From Your  HBVFD Fire Chief My name is Todd Wright and I am your Chief for the Hawkins Bar Volunteer Fire Department.   I have called this area my home since 1969.  I was living out of the area after high school going to college and working and moved back to the area in 2005.  I'm very familiar with the area and know a lot of the people here.  I would like to thank Josh Schertzer for the year and a half he served as our Chief and for the time that he still commits as our Assistant Chief.  I would also like to thank our entire board for their time and effort in help making our department what it is today. HBVFD had a busy last year responding to about 50 total calls ranging from fire to medical and vehicle accidents.  We also, with the help of Salyer VFD and Willow Creek VFD, worked on the Corral Complex fire last summer serving as the crash/rescue crew at the  Helicopter Base.  This was a great experience for our department on so many levels, as well as generating some much needed funds for HBVFD.  Our volunteers have worked very hard over the past year training and preparing for what is shaping up to be one of the driest summers on record  after 3 years of draught.  All indications point to what could be an extremely  dangerous fire season.  I would urge our community to be proactive in the fire protection and prevention of their property.  Our department is actively driving into different areas of our coverage area. We are pre-assessing properties to become more familiar with water supplies, safe areas, and hazard areas.   The safety of our firefighters and our community is our top priority.  Given the heavily forested area we live in,  there are a lot of homes that we simply may  not able to defend. If anybody is interested in what we consider when protecting a property please feel free to contact us and we will come by and assess your property.  I would like to thank each and every member of our community for your continued support of our department. I would also like to emphasize  that we are always looking for volunteers to join our department, even if it is only on a temporary basis.  If you are interested in joining please feel free to contact myself at 629-2527 or Anita Freemantle at 629-2486. Again Thanks for your support, Todd Wright  HBVFD Fire Chief

FEMA/DHS Grant Awarded HBVFD The HBVFD was awarded a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in January of this year.  The approved project costs for a Type 4 Brush Attack/Rescue Truck (with fire and medical capabilities) is $106,220. The federal share will be 95 percent ($100,909) and HBVFD’s share will be the remaining 5 percent  ($ 5,311).  The award means that the goal to replace the 1973 Responder Van (used for all medical/accident calls) can become a reality.  This would not have been possible without the well written grant application by our fellow Villager Diana Lynn. Thank you Diana from the volunteers and the community they serve. HBVFD Assistant Fire Chief Gary Standley started the search for the Type 4 Truck in January.  Over 20 brokers and manufacturers were in negotiations for the vehicle over a period of 3 months.  Standley presented the firefighters with the top 5 best offers that met the department’s criteria.  The members were unanimous in their choice and the HBVFD Board approved the purchase in April. The journey had begun with a  search for a used truck and ended up with a new 2011 Ford F 550 that will be built meet the department’s unique needs. This will be the first brand new vehicle for the department.   Staying afloat financially has always been hard work for the HBVFD.  There are monthly bills for utilities (PG&E, water, telephone) and insurance for the Village Fire Hall, the Burnt Ranch Substation, and the Community Center (old Grange); insurance, fuel and vehicle upkeep for 6 vehicles ; firefighting gear, equipment and training; medical supplies and training; and State Compensation (which averages about $500 a month). The new truck will need to be retrofitted with medical equipment and an updated “jaws of life" ($15,000).  In addition, the department’s SCBAs (breathing apparatus for firefighters) are antiquated and need to be replaced. The bottom line is that the hard work isn’t over with the awarding of the FEMA/DHS grant. Stage two requires paperwork documentation (currently filling two large binders) that will continue into 2011.  The paperwork is minor compared to the on going and ever increasing  need for the HBVFD to raise money to provide protection for those who live, vacation, or travel through their over 150 square miles of responsibility.  The 12 department members responded to 78 (71 medical and 7 fire) calls in 2009.  Unlike the Salyer and Willow Creek volunteer departments, Hawkins Bar VFD receives no tax revenue..   Last year the HBVFD did receive money for sending a strike team to help with the Coffin Fire near Lewiston.  However, the majority of the department’s income comes from donations (HBVFD POB 485 Salyer, CA 95563) and fund-raisers such as bake sales, rummage sales, breakfasts, raffles, rental of the Hawkins Bar Community Center, and the annual Burton Pickle Walk-Run.   The HBVFD wishes to thank the community members who support the department by their donations of money and / or their time.  Volunteers to be firefighters, first responders, EMTs, grant writers, fundraisers, etc. are always welcomed.  Volunteers achieve a sense of self satisfaction and pride in serving their community.  Call 629-2415 to volunteer.  Training is every Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Village Fire Hall.  HBVFD Board meetings are the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Fire Hall.

Hawkins Bar Volunteer Fire Department Appoints New Chief  The HBVFD board is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Packard as Chief and Gary Standley as the Assistant Chief.  Chief Packard is a retired firefighter with 31 years of experience.  He was a captain for 13 years and is a structure and wildland Firefighter I, with ARFF, oil school, Fire Service Instructor, Swift Water Rescue II, pump operator, and driver operator training qualifications. The department consists of 2 dispatchers and 12 firefighters.  Amongst the crew there are  2 certified EMTs, 4 First Responders, and 6 qualified Class B drivers to drive the larger fire trucks.  All members are CPR /First Aid certified. In addition, many  of the firefighters are qualified to go on strike teams for wildland fires.  Last fire season 3 members worked on the Hells Half Complex with the water tender for 5 days.   The main fire hall is located in Trinity Village and houses the responder van (for medical/accident calls), the water tender, the “old white” engine (which is for sale), and the newly acquired OES engine in which can hold 6 firefighters.  The substation is located in Burnt Ranch and houses an air van (used to fill oxygen tanks), the “brush/quick attack” red engine, and the “big red” engine in which 3 firefighters can ride. In 2008 the HBVFD attended to 78 calls. They were as follow: 3  False Alarms/Good Intent Calls 3  Vehicle Fires 12 Vegetation Fires   (a total of 33 acres) 3   Vehicle Extrications 2   Other Rescues           44  Service Calls 4 Other Calls and Incidents  In addition to the above, the department averages 5 mutual aid calls (requests for help) from other districts ( i.e. Salyer, Down River VFDs) in times of emergency.  The HBVFD in return averages 4 times a year to request help (mutual aid) from the other districts. The HBVFD district of responsibility covers 156 square miles from the Salyer Rest Stop along both sides of 299 to Del Loma, including Denny.  In addition to the near  600 residents in the area, there are thousands a year who drive through or spend vacation time here.  The department takes pride in their efforts to help and protect everyone here and appreciates the support of the community it serves.

HBVFD's New Engine (photo by N. Standley) HBVFD Purchases An Updated Engine from OES The HBVFD is not tax based. It costs thousands of dollars a year just to cover its general operations. Over the past 10 years, the HBVFD has held numerous fundraisers (breakfasts, bake sales, barbecues, rummage sales, etc.). The department also earned money by fighting wildfires such as the Megram Fire in 1999. In addition, residents in the community have given annual contributions to help support the department and their goal to purchase a newer engine. The department has received some grants in the past, but none were for the purchase of an engine. The HBVFD opened in 1988 with a 1959 engine as their pride and joy. The '59 "white" engine is a true classic and always brought forth a lot of second looks on the fire lines. In September 2008, Chief Helen Pelligrini announced that it was time to say goodbye to the 50 year old and welcome to a 20 year old. The HBVFD purchased their "younger" 1989 engine from the Office of Emergency Services. The engine holds 750 gallons and has a 1,250 gallon per minute pump. The engine also came fully loaded with hose, nozzles, float pumps, ladders, and a monitor gun. The new engine "4122" will be located at the the Hawkins Bar (Trinity Village) main station and the big red engine "4121" will be located at the sub station in Burnt Ranch. The 1959 classic fire engine is now for sale. Fundraiser efforts will continue with a goal to purchase a new Responder vehicle for the department. The Responder is the busiest vehicle for the HBVFD since a majority of their calls are for medical assists (i.e. vehicle accidents and residents' medical issues). It can take 45 minutes for an ambulance to respond from the Hoopa base or nearly a half of an hour if dispatched from Willow Creek. Depending of the location of the medical call, the HBVFD can be on scene of the emergency within 5-10 minutes due to the location of both stations. The department wishes to thank the community for all of its support which has enabled them to acquire the newer engine and to continue protecting and serving the emergency needs its residents.

The Very Active Hawkins Bar Volunteer Fire Department   The Hawkins Bar Volunteer Fire Department's area of responsibility reaches from the Salyer Rest Stop to Del Loma, including Denny. The HBVFD responded to 59 medical calls and 11 fire calls in 2007. Their "Strike Team" was called out to three wildland fire incidents as part of the Trinity County Engine Strike Team. The department provides fire protection and medical aid within a few minutes of your home and family. Currently there are 10 responders (which includes a certified EMT) and 2 dispatchers serving numerous volunteer hours for the good of the community. New volunteers for emergency 911 responses are always needed. Emergency response training is held each Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Fire Hall located in the Village on Trinity Court off Hawkins Bar Road. The first and third Thursdays are for medical training and the second and the fourth Thursdays are for fire training. Board meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the West Trinity Community Safety Center (the old Grange Hall). Everyone is welcome to attend and participate. The HBVFD continues it's fundraising activities in hope of getting a new roof for the Fire Hall. Still on their "wish list" is a new responder vehicle which is the hardest working emergency vehicle in the department. It transports all of the emergency equipment, gear, and the volunteer responders to their calls. Fundraising activities (the breakfasts on the 1st Sunday of each month, the Burton Pickle Memorial 5k Walk-Run, barbecues, etc.) and contributions from the community help keep the department going. The HBVFD receives no government funding and relies solely on fundraisers and the generosity of the community members' donations. The department thanks you for your support of their life and property saving efforts, and for helping them meet their expenses for supplies, PG&E, water, structure insurance, fuel, insurance and maintenance of all six department vehicles ( the Responder, the Water Tender, the Big Red Engine here in the Village, the Air Van, and the two Burnt Ranch Engines), and State Fund Liability Insurance. Remember another way to help support the department is to join the volunteers!

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	Burning Trash Remember the good old days when it was still Ok to burn your trash? A generation ago, burning trash was not dangerous. But now, with so much plastic and other new materials in our daily lives, burning refuse puts your family's and neighbor's health at risk. Burning plastic is especially harmful since it releases toxic chemicals such as lead and cadmium, dioxins and furans, which are perhaps the most toxic synthetic chemicals on the planet, and in small quantities can be extremely harmful. A recent study found that residential trash burning from a single home could release more dioxin into the air than a controlled industrial incinerator. People exposed to this smoke often experience eye and nose irritation, breathing difficulty, coughing, and headaches. People with heart disease, asthma, emphysema, or other respiratory diseases are especially sensitive. Burning trash has also been associated with increasing rates of asthma, heart disease, stroke and lung damage, cancer, birth defects, and learning disabilities. On January 1st, 2004, a new rule restricting all burning of household waste was put into effect by the California Air Resource Board. It Is Illegal And Dangerous To Burn The Following Materials: Plastic Tires Asphalt shingles Cloth or upholstery Tar paper Vehicle parts Rubber Linoleum Carpeting Diapers Motor oil Pressure treated wood Creosote treated wood Any Other Household Trash Dioxins and Furans Released by Burning