In attendance: Marsha Porter-Norton, Carolyn Hunter, Harry Bruell, Kristie Borchers, Nicole Smith, Dan Ochocki, Laurie Robison, Susan Bryson, Ben Cordova, Dave Abercrombie, Chas Carmichael, Ron Tyner, Dan Noonan, and Mike Kane Jr.

1)Introductions, last month’s meeting notes approved.

2)Ruidoso forester, visit to area: The council discussed having a Ruidoso forester come and make a community presentation. We had discussed doing this as an October/November event. We decided to put it off and possibly plan it as a fire month activity (April 05). Action: Perhaps Pam Wilson may coordinate?

3)“Fire Council Recognition” or designation: A committee was formed last meeting to identify steps that subdivisions may take to become “firewise.” The committee has not met yet. Those on the committee include Kristie, Pam, Ron, Ted Talmon, a Colorado State Forest Service rep, and a representative from a Homeowner’s Association. Action: Let’s meet prior to the next Council meeting, like sometime the first week of October?

4)Fire Council rep to November workshop in Denver: Possibly Joy and Mike Kane Jr. are interested in attending this workshop. Dan O. said that CSFS could provide funding for the registration fees for 1 person, possibly 2. Joy and Mike would represent the council at this workshop. Action: Final approval for funding, identify who is going and register for workshop ASAP. Gather Council materials for attendees.

5)Ambassador Update: The ambassador program subcommittee met before this meeting (see notes attached at the end of this document). They identified roles of the subdivision ambassadors, recruitment strategies, and the orientation. Roles will include a) commit to orientation, b) planning one fire-month activity, c) primary contact in case of fire, d) they will sign a “job agreement/description. They will make a one-year commitment, get a t-shirt and participate in a year-end recognition party. Orientation will tentatively be on December 13. Action: Review Ambassador writeups, send any potential names to Marsha. Find funding for program.

6)Grants, Grants, Grants
a.CSFS Grant – Junior Forester (outstanding)
b.CSFS Grant – Presentations (received, need to do project planning, October meeting?) Dan Noonan has a power point that could be a basis for a dog and pony show firewise presentation, Dan will forward program on and potentially give the program at a later meeting).
c.Beetle Insert – In fabrication, out this Sunday, September 26.
d.Potential funding from National Fire Plan – no funding available, distributed writeup given to Mike Preston.
e.Fire Safety Grant – Southwest Youth Corps and Fire Council; asking for appx $225,000 or more for various projects/programs. Handout was given out outlining the bullet points of this grant. Deadline 9/27/04.

7) Beetle-outlook – Chas Carmichael from the Colorado State Forest Service gave a synopsis of beetle activity in the region. Overall, he thinks that we are there is about the same level of beetle-activity, but that the species of beetles have changed. Some beetles are beginning to emerge as more of a problem. In the last half of the summer, the ips has decreased, the western pine beetle seems to be about the same population size. The pine engraver beetles have increased and are now attacking smaller ponderosa (jack straw) pines. Chas went out on a limb to say that the twig beetles are increasing (ha, ha, get the pun? just seeing if you are reading) significantly in the pinyon. In higher elevations, the fir engraver beetles are on the increase, as well as spruce beetle and spruce ips. Chas isn’t sure if he’s just receiving more calls from certain geographical areas which affects his perspective of what is happening. An early frost won’t send a beetle to dormancy, but daily temperatures of less than 50 degrees average will. The rain and moisture provides needed moisture to trees, which improves health and vigor – especially in thinned areas. So, the rain indirectly affects beetle populations as a healthy tree has an easier time fending off a beetle attack. Disclaimer for this writeup, Chas talks pretty fast!

8) Discussion on proposed standards. . . . . . . concerns have been raised about the watered-down version of the latest draft of the proposed fire standards. Dan Noonan is formulating his response to the draft, he will respond to the chief, and also communicate the concerns of this Council. Dan will try to get a representative from the group writing the standards to attend our October meeting. Action: We should prepare a list of questions before the next meeting. Obviously, we should be nonconfrontational. Discussion about incoming political candidates, how they feel about the proposed standards. Suggestion was made to find out when the HomeBuilder’s Candidate Forum was and put plants in the audience to find out stances. Action: Carolyn will find out when it is scheduled.

Information off of flipcharts will be brought to planning meeting – maybe October??

Next Meeting: October 19, 2004

Thanks for all the great food! What a nice night. Have a great month.

Firewise Ambassador Program

Outcomes of Ambassador Meeting, 9/21/04, Timeline, Ideas on Their Tasks
Next meeting: 10/12 at 4:00 PM at Katchina Kitchen

Present: Susan Bryson, Nicole Smith, Dan Ochocki, Harry Bruell (sp?), Marsha Porter-Norton, Laurie Robison, representatives from Elk Springs in Montezuma County - Mr. and Mrs. Philip Waters, and Mike Kane Jr.
1)The timeline below was agreed to with some revisions.

2)By 9/30, Marsha will prepare a list of potential Ambassadors using all past lists (e.g. CSFS contacts), and Firewise meeting and 4/03 conference attendees, etc. Everyone agreed to take three folks to call and try to recruit them. Marsha will prepare talking points. This list will go out by the end of September. We’ll try for 20-30 Ambassadors across the region. If we get more, that’s good.

3)In early November, letters/emails will go to all HOAs and subdivisions we can think of in the region plus we’ll do the personal calling prior.

4)Training/orientation will be held 2nd week of December (tentative: Monday, 12/13 at the San Juan Public Lands Center). Laurie or Nicole, can you schedule the room?

5)Ambassadors will be asked to do four things: a) attending orientation; b) be contact in case of a fire for the fire fighters (Laurie, Pam and Allen will work on what this responsibilities this would entail); c) link to Firewise (e.g. be on email tree and/or attend meetings – don’t have to be members but need to link); and d) plan something in their neighborhood for April 2005 Fire Month.

6)We currently have no money to do this. Harry and Kristie are writing a grant to FEMA that could help with resources.

7)Training/orientation will be two hours and will consist of: a) .15 minutes on fire in SW Colorado; b) what their roles/responsibilities are; c) signing commitment form; d) chain of command when a fire happens; e) resource library of all fire information they can access; f) more specifics on Fire Month and what they could do with timelines; and g) some sharing of what the Ambassadors’ subdivisions are already doing. Everyone will get a notebook with materials.

8)A list will be prepared of other things they can do (beyond the basics) if the choose to. Marsha will prepare this after doing a through search of programs across the country on the internet.

9)Ambassadors can job share with another person who lives in their subdivision.

10)Need to make sure the Ambassadors get the buy-in from their HOA (if they have an HOA) so they aren’t doing this outside of their subdivision governance.

11)SJMA will advertise in their next newsletter.

12)Training/orientation will be held in Durango for Montezuma and La Plata County Ambassadors. We may do one in Archuleta County if there is enough interest.

13)If the FEMA grant is funded, we may get staff help through Southwest Youth Corps plus some supply funding. Otherwise, we’ll have to scrounge for money.

14)Suggestion made to include incentive grants in FEMA for Ambassadors getting things done (e.g. $50 for food; $100 for printing, etc.)

15)The Ambassadors would not do home inspections nor any type of technical assistance or education.

Ambassador Program Timeline
September 2004
initial meeting
decision on what ambassadors will do or the model
assignment of team to design “training” session
decision on scope of project and which subdivisions to target
determine where program will be “housed” and if money is needed

October
get finalized “model” figured out (e.g. what ambassadors will do and how)
recruitment of actual ambassadors
start designing “training” session
make sure Firewise Council is on board
get state and federal agencies, and fire dept’s on board (MOUs?)
start to plan December “training”

November
recruitment and finalizing of actual ambassadors
plan “training” and recruit speakers

December
“Training” held (Monday, 12/13)
ambassadors start to plan their Fire Month activities

January 2005
ambassadors plan their Fire Month activities

February
ambassadors finalize their Fire Month activities

March
ambassadors get ready for Fire Month

April
Fire Month activities happen

May
Fire Month activities happen
ambassadors prepped for “fire season” TO DO list
June, July , August

Fall -- recognition and thank you occasion held – decision on next steps

Ideas on WHAT the Volunteers Would Actually Do:

1) Host events during Fire Month in their subdivision to hand out literature and do basic education, working closely with key leaders and partners, and the fire departments.

2) Go door to door during April (or some other month) handing out door hangers and giving general wildfire and emergency preparedness information.

3) Invite professionals and county personnel to the community/subdivision to do education (e.g. CSFS) – the ambassadors would do all the leg work such as finding a location, publicity, getting refreshments, etc.

4) Act as key contacts in the case of a wildfire helping with information displays, etc.

5) Ensure that their subdivision has literature such as the contractor list, CSFS brochures, etc.

6) Assist the fire department in educating residents about access.

7) Organize a slash burning and/or disposal and/or chipping day with help/assistance from the local fire department.

8) Educate residents on upcoming controlled burns or federal mitigation.

9) Work with the Red Cross on any efforts they are undertaking around disaster preparedness.

10) Implement identified education tasks (i.e. – the Fire Council essentially sets messages and provides ideas, implementation that is then done by volunteer. Some sort of rhyme/reason to the list of tasks – identified by Council on a yearly basis or something).

The ideas for what these volunteer could do are endless.