July 2009
I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all parties involved with the budget process for fiscal year 2009-2010. This year’s process showed what can be accomplished when all parties work together with a common goal while representing their respective groups needs.
The Garden Valley Fire Protection District was instrumental in the organization and management of this years July 4 parade and festivities. Wes Norman and Charles Frost along with volunteers and staff showed once again to the Garden Valley community the professionalism and spirit of the Department. A special thanks to Dave Souza for representing the District with his horse drawn “Fire Wagon”
Mike Braziel has been promoted to the position of Fire Engineer. Eng. Braziel has lived in Garden Valley since the first grade and graduated from Golden Sierra High School in 2004 where he completed the Fire Technology ROP program. Eng Braziel worked two seasons with the USFS fire program and has been a member of the GVFPD since 2005. Eng Braziel worked full time as a seasonal employee of the District in 2007 and has worked full time for the District since April 2008 as the “A” shift driver-operator.
The Garden Valley Fire Protection District hosted a 4 hour Hazardous Material First Responder refresher course on Saturday June 27, 2009. Fire Chief Bob Gill from the Pioneer Fire District was the guest instructor for this highly informative program.
Acting Captain Charles Frost completed the 40 hour California State Fire Marshal’s I-300, Intermediate Incident Command course that was sponsored by the Diamond Springs Fire District. This is one of the 10 required courses for the State Certified Fire Officer certification that all future GVFPD captains will be required to get as a condition of their appointment to that position.
Captain Jeff Burch, President of the Garden Valley Professional Firefighters Local 4691 attended the Western International Association of Firefighters annual conference in Reno Nevada on June 23-24.
The Garden Valley Fire Protection District will be working in concert with Cal Fire at a wildland live fire training exercise at the Bacchi Ranch in the Prospector Road area of Garden Valley the week of July 17-21, 2009. This hands on program will introduce realistic wildland training to the five new volunteers and serve as a refresher for District personnel. If any Board member would like to come out and observe the exercise on July 18, please contact me.
All Risk Team activity has been real slow with only two personnel receiving fire assignments out of District to date. Fire activity within the District also has been very slow with only a handful of small easily controlled fires being responded to.
Respectfully submitted,
Fire Chief Bill Dekker
