Welcome to the FALL 2024 Edition of the 6B and Friends Newsletter!

2024 FIRE PREPAREDNESS WORKSHEET

It's that time of year again, where the Firewise committee will soon be requesting information on the amount of money you spent and the time you dedicated to fire preparedness between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024. The cumulative yearly total will be submitted to the National Fire Protection Association to renew our certification as a Firewise Community. Look for a separate email in the coming weeks, with a link to the online worksheet, and instructions for submitting manually.

MORE ROADSIDE CLEANUP

An essential element of fire prevention in our community is maintaining road and driveway shoulders clear of tall, dry grass, especially along Thoroughbred Loop, McCourtney Road & Hidden Valley Road, our main evacuation routes. Clearing these areas is vital for reducing the risk of fires ignited by roadside hazards like cigarette butts and dragging trailer chains. We strongly encourage everyone to focus on clearing dry grass, brush, and trimming tree branches along roads that border your property. Additionally, we are considering organizing a volunteer workday to tackle brush removal along McCourtney Road, between the north and south access points to Thoroughbred Loop, where the brush is dense and the road shoulders are wide enough for safe work. Stay tuned for more information!

Do you need assistance with weed-eating or tree trimming along your road? Please contact a committee member to talk about options.

PREPARE YOUR VEHICLES FOR EVACUATION NOW!

• Keep at least half a tank of gas or a full charge in all your evacuation vehicles throughout the fire season. This ensures you’re ready to leave immediately without needing to stop for fuel or a charge, especially since power outages often occur during emergencies, affecting gas stations and charging stations.

• Place a local paper map of our area, including routes to Marysville, Auburn, Truckee, etc., in each of your evacuation vehicles. In an emergency, cell phones and map apps may be unreliable if cell towers are damaged or without power.

PREPARING A ‘GO BAG’: Essential for Emergency Readiness

It's crucial to be prepared for any sudden evacuation. One of the best ways to ensure you and your family can leave quickly and safely is by having a well-stocked 'Go Bag' ready at all times. Here’s a guide on what to include in your Go Bag, along with important provisions for your pets.

Go Bag Essentials:

• At least one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.
• Non-perishable food items for at least three days (granola bars, canned goods, etc.) including manual can opener if necessary Leather gloves
• Long sleeved non-synthetic shirt (cotton or wool).
• Sturdy leather or non-synthetic shoes or boots.
• Warm blankets or sleeping bags.
• Bandages, antiseptic wipes, sanitary wipes, other basic first aid supplies.
• Prescription medications and a list of medical conditions.
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and other personal care items.
• Hand sanitizer and sanitary wipes.
• Copies of personal identification, insurance policies, and emergency contacts.
• Cash and credit cards.
• Flashlight, headlamps (fully charged) and extra batteries.
• Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife.
• Whistle to signal for help.
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio to stay informed about emergency updates.
• Mobile phone with chargers and backup power sources.
• Face masks for everyone in your household to minimize smoke inhalation

Provisions for Pets:

• Leashes and labeled pet carriers ready to go
• At least three days' worth of food and water for each pet.
• Collapsible bowls for easy feeding.
• Any medications your pet needs, with clear instructions.
• Favorite toys or blankets to help reduce stress.
• Waste bags for dogs and disposable litter trays for cats.
• Small shovel for waste disposal if necessary.
• Current photos of your pets in case you get separated.
• Copies of vaccination records and microchip information.

Keeping your 'Go Bag' up to date and ensuring all family members know its location is vital. Regularly check the contents and replace any expired items. By taking these steps, you can help ensure that you and your loved ones, including your pets, are ready to evacuate safely at a moment’s notice. Stay safe and vigilant!

HOW TO STAY INFORMED DURING WILDFIRE SEASON

• Check these National Weather Service websites for weather watches, warnings, and advisories: Western Nevada County https://www.weather.gov/sto/. Truckee https://www.weather.gov/rev/

• To get PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) forecasts: https://m.pge.com/#registration. Register your account and then set up your “Profile & Alerts.” Enter your email and all phone numbers.

Sign Up Now to Receive Emergency Alerts

• CodeRED Emergency Alerts mynevadacounty.com/emergencyalerts. (On your smartphone, you can also text READYNEVADACOUNTY to 99411 to be linked directly to the sign-up page – be sure to complete your registration at the link texted to you.) It’s best to create a “managed account.” Input your information for all your landline/cell phone/text/emails. If you need help signing up, dial 2-1-1 or 1-833-DIAL211 for assistance. Then add the following phone numbers to your “Favorites” on your cell phone so you won’t ignore a CodeRED telephone alert because you think it’s spam: CodeRED Emergency Alerts (866) 419-5000; CodeRED Non-emergency alerts (855) 969-4636.

• Know your Evacuation Zone Number: visit protect.genasys.com/search and type your address in the search box. Write it down AND save it in your cell phone. Use the Find Your Five plan (see your Ready Set Go Handbook) to create a “buddy system” of friends who’ll alert you when they hear there’s a fire.

• Sign up for Cal Fire text alerts. Visit www.readyforwildfire.org/. In the middle “KNOW” section, click “SIGN UP NOW.” On the next page, put your cell phone number and zip code in the SIGN UP box.

• Download the Watch Duty app via App store or Google Play. Sign up and select “Nevada County” to get real-time push notifications directly to your phone about local wildfires. https://www.watchduty.org/

Monitor These Local Media to Stay Informed During An Actual Emergency 

Radio

• KVMR 89.5 FM (western county) or KVMR 105.1 FM (Truckee/Tahoe) - Nevada County’s Emergency Info Station (staffed 24/7). Reports at the top of each hour and when there’s new info.

• KNCO 830 AM or STAR 94.1 FM

Internet

• Ready Nevada County Dashboard (works best with Chrome browser) will have live-update information on large wildfire and evacuation incidents when the county’s Emergency Operations Center is activated. Put the mobile version on your smartphone. Also has a tool for learning your Evacuation Zone number, checking wind direction, a live Twitter feed, and more.

• YubaNet https://yubanet.com/ Click on “Happening Now.”

• ReadyNevadaCounty.org website, during an emergency, will post a link to important evolving event information at the top of every page.

• The Union https://www.theunion.com/

• Facebook Nevada County Office of Emergency Services and Nevada County Sheriff’s Office

Text Messages

• Breaking News from The Union: text “UnionNews” (without quotes) to the number 86677

• Text your zip code to 888777 to get Nevada County Sheriff’s Office alerts

• X (formally Twitter): @NevCoOES; @NevCoSheriff; @YubaNetFire; @YubaNet; @TheUnion; @CAL_FIRE; @CALFIRENEU (Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit); @PGE4Me; @PlacerSheriff

• Cal Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/ or (530) 823-4083 (call volume may be high) for large incidents.

• 2-1-1 Connecting Point: https://211connectingpoint.org/ or dial 2-1-1 on your phone (or 1-833-342-5211). A free service (open 24/7) for official information on evacuations, road closures, mass care shelters, animal evacuations, social services, etc. Do not dial 9-1-1 just to request information.

UPCOMING FIRE-RELATED EVENTS & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

• 🗓️ 9/10 - Nevada County Office of Emergency Services invites you to the Ponderosa Town Hall Meeting Nevada County Office of Emergency Services is reaching out because your FWC is in or adjacent to the Ponderosa Phase 1 Maintenance or Ponderosa Phase 2 Project area and we wanted to make sure you were aware of the upcoming informational Town Hall.
  
  WHO: Hosted by the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services who will be joined by CAL FIRE, Nevada County Consolidated Fire District, Penn Valley Fire District, Panorama Environmental Consultants, and Under the Trees Inc (Registered Professional Forester).
  WHAT: Ponderosa Project Town Hall
  WHEN: September 10, 2024, from 6-7:30 pm
  WHERE: Banner Grange, 12629 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley
  
  PROJECT DETAILS: The Ponderosa Project is a multi-phase initiative focused on mitigating hazardous vegetation on private property to reduce the risk of wildfire spread and improve evacuation routes for residents and access for first responders. Ponderosa Phase 1 Maintenance will cover 600 acres within the original project area, while Ponderosa Phase 2 will extend treatment to an additional 300 acres north of the initial site. This project aims to protect over 13,000 homes, as well as 7 churches, 12 bridges, 6 schools, 3 fire stations, 2 government buildings, and 4 emergency shelter locations. More information can be found here: https://readynevadacounty.org/3748/Ponderosa-West-Grass-Valley-Defense-Zone

• 🗓️ 9/4 - Smoke Readiness Webinar (time sensitive)  Smoke exposure from wildfires is an increasingly common public health hazard for communities throughout California. Knowing where to find accurate information and being prepared to act when smoke is in the air can help you protect yourself and your family. Join the Fire Network and colleagues from across California to learn more about the public health impacts of wildfire smoke, how to monitor Air Quality Index (AQI) and interpret AQI measurements, and low-cost, effective ways to protect yourself during smoke events. https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Home_430/Events

• Fuels and Vegetation Education Program Swanton Pacific Ranch's Fuels and Vegetation Education (FAVE) program educates professionals about wildfire fuel mitigation and vegetation management approaches with the goal of increasing the pace and scale of fuels and vegetation management to build a more sustainable and fire resilient landscape for every Californian https://spranch.calpoloy.edu/fuels.

• Personalized Fire Safety suggestions:  Meet with and talk to a trained Defensible Space Advisor at your home to learn what you can do to make your house and property more fire prepared. Contact the Fire Safe Council at 530 272-2211, defensible-space-advisory-visit-dsav or contact Lauren at 530 559-5460.  The service is free and has no regulatory authority

• Fire insurance changes in the industry are happening, but progress is slow. Below are a couple of resources that might be helpful. If you discover a way to get a discount or find a particularly helpful broker, please share the information with us.
  
  From Lisa Strange, Northern CA Outreach Manager
  Community Relations and Outreach Branch
  California Department of Insurance (916) 492-3608
  
  The CA Department of Insurance is working on the Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS) with the aim to finish our part by December 2024.  Under this Strategy, insurers agreed to write 85% of their book of business in wildfire distressed areas.  “Wildfire distressed areas” are places where wildfires are more likely to happen and it is hard for consumers to find insurance coverage except from the FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort. Distressed areas have three components: they are in parts of California where wildfire is a threat, where insurance companies have reduced or restricted writing policies, and where there is a high concentration of FAIR Plan policies. The Department has developed a statewide map showing where wildfire risk and FAIR Plan policies are concentrated. We just released the map with preliminary lists of zip codes and counties on June 13.  https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2024/release023-2024.cfm

• Top Ten Tips for Finding Residential Insurance https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/5-residential/Top10Tips_FindingResidentialIns.cfm

• To receive updates, sign up here to receive Consumer Alerts https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0102-alerts/index.cfm

• If folks who are having issues with their insurers (non-renewals, premium rate increases, difficulties with claims, etc) and would like the Department’s assistance, please have them complete a Request for Assistance through our website or call our toll free number.  Contact information is here: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm

• What does being Safer from Wildfire mean for my Insurance? https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/03-res/upload/FAQ-Safer-from-Wildfire-Regulation.pdf

• Sustainable Insurance Strategy https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/180-climate-change/SustainableInsuranceStrategy.cfm

• 🗓️ 9/17 - The Department of Insurance will hold a virtual public hearing to take input on the proposed regulation on September 17, 2024, at 10AM/PT. Written comments can be submitted to CDIRegulations@insurance.ca.gov

Thanks again for your continued support in keeping our community safe and resilient against wildfires!

Your 6B and Friends Firewise Committee: 
Lauren Drutz (530) 559-5460 • Lynn Forbes (415) 517-6940 • Roger Miller (304) 906-9843 • Allison Rapp (530) 559-4315 • Jim Richards (530) 913-1897 • Jason Rowe (415) 710-2454 • Stephen Senatore (650) 580-6816 • Jim Walters (530) 557-5240 • Fatih Yamamoto (530) 559-4291

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