May 24

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
June - USFS - CPR/First Aid - Graeagle
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Local News

Lamb Chops were on sale yesterday.
There was a fight at the Mohawk Tavern....imagine that. Not locals.
Buffalo Gnats are out in full force.
Mosquitos are also on the prowle.
Gas is .45 cents per gallon higher here than anywhere else in the county.


Memorial Day Week-end is here. There looks to be a record number of people in Graeagle. Most are polite. They are enjoying the mountains, the fishing, the golf. There are a few of them that should just go home. Yesterday, I chased two teen age boys from the meadow. They ignored the "No Trespassing" signs, crawled under two fences, and were actually chasing the horses. Not just walking up to them calmly....actually chasing them. Charging straight at them. Well.... I saddled up a quad runner and chased them back. They ran. (suprised?) I chased them through the RV park next door. They continued to run. I continued the chase. I think they actually thought they could get away. I caught up to them on the other side of the RV park. I explained... (very calmly and politely....ha ha!)... what the definition of "No Trespassing" was. They told me they thaught the fence was to keep the animals in the meadow. I told them the animals stay in the meadow just fine.... the fence was keep "animals" out of the meadow. I told them if they were caught in the meadow again, their whole family would be asked to leave Graeagle... never allowed back! One boy almost passed out when he heard that. I think the thought of getting in that kind of trouble was more than he could bare. By the time my little "lecture" was complete, they had little color left in their faces. There were beads of sweat on their foreheads. One boy's hands were actually shaking. They were saying "yes sir" to this.... "yes sir" to that... I drove away chuckling. I have not seen them since. The week-end is far from over.

Stay Safe.

d

ps. Toaka says.... "Look at those boys run....(howl!!)... this is funny! Thay'll never get away. No way. Hee Hee Hee....look at 'em go!"

May 17

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Local News

Happy Birthday to Tiffany!

Ate dinner at LongBoard's last night. Sean Conry sent an appetizer to our table. It was Ahi Tuna... raw... with avacado, ginger, teriyaki... oh my gosh was it good! Thanks Sean. I ordered a "Seafood Grill" for the main entree'. Seared Ahi Tuna, Grilled Sword Fish, Deep fried Scallops, with slices of Purple Potatoes, some sort of Aioli Sauce. I would highly reccommend this to anyone. Who would have thunk? Right here in Graeagle. You would have thought you were in a very fine seafood establishment in San Francisco. I do believe it was the best medly of seafood I have ever experienced. My hats off to Sean and his crew. Outstanding.

The weather has definately heated up. I saw a local themometer read 95 yesterday.

Sandhill Cranes are hanging out in the meadow. I think they may try to nest there this year. I have dug a bigger water hole, so they may be enticed to stay. It's kind of funny to watch the horses. They don't seem to mind the Cranes walking around in the meadow, but let the Geese pay a visit.... woo hoo!!... you would have thought Iran had sent in some bombers to land. Teddy stops his feet in an equine type tantrum. Hilton sees Teddy pitchin' a fit.... so "it must be bad"... "they must leave, right now". "They are going to eat all the grass". "We will starve". Cinder rolls his eyes in disgust. He knows the geese will never eat enough grass to jeopardize his grazing.

Have safe day.

d

ps. Toaka says... "Seafood Grill? Leftovers....where's the leftovers?"

May 16

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Local News

Played in golf tournament on Wednesday. We shot a 67..... still lost. I thought I was going to win a prize for being "closest to the cup"..... but I wasn't supposed to land on THAT green. I hadn't golfed in at least two years. I was able to keep up with the rest of my group.

There is a Memorial Day Weekend sale, at all the stores.

The video store is still for sale.

We were saddened by the loss of a dear pet....Bear. He lost his long battle with Congestive Heart Failure last Wednesday. Our prayers go out to Tiffany and Malcolm.

The Frosty is open for the season.... so is LongBoard's. I can't wait to see what Sean Conry has on his menu this year. It's always good.

Have a great day.

d

ps. Toaka says..."LongBoard's is open? Ohh..Ohh...Ohh...Can I go? Huh? Huh? Can I go?"

May 11

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Woo Hoo!! The diggin' is done!
3300+ feet of new water lines.

May 10

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Authorities in California's Santa Barbara County said a dramatic change in weather means most evacuees from the area of a major wildfire will be allowed to return home.

Cheers broke out Saturday as Sheriff Bill Brown announced that mandatory evacuation orders were being downgraded to evacuation warnings for the bulk of populated areas threatened by the fire since Tuesday.
The blaze, which has burned across more than 13 square miles, had burned 80 homes and forced 30,000 people to flee.

The evacuation orders are being lifted in stages over several hours to avoid traffic jams.

After days of torrid temperatures and ferocious wind, morning fog gave some relief Saturday to firefighters battling the wildfire that has burned 80 homes and forced 30,000 people to flee.

The 8,700-acre blaze was 30 percent contained, Santa Barbara County Deputy Fire Chief Chris Hahn said. Hahn warned, however, that the cooler weather may not last. "The weather tends to be a little fickle around here ... so our guard is up," he said at a morning news conference. City Fire Chief Andrew DiMizio said the wildfire remained a "sleeping giant" along its eastern flank.

Three fire fighters were burned the other day. One has been released from the hospital, the other two are being treated at Grossman Burn Center. Our prayers go out to them and their families.

It is very early in the year to be seeing fire behavior like this. More than ever, we need to keep our heads in the game when fighting fire. Think before you act. Always be alert. Situations can change very rapidly, not always for the better. Remember, even the most experienced fire fighter can get caught in a bad situation. Property and vegetation can be replaced, our lives cannot.

Stay Safe.

d

ps. Toaka says..."Mother's Day!!! That means Bear Claws are coming home from the bakery!! Wooo Hooo!!!"

May 6

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Report from South Ops at 18:00 LPF #001479 Jesusita Fire, Fire has burned approximately 200 acres in heavy brush with 0% containment. Incident is in Unified Command with LPF, SBC and STB Goleta/Santa Barbara. A CalFire IMT has been ordered.

Areas above San Roque and Mission Canyons Santa Barbara County CA. The fire is located in the unincorporated area at the end of San Roque Road, near northeast side of Santa Barbara City. Fire is bounded to the west by the Tea Fire and to the north by the Zaca Fire and the ocean to the south.

The fire has a potential for 5,000 acres and is bounded on the North by the Zaca Fire and the West on the Tea Fire.

This is the first one of the year. Let's all stay safe. It could be a very busy season.

Proper hand-washing techniques
Good hand-washing techniques include washing your hands with soap and water or. Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes can be just as effective as soap and water in cleaning your hands but aren't as good as alcohol-based sanitizers... soap and water is ultimately the best. Hand sanitizers and Antimicrobial wipes should not replace soap and water.

Antibacterial soaps have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, these soaps are no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soaps may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the products' antimicrobial agents — making it even harder to kill these germs in the future. In general, regular soap is fine. The combination of scrubbing your hands with soap — antibacterial or not — and rinsing them with water loosens and removes bacteria from your hands.

Proper hand washing with soap and water

Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:

Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap or use clean bar soap.

Lather well.

Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 20 to 30 seconds.

Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.

Rinse well.

Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.

Use a towel to turn off the faucet.

Have a great day.
d

ps. Toaka says..."Hand washing? Before you eat? I can't turn on the water...I don't have opposing thumbs. I'll just take my snack outside."

May 5

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle

Bienvenidos! Welcome! Cinco de Mayo or the Fifth of May commemorates the 1862 victory by Mexican forces, including ordinary citizens, over French soldiers. The battle known as La Batalla de Puebla or The Battle of Puebla took place on May 5th.

How to prevent illnesses in fire camp.

When should you wash your hands?
Although it's impossible to keep your bare hands germ-free, there are times when it's critical to wash your hands to limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.

Always wash your hands:

BEFORE going to the dining area
AFTER using the toilet
BEFORE and AFTER going to the medical unit
AFTER touching animals or animal waste
BEFORE and AFTER preparing or handling food
BEFORE eating
AFTER blowing your nose
AFTER coughing or sneezing into your hands
BEFORE and AFTER treating wounds or cuts
BEFORE and AFTER touching a sick or injured person
AFTER handling garbage
BEFORE inserting or removing contact lenses
AFTER using public restrooms, such as those in airports, train stations, bus stations and restaurants... and fire camp.

Washing your hands is most important activity you can do to help keep fire camp clean and virus free. Though it is impossible to eliminate all viruses, if we ALL do our part in proper hygiene, we can dramatically reduce viral infections.

Let's all try this.... if you are walking by a hand washing station in camp.... use it. Let's see if we can reduce the number viral infections we see.

Stay Safe... and clean.

d

ps. Toaka says... "Cinco De Mayo?.... WOOO! HOOO!... Maybe I'll get a burrito type snack!!"

May 4

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 AVAILABLE

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle


How to prevent illnesses in fire camp.

The dangers of not washing your hands
Despite the proven health benefits of hand washing, many people don't practice this habit as often as they should — even after using the toilet. Throughout the day you accumulate germs on your hands from a variety of sources, such as direct contact with people, contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If you don't wash your hands frequently enough, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. And you can spread these germs to others by touching them or by touching surfaces that they also touch, such as doorknobs.

Infectious diseases that are commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact include the common cold, flu and several gastrointestinal disorders, such as infectious diarrhea. While most people will get over a cold, the flu can be much more serious. Some people with the flu, particularly older adults and people with chronic medical problems, can develop pneumonia. The combination of the flu and pneumonia, in fact, is the eighth-leading cause of death among Americans.

Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to food-related illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 76 million Americans get a food-borne illness each year. Of these, about 5,000 die as a result of their illness. Others experience the annoying signs and symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

May 3

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 AVAILABLE

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
June - Live burn training - Graeagle


Still raining.

The weather service in Reno has issued a flood warning for Plumas County. We have had quite a bit of rain. The snow level is above 8000' , so the rain is also melting the snow pack.

I spent an entire day last week, watering the drive-way. The tractor dude said he wanted wet, so he could grade it. Well..... grade away. I think it is plenty wet now.

I have placed a link to CDC on the right side of this page. The CDC will post updates about the H1N1 flu. It does not seem to be as bad as we first thought. With all the hype though, we will be even more diligent with hygiene in fire camp this season. Most IMT's will support a zero tolerance policy. If you do not do your part at staying healthy, you may be sent home. There is talk of creating isolation areas in the medical unit to " quarantine" personnel who may have flu-like symptoms. I do not think a fire camp is the place to quarantine anybody. I think is a fire fighter comes into the medical unit, with flu symptoms, that fire fighter should immediately be sent to a hospital for testing. Remove that person from the camp, as soon as possible. Most medical personnel who work at fire camps are not trained to work in isolation environments, or with viral pandemics. Just the task of removing your contaminated PPE's takes special training. It is just too risky to quarantine anyone in a fire camp, for any length of time. Creating a separate treatment/holding area... until the patient can sent away... is more appropriate. MEDL's are going to have to include procedures in the med plan. They will have to contact the local health departments to find out what they want and how they want it done. I will post more on this topic as the information is shared with me.

Stay Safe.

d

ps. Toaka says..."Swine Flu?? OH NO!!! Does that mean.... NO MORE BACON??"

May 2

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 AVAILABLE

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 AVAILABLE

CLASSES and other events
May 18 - Plumas Hotshots - Quincy - CPR/Wilderness First Aid
May 2 - Annual Pack Test / Shelter Refresher
May 16 - S130 hands on portion of class


Rain.

Only one ditch left to fill in. Rain. Now I have a small pond.

By Doyle Rice and Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
Wildfire experts are predicting a fierce summer fire season, particularly in drought-stricken areas of the South and West.

At highest risk are parts of Florida, Texas, California and Washington, says the National Interagency Fire Center, which released its annual forecast Thursday.

"We are preparing for what could be a very busy fire season," says Rick Ochoa, the center's fire weather program manager.

The season is off to a scorching start. Nearly 32,000 wildfires have been reported since Jan. 1, charring 1.1 million acres. The average for that period is about 28,000 fires burning 822,000 acres.

Drought is one of the best predictors of wildfires. The U.S. Drought Monitor, made up of several federal agencies, said Thursday that the worst drought conditions are in three of the four most populous states: Texas, Florida, and California, where nearly 80 million people live.

This recent storm will certainly slow things a bit here in California, but it will also make the grasses grow.


Have a great day.
d


ps. Toaka says..."Rain.....a good day to stay inside, watch a movie...and eat a lot of snacks!"