As with many small country communities, originally, Deerhorn Valley community created its own volunteer fire department. It raised funds for equipment and relied on community volunteers to train and offer fire and emergency services. From this tradition, our fire volunteers, and today's professionals, have held a top place of honor in our community. Though in preceding years, the Rural Fire Protection District has taken control of the station's operation, our support for our long-respected volunteers, some of them our friends and neighbors, is still top priority to us.

This page, Station #37, is for on-going, sharing dialog between our community and our Fire Department personel.

Here we will meet DV Fire Fighters and Medical Aid Professionals. we will introduce them, have their pictures, tell of their training and qualifications to establish an open, supporting dialog between them and our community. If you have any fire/emergency services questions or items that you would like to present for our Station personel, send them to us. We'll post the interchange here for everyone to see. Kim & Rob

INTRODUCING OUR DEERHORN VALLEY FIREFIGHTERS

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[From Battalion Chief John Kremensky] SDR Station 37, Deerhorn Valley, has two new Station mangers Greg Gorton and Kurt Bidinger. The past Station Mangers have asked to step down due to personnel commitments that just wouldn't allow the required time needed to serve in the position.  Both Lars Sandvig and Dan Lounsbury have served the Department well in the past year and we thank them for all their hard work and efforts. We are happy to know they will continue to volunteer as Driver operators at the station. In their place,we have promoted two gentleman that have the desired qualities required of a Station manager. It was also helpful to us that Dan and Lars recommended them for the job.

Please join us as we congratulate our new station managers.

Greg Gorton is a resident of Jamul. He is a Volunteer/Reserve SDCFA/SDR Driver/Operator, and Station Manager for Deerhorn Fire Station 37. Greg has been a Volunteer/Reserve Firefighter EMT-B with SDR for approximately two years, and is working toward a goal of being hired as a  career  firefighter. Greg worked as a EMT/FTO at a private ambulance company for approximately one year. He has future aspirations of becoming a full-time paid Firefighter-Paramedic. Greg loves the outdoors, to train hard and is looking forward to continuing to serve the community of Deerhorn Valley.

Kurt Bidinger comes to us from Rancho Peñasquitos where he lives with his wife and two dogs. He is a father of five grown children, two of which serve as SDCFA/SDR Firefighters. Kurt is a full-time firefighter for the Orange County Fire Authority where he has served for the past 22 years. A graduate of Long Beach State, Kurt holds a Bachelors degree in Vocational Education and is on staff at several area fire technology colleges. His love for the outdoors and sense of community is what brings him to Deerhorn. “It’s the opportunity to serve with a group of young motivated people who are eager to learn and willing to help.” Kurt hopes to increase the level of training for  Deerhorn  Firefighters by providing increased training and educational opportunities.

THANKS, AND A TIP OF THE OL' HAT TO THE DEERHORN VALLEY FIRE / RESCUE PERSONNEL

Emergency Response Calls

STATION #37 DEERHORN VALLEY

Thank you to Chief Kremensky for providing this information, and thank you to all our Firefighter.EMT's at Station #37 for being there when people need help.

JANUARY 2010

1/2/10 – 1:58 PM Traffic Collision – Highway 94 – San Diego Rural Engine 7317 Deerhorn Valley, SDR Engine 7316 Jamul, Cal Fire Engine 3363 Lyons Valley, American Medical Response Paramedic Ambulance 66

1/4/10 – 8:45 PM Medical Aid for Chest Pain – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317 Deerhorn Valley, CF Engine 3353 Lyons Valley, AMR M66

1/6/10 – 5:30 PM Medical Aid for a Diabetic – Lawson Valley – SDR Engine 7317 Deerhorn Valley, CF Engine 3353 Lyons Valley, AMR M66.

1/6/10 – 9:02 PM Structure Fire – Potrero – SDR Water Tender 7357 Deerhorn Valley, CF Battalion Chief 7202, CF Engine 3373 Potrero, Campo Volunteer Engine 7416 Campo, CF Engine 3364 Campo, SDR Engine 7412 Lake Morena

1/9/10 – 10:28 AM Motorcycle Down – Lyons Valley – SDR Engine 7317 Deerhorn Valley, SDR Engine 7316 Jamul, CF Engine 3353 Lyons Valley, AMR M86

1/9/10 – 12:05 PM Medical Aid for Nausea/Weakness – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317 Deerhorn Valley, CF Engine 3353, Sycuan Paramedic Ambulance 6391

1/16/10 – 11:22 AM Traffic Collision – Highway 94 – SDR Engine 7317, SDR Engine 7316, CF Engine 3363, AMR M66.

1/17/10 – 10:10 AM Motorcycle Down – Highway 94 – SDR Engine 7317, SDR Engine 7316, CF Engine 3363, AMR M66

1/17/10 – 12:30 AM Debris Fire –Deerhorn Valley SDR Engine 7317.

1/21/10 – 12:45 PM Residential Flooding – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317

1/21/10 – 1:40 PM Roadway Flooding with Car Trapped – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317, CF Battalion Chief 3313.

1/22/10 – 8:35 AM Traffic Collision – Jamul – SDR Engine 7317, SDR Engine 7316, AMR M66

1/25/10 – 9:48 AM Medical Aid – Jamul – SDR Engine 7317, SDR Engine 7316, AMR M66.

1/26/10 – 7:35 AM Medical Aid for Difficulty Breathing – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317, CF Engine 3353, AMR M66.

1/31/10 – 9:14 AM Medical Aid for Altered Mental Status – Deerhorn Valley – SDR Engine 7317, CF Engine 3353, AMR M66.

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new couches for the Fire Station

We have two new Lazy-Boy-style couches in the community room of the fire station. Thumbs up came from CSZ-meeting attendees, and two firefighters.

Battalion Chief, John Kremensky, dropped a note to announce that the new furniture came from a grant that Jerome's furniture provided.

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ABOUT OUR FIRE DISTRICT (BATTALION)

[A letter from our Battalion Chief, John Kremensky]

Through the cooperation with the County of San Diego (SD Co.), San Diego Rural Fire Protection District (SDR), San Diego County Fire Authority ( SDCFA) and CAL FIRE (CF) Battalion 3 is responsible for ten Fire Department facilities, which include 7 Fire Stations, 3 apparatus garages, Apparatus, Equipment, and Personnel. There is a combination of both Career and Volunteer staff. In addition, we maintain cooperative efforts with Federal, State, Local, and Private Agencies in order to provide the most effective fire protection to citizens we serve.

Administrative Summary: Currently, SDR has 25 Career and 104 volunteer personnel. All CF employee’s are administered utilizing CF policies, procedures, and Memorandum of Understanding (Mou). The Volunteer staff are administered and managed by SDR. The Current contract between SDR and the county of San Diego reads SDR will maintain this role. An updated Volunteer policy and procedures manual was implemented in October, 2009 and is being utilized in conjunction with both SDCFA and CAL FIRE policies to ensure proper administration of the volunteers. The past SDR reserve program was absorbed into the SDCFA volunteer program. With this combination force of personnel, SDR has provided 100% coverage at its 4 career stations in the communities of Otay (22), Jamul (36), Lake Morena (42), and Descanso (45). At the same time, there has been continual increasing coverage at the volunteer stations in the communities of Harbison Canyon (24), Dehesa (25), and Deerhorn Valley (37).

Operational Summary: Safety is always the number one priority for Firefighters. Written expectations highlighting this fact are provided to all firefighters within the battalion. Safety goals involve protection of life and physical well-being of employees, the public and property. This is accomplished in several different ways. First, by the use of Injury Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) that has been established at each facility. In the past year, we have identified several potential work hazards and have been able to eliminate most, but not all, due to budgetary constraints. Unfortunately, accidents have occurred and we have had to utilize the workers compensation process to treat injured employees. Overall there has been an increase in safe employee attitude and behavior. Enforcement of department Health and physical fitness guidelines has helped accomplish this.

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The second area of safety has been placed on Apparatus and Equipment. A standardized procedure has been implemented to ensure all apparatus and equipment meet current mandates, are operating properly, and are being maintained to policy. Lastly, training has been focused on to ensure the safety is complete. All personnel have been provided training to meet current mandates and Standards required in the fire service. Courses in Rope Rescue, Auto extrication and Confined space rescue continue to be given; as well as, classes in driver operations and Incident Command. Stations get together and complete weekly multi company training drills both during the day and sometimes at night to ensure ongoing proficiency. A new computer based training tool, Target Safety, was added in July for volunteers to use. It has proved to be effective and worth the investment. Target safety allows for continual training on various topics and allows for more effective assessment to ensure training mandates are being met by all personnel. Although it consumes much of our time, Training is probably the most significant process that keeps people safe both in the workplace and on emergency incidents. Because of this, Battalion 3 spends a large portion of time training.

Prevention summary: There is a high success rate of establishing defensible space in the majority of homes in the battalion. This is a result of several programs. Between 4 stations over 1,200 structure, premises, and power pole inspections were completed. In addition, approximately 425 burn permits were issued. During these inspections crew educated citizens to the process of defensible space and the benefits it provides. We also educated citizens through our community outreach presentations of, “Ready, Set, Go”, Defensible space, and “Before, during, and after a wildland fire”. These sessions covered not only defensible space, but also Building standards and materials, fire safe landscaping, and evacuation concerns. These were given throughout the year to the communities where we also had chance to hear concerns from the citizens. We have 3 FIRESAFE Councils, Potrero, Dulzura, and Outer Jamul which we gave presentations to as well. Working together with the councils, we were able to ensure priorities on education, fuels management and reduction through defensible space, and sign markings of both streets and address. The FIRESAFE councils were able to secure funding through grants one which was approximately $165,000 which also was being used for fuels modification to roadways for safe access.

Forest Management: Even though the Harris Fire 2007 consumed most of the mature fuels in the battalion there is still a considerable amount on the north side. We are targeting areas such as this, that have the most potential for major damage for application of the pre-fire program. The area of land that last burned in the 1970 Laguna Fire lies south of Highway 8 and north of Skyline truck trail. It consists of 40 year old fuel, and endangers the communities of Japatul, Carveacre, Lawson Valley, Lyons Valley, Lee Valley, Jamul and Rancho San Diego. We have begun a preplan of the area with the US forest service in which we have developed initial maps of the area, discussed a common plan of action and trigger points for evacuations, should a major fire start. The efforts in this area continue while at the same time we place efforts into the CF, SD Fire plan. Working with CF pre-fire, we have established smaller projects which include such things as chipping, hand clearing through Defensible space and FIRSAFE projects. Pile burning by way of issuance of burn permits. Small LE-7 burns and community fuel breaks have taken place along highway 94 at the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve and in cooperation with the USFS near Carveacre. A evaluation of pre-existing evacuation routes and truck trails has been conducted and recommendations of been given to pre-fire mangers of which are in need of maintenance. The Rural 94 Community Wildfire Preplan (CWPP) committee comprised of representatives from Federal, State, Local government agencies along with local FIRESAFE Councils and other community groups has been successful in the development and implantation of a CWPP for the communities within the Battalion. The Community Wildfire Protection Plan addresses issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, structure protection, and evacuation. These Forest management efforts play a key role in improving public and firefighter safety.

Cooperative efforts: The battalion works with a wide Variety of agencies and participates in many committees, FIRESAFE councils, Highway 94 CWPP, and the USFS are a few. We also are a part of the Border management task Force. It is committee comprised of various agencies; BLM, US Border Patrol, CF, US forest service, US Fish & Wildlife, Ca. Fish & Game, Ca. State Parks, US Department of Interior, San Diego City, and SDR. The purpose of this inter-agency forum is to identify, discuss and resolve border related issues on public lands along the international border in California to include environmental impacts of cross border traffic, access and infrastructure issues and public/employee safety concerns. In addition, there are local community groups at each of the volunteer stations we interact with. Each of the volunteer stations has a Community service zone group who assist in the management of tax assessment funds. The CSZ meets once monthly. There are Auxiliary committees that hold fundraisers to support the volunteer firefighters. The most common events are pancake breakfasts and deep pit BBQ’s. Staying active helps to increase relations and keep all informed of our efforts to continually enhance fire protection within the battalion.

2009 Successes:

• Updated Volunteer Policies/Procedures manual

 

• Development and utilization of staffing plan

 

• Increased Volunteer staffing levels

 

• Improved Safety and training program, ensuring mandates and standards are met

 

• Target Safety program

 

• Grant funding from American Red Cross to purchase firefighter tools and equipment

 

• $20,000 Deerhorn Valley and $3,000 Fire Etc. gift for each volunteer station.

 

• FIRESAFE Grant funding to support Pre-Fire Planning efforts

 

• Rural 94 Community Wildfire Preplan (CWPP)

 

• Community education presentations, “Ready, Set, Go” and Defensible space.

Thank you, and a tip o' the hat to Battalion Chief John Kremensky