Explosions!

Back in my day (and place), every town had sponsored firework displays on the 4th of July. Not so in Santa Cruz County. Scotts Valley has a show which is a big hit for families – and it was canceled last year, so you can bet it will be packed with onlookers this year. But, lets be frank… there are those that aren’t down with the SV crowd. You know who you are… you’re going down to the beach, aren’t ya?

Santa Barbara Fire Response: A volunteer’s perspective

One of our volunteers, Mr. Bill Fitler, just got back from working the wildfire relief down in Santa Barbara. Bill is a great volunteer and board member, he goes to almost every disaster and works in leadership roles at the shelters. AND, Bill does all of this with a relative calm. As you can imagine, this is a helpful trait to have during a disaster response.

During his time in Santa Barbara, Bill wrote this entry on his Facebook page. It’s an awesome look into the life of a Red Cross volunteer. Thanks for sharing, Bill!

Wildfire Awareness Week, May 3-9

Did you know that this week is Wildfire Awareness Week? After a rainy start, its hard to imagine that we’re heading straight into another Wildfire season, and that CAL FIRE is already ramping up their training.

2009 Hero Award Winners!

I am so excited to announce our 2009 Hero Award Winners! We can’t fit the whole story on our blog – so if you’d like to join us at or 2009 Heroes Breakfast – give us a call! 462-2881

Heroes: You have them, We want them.

Please help us honor our local heroes! Each year the Santa Cruz County Chapter calls for the community to nominate their heroes for our Annual Heroes Breakfast Awards. We are currently accepting nominations (ONLINE! ) and the deadline for nominations is April 10. Please share your hero’s story with us!

Another Dry Year?

While the heat wave last week was great for some mid-winter outdoor shenanigans, it is worrying those who keep a watchful eye on the water supply here in Santa Cruz County. The numbers are bleaker this year than during the 1977 drought, when Santa Cruz County received only 2.4 inches of rain.

Oh, Christmas Tree!

One of the most flammable parts of the Holiday Season has to be the Christmas Tree.  Out of curiosity, I searched for “Christmas Tree Fire” on YouTube this morning.  Here’s a selection of what I found:
The Difference between a Dry Christmas Tree and a Synthetic Christmas Tree

How fast can your Holiday [...]

Have a flame retardant holiday!

…the Holidays are not a fire-retardant time of year. Think about it: we hang electrical wires from dry trees and put paper underneath them while we light candles, make dinner for 70, and use the fireplace for the first time since last year…

Turkey Bombs and other Thanksgiving mishaps…

Ever wonder what can happen if you don’t cook your Turkey correctly? It might turn out dry… it’s true. Also, this might happen:

This Fourth of July, Think Beyond Fireworks

Chances are, you’re a little bummed about the fireworks ban and more than a little bummed about the cancellation of the big professional show in Scotts Valley.  This year is unfortunately exceptional; Santa Cruz County – once coined “asbestos county” because of its lack of wildfire - is exceptionally dry and prone to fire.  Any spark can start a fire [...]