Firewise USA Workshop for Neighborhood Leaders

Friday, March 8, 2019 from 9am-11am, Fire Safe Marin will host a community workshop to help Marin neighborhoods organize to achieve Firewise USA® recognition. Learn about the benefits and challenges of the Firewise USA® program and how it might fit for your for your neighborhood, while preparing a plan to help your community survive a wildfire. We’ll have representatives on-hand from every Marin fire department, land management agencies like MMWD and Open Space, PG&E, and others to help you understand Marin’s wildfire risk and develop a neighborhood-scale plan to address the risk. The NFPA’s Firewise USA® program is a process that empowers neighbors to work together in reducing their wildfire risk. Join the growing network of more than 1,500 recognized Firewise USA® sites/communities (including 30 neighborhoods in Marin, more than any other county in California!) taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire.

This seminar is intended for neighborhood leaders interested in organizing a Firewise effort in their community – it’s not a class for individual homeowners looking for wildfire safety tips. Look for homeowner preparedness classes beginning spring 2019 at www.firesafemarin.org!

Parking is VERY limited – please carpool! Classroom presentation: 9:00am – 11:00am; Q&A and meet with local agencies: 11:00am – 12:00pm.

Please download and share the flyer!

MARIN FIREWISE WORKSHOP 2019

DATE & TIME 
Friday, March 8, 2018 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

LOCATION 
Marin Valley Community Center 
100 Marin Valley Dr Novato, CA 94949

PARKING 
Parking is VERY limited. Please carpool or take public transit!

REFRESHMENTS
Coffee, snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Speakers and Tables

Speakers

Katie Rice was raised in Mill Valley and graduated from Tamalpais High School in 1978. She attended Sonoma State University, receiving degrees in Liberal Studies and English. For the past 20 years, Katie has lived in San Anselmo. Katie’s engagement in public service long pre-dates her tenure with County government and is the foundation of her understanding of the depth of residents’ concerns for their neighborhoods, schools, community benefit organizations and open space.  Protection of Marin’s environmental resources is a core, long-standing value for Katie, and shows in her commitment to the protection of our natural resources.  She is a proud graduate of the 31st class of the Marin Environmental Forum, a renowned environmental leadership training program.

Richard Shortall is a retired San Francisco Fire Department Assistant Deputy Chief. He has also served as the SFFD EMS Chief, Deputy Director of the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services and General Manager of the Bay Area SUASI Homeland Security Program. Rich is currently a member of the Board of the Ross Valley Fire Department and is an elected Director of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District. He joined Fire Safe Marin as a Director in 2015 and currently resides in San Anselmo with his wife Diana.

Christie Neill started her career in 1984 as a wildland firefighter for the US Forest Service.  She worked her way up through the ranks working on engines, helitack, and hotshot and fuels crews, including Fuels Battalion, Forest Division Chief positions until moving to the USFS Regional Office as Regional Fuels and Fire Use Specialist.  Christie has an A.S. in Forestry and Technical Fire Management Certification from Colorado State University.  She promoted to the National Park Service Pacific West Regional Office 2004 -2014 where she held both the Deputy Regional Fire Management Officer Fuels and Operations positions.  Christie retired with 30 years of federal service and moved to Marin County Fire after accepting the position of Vegetation Management Program Battalion Chief in November 2014.

Todd Lando is a third-generation Marin native and has worked 28 years in the fire service, including 19 years as a wildland and municipal firefighter.  He studied Forestry and Wildfire Management at the University of Montana, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Conservation and Restoration from Sonoma State University.  He is the WIldfire and Vegetation Management Specialist for Kentfield and Central Marin Fire Departments, and has worked as a fire inspector, an urban forester specializing in community wildfire protection, and served as Executive Director of Fire Safe San Mateo County, the nation’s first Fire Safe Council.  He lives in west Marin.

Scott Barnes is a Battalion Chief with the Mill Valley Fire Department with 30 years of firefighting experience.  He has an A.A degree in Fire Service Technology and is an accredited Fire Officer and Chief Fire Officer with the State of California.  In addition to his assignment as an operational chief officer with Mill Valley Fire, he coordinates the City’s multi-faceted Vegetation Management Program.  He joined Fire Safe Marin as a Board Member in 2010, and currently resides in Corte Madera with his wife and three children.

Tables

Stanford University

Rebecca Miller is a doctoral student in Stanford’s Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources. She researches wildfire protection and prevention policies in California, focusing on home hardening and defensible space in hazardous areas across the state. Rebecca examines how local and state governments and stakeholder groups engage in wildfire protection planning and practices.  Rebecca is currently researching home hardening and defensible space in communities in California. She wants to understand the process that communities go through to become a recognized Firewise community. She would like to meet people who are beginning the Firewise process in their communities and would be interested in partnering with her for a research project.

MVEST—Marin Valley Emergency Safety Team & Marin Valley Firewise Committee

Marin Municipal Water District

Marin County Parks and Open Space

Cascade Canyon (Fairfax) Firewise Committee

Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB)

PG&E Vegetation Management

Fire Agencies

• Novato Fire District
• Mill Valley Fire Department
• San Rafael Fire Department
• Marin County Fire Department
• Ross Valley Fire Department
• Central Marin Fire Department
• Southern Marin Fire District