Full Notification

NOVATO NEIGHBORHOODS CAN HELP SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY FROM WILDFIRE BY BECOMING FIREWISE!

The Firewise USA™ program has empowered neighbors to work together in reducing their wildfire risk. Join the growing network of more than 1400 recognized Firewise sites from across the nation taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire. Pacheco Valle and Marin Valley Mobile Country Club have recently become Novato's first Firewise Communities.

Using a five-step process, communities develop an action plan that guides their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live. Neighborhoods throughout the United States are embracing the benefits of becoming a recognized Firewise USA site – and you can too!

The five steps of becoming a Firewise neighborhood
• Obtain a wildfire risk assessment as a written document from your state forestry agency or fire department.
• Form a board or committee, and create an action plan based on the assessment.
• Conduct a “Firewise Day” event.
• Invest a minimum of $2 per capita in local Firewise actions for the year.
• Create a Firewise Portal account and submit an application to your state Firewise liaison.

Firewise Benefits:

1. Framework for Action
Meeting the criteria for becoming a Firewise Communities/USA site helps communities get organized and find direction for their wildfire safety efforts. Like the first rungs on a ladder, the criteria help get a community started toward annual, systematic action to reduce their risks from brush, grass and forest fires.

2. Learning About Wildfire
As people go through the Firewise process, they learn about wildfire risks in the community and the simple things they can do to reduce them. They connect with experts – local fire fighters, state forestry professionals, and national researchers – to continue to learn about fire and find resources to accomplish Firewise actions.

3. Peace of Mind
People who work with experts to learn about wildfire and take action start to see results quickly. Knowing that they are using the best information available and actually taking steps to reduce the risk of damage from fire helps people start to feel safer in their environment and in their homes. Having a plan for what to do in the event of a fire helps people become calmer and more prepared to act quickly.

4. Community-Building
As neighbors get together to do Firewise work, often meeting one another for the first time, they build a stronger bond with each other. Firewise activity can help rally people to a common cause for the good of the neighborhood. This strengthening of community ties can benefit residents in many ways, and is especially helpful during an emergency

5. Citizen Pride
While Firewise work can be fun, it isn’t always easy. Neighbors work very hard in Firewise communities to remove brush and debris, clean up common areas, and dispose of green waste. They are rightly proud when they achieve national recognition for their efforts.

6. Publicity
The national Firewise program provides communities with metal signs, a plaque and other materials that can be presented publicly to honor their status as a Firewise Communities/USA recognition site. These recognition ceremonies are great ways to shine the spotlight on community efforts. News media find this to be a great story to cover, and the national program features community stories regularly on the website and in its publications. All this publicity results not only in satisfaction for the residents involved, but also provides one more way to reach large numbers of people with information about wildfire safety.

7. Access to Funding and Assistance
Preference is sometimes given to Firewise Communities/USA sites over other candidates when allocations of grant money are made for wildfire safety or fuel mitigation. The reason is that there are invariably more requests than available funds when grants are available through state or federal agencies. If requests are equally worthy, some officials tend to have more confidence in communities that have demonstrated the foresight of becoming a recognized Firewise Communities/USA site.

8. USAA Provides Policyholder Discounts in Seven States:
• California - Policies effective on or after 10/1/2014
• Colorado - Policies effective on or after 5/30/2015
• Texas - Policies effective on or after 6/30/2015
• Arizona - Policies effective on or after 2/15/2016
• Oregon – Policies effective on or after 6/30/2016
• New Mexico - Policies effective on or after 1/1/2017
• Utah - Policies effective on or after 1/5/2017
For more information go to http://www.firewise.org/usa-recognition-program.aspx
Or contact:

Bill Tyler, Fire Marshal
Novato Fire District
415-878-2690