations are being achieved (health/safety/operations). On March 28th, 2013 the Owens Valley Conservation Camp, located in Bishop, CA, successfully completed their camp management review. The executive staff arranged a visit to the camp for the closing of this review.

(Left to right)

Renee Barton - Executive Secretary 

Rod Bywater - Acting Unit Chief 

Darren Feldman - Unit Administrative Chief - AO

Ron Janssen - Battalion Chief 

Chris Hardy - Battalion Chief

Christy Morton - Owens Valley Office Technician

J. Paul Melendrez - Owens Valley Division Chief

Letter of Appreciation to the Owens Valley Conservation Camp

Can Your Ashes

With the extremely cold weather, many people everywhere want to light up the fireplace or wood fueled heaters. But people who do this should take some precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of their loved ones.

With the cold wet weather, you may think that ashes that have cooled for several days are not a fire threat. They can be. The CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit advises that when you remove ashes from your home, you first place them in a bucket with water to make sure that they are completely extinguished. At the very least, place the ashes in a metal trash can and cover with a metal lid. Plastic can melt if a fire ignites from the ashes allowing the flames to spread. You should also place the metal trash can away from the home, the eaves or any other overhang to prevent the structure from catching fire if flames ignite from the ashes.

CAL FIRE officials would also like to provide these cold weather safety tips to help you in keeping your home warm and safe;

Never use flammable liquids or excessive amounts of paper to start or accelerate a fire.
Charcoal gives off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Do not burn it indoors.
Keep flammables away from heat sources. Wood stoves require a 36-inch clearance from combustible surfaces.
The use of kerosene heaters inside the home is prohibited by California law.
Keep children away from heat sources.
Never leave a fire unattended.
Wood stoves should be UL approved and properly installed.
Never attempt to heat a structure with a device that was designed for outdoor use, such as a camp stove.
Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney, stovepipe and/or furnace annually. Do not attempt repairs yourself.
Keep a metal or glass screen in front of the fireplace opening. Make sure the damper is open before lighting.
Check furnace control and emergency shut-offs to be sure they are working properly.

Remember…be fire smart to stay fire safe.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

The men and women of the CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit wishes everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. As we move towards Christmas, we are always reminded of those, particularly children who might not have a Christmas. In this, CAL FIRE and the cities of Highland and Yucaipa are once again participating in the ABC7 Firefighter Spark of Love toy campaign. This is the 19th year of the program that collects toys for disadvantaged children throughout southern California. The toys collected stay in the communities where they are donated.

also helping the cause, the CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit is partnering with "Fueled by the Fallen" to not only remember tnhose who gave their lives on September 11, 2001, but to showcase their beautiful vehicles.

Look for dates and times when CAL FIRE and Fueled by the Fallen will be available for you to see and drop of a toy for a disadvantaged child in your community.

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