We did it – cut, raked, collected, filled the large bin, built muscles and friendship.
Eva & Larry Poxon
With help and mentorship of Predator Ridge Landscape Manager, Breanne Tripp, neighbours Toby Frisk, Deb Hobbs, Bob Wade, Neil Bowler, Eva Poxon and Larry Poxon went to work to make their properties more FireSmart.
It is amazing how much work can be achieved with a great team of motivated adults! 4-days of pleasure went by sooo quickly.
Working over a period of 4-days from Thursday to Sunday, the neighbours invested a total of 50 hours on lots 7 thru 12 to make their properties & community more resistant to wildfire.
A big shoutout to Breanne Tripp for all her guidance and help in providing a very large bin that was completely filled. Breanne is also a member of the PRCEMC FireSmart Committee.
To say that 2021 was a challenging year would be an understatement. During the continuing COVID pandemic, we managed through a significant heat dome in early summer that set the stage for one of the worst wildfire seasons ever throughout the province. If that wasn’t enough, this fall has recorded some of the heaviest rainfall coastal areas have ever seen, resulting in serious flooding and damage to structures, the transportation infrastructure and supply chains.
While one might ask, “what could be next?”, a better question is, “how can I be better prepared?”
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER
Severe weather like snow storms, thunderstorms, hail, freezing rain, blizzards, high winds or heavy rain can happen with little warning, and in any season and these severe weather patterns can often cause a loss of power. When preparing for potential severe weather, it is a good rule of thumb to be prepared for at least 48 – 72 hours of isolation.
It is important to have an emergency plan and have done some preparation, in the event that we are isolated for an extended time. BC Emergency Management has some excellent advice and information on Preparing for Severe Weather and power outages:
A power outage can involve a short- or long-term loss of electricity to an area, and we may find ourselves without light, heat and hot water. In the event of a power outage in our area, it is always a good idea to confirm that BC Hydro is aware of it. The faster they are advised, the sooner they can dispatch repair crews. To confirm power outages are reported in our area, go to BC Hydro’s outage list/map.
If our area does not appear on the BC Hydro map or list of outages call BC Hydro and log the outage as soon as possible: 1-800-224-9376.
Winter is upon us and the shorter darker days are here once again. The cold weather, ice, and snow can also increase the chances of slips and falls. If you are out walking on the roadways with family, friends and pets, please keep in mind that you are not always visible to oncoming traffic especially at dawn, dusk and at night. Wearing some form of reflective clothing or headlamps is one way to stay VISIBLE. With the fluctuating temperatures, the road and pathways can be very icy and slippery. Wearing cleats and using poles is an excellent way to prevent any unexpected and possibly dangerous falls.
CBC Marketplace did a study this year to find out which winter boots were actually better for winter walking or hiking. The article “5 out of 6 winter boots fail slip test on ice” can be found here:
2021 has been a quiet year for Block Watch activities here at Predator Ridge, which means another successful and crime-free period in our community. The pandemic has limited our Block Watch yearly meetings with Captains, Co-Captains and especially our newer residents. If you have recently moved to Predator Ridge and have not been contacted by your neighbourhood Block Watch Captain/Co-Captain, please contact the Predator Ridge Block Watch Committee at blockwatch_predator_ridge@prcemc.ca or visit us at our website at https://prcemc.ca/block-watch/. Please continue to look after each other. Turn on your outside lights at dusk and help keep our neighbourhoods safe.
FIRESMART
White Rock Lake Fire Viewed from Predator Ridge Roundabout
With the proximity of the White Rock Lake Fire this summer, many Predator Ridge residents tackled their own personal FireSmart cleanups around their homes.
This fall two significant FireSmart Events were held in our community. On Saturday, October 23rd, a sanctioned clean-up was held in the Commonage neighbourhood with over 35 volunteers from all over Predator Ridge attending. It was a great day and we filled two 25-yard waste disposal bins right to the top. And on October 24th, Osprey Green Townhomes residents rolled up their sleeves and cleaned up a section of their common land that bordered #7 fairway of the Predator golf course.
To view further details and pictures of the 2021 FireSmart neighbourhood clean-ups here at Predator Ridge, visit the website at: FireSmart (https://prcemc.ca/firesmart/)
EMERGENCY ALERT SIREN SURVEY
The Emergency Alert Siren Survey results were very positive. 675 residents were surveyed and 540 responded. 78% of those who took the survey were in favour of the siren and 69% were in favour of paying $100.00 to support of the acquisition and installation of an emergency alert siren. The decision was made to move forward and present the proposal to the City of Vernon. PRCEMC members met with City of Vernon Officials on November 4th to present the project proposal. The City Fire Chief reviewed the material favourably and asked for a few weeks to further discuss the proposal and how they might incorporate the emergency alert siren within their existing emergency management system.
If the City agrees to incorporate the emergency alert siren into its existing emergency management plan, and will take on primary authority over the horn, then PRCEMC will move forward with further community engagement. The City will meet and discuss their decision mid-December.
There has been a fair amount of discussion over the past few months regarding the increase in traffic volume and speed on some of our community roadways. PRCEMC members did meet with City of Vernon official to review Birdie Lake Drive and Falcon Point Way, resulting in the replacement and upgrading of a proper stop sign and installation of a warning sign ahead. We also engaged with Wesbild regarding the increase in traffic flow and the challenges the community is experiencing due to the increase in traffic. Predator recognize that there are some challenges with the current traffic flow and volume, and have agreed to take time over the winter to determine the right plan of action for moving forward.
COMMONAGE ROAD IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE – CRIC
As the Commonage Road Improvement Committee has completed their objectives and the committee will be winding down, we would like to thank the committee for their contribution to building a safer community. All of their efforts to have improvements made to Commonage Road have been greatly appreciated by all. Thank you to Jane Toppozini, Gord Ball and Morgan Grant.
ADDITION TO PRCEMC
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Karen Grimsrud to the PRCEMC. Karen has recently moved to our community and brings with her a wealth of expereince in emergency management planning, she will be a great resource to the community and a welcomed addtion to our committee.
COMMUNITY SAFETY CONTEST
The PRCEMC is hosting a community safety contest! Winners will receive either a set of Head Lamps or a Reflective Vest. To enter simply answer a few questions regarding Community Safety and your name will be entered into a draw to win a Head Lamp or Reflective Vest. Contest will close midnight on December 18th, 2021. (Please only one entry per person).
As the hot and dry weather continues across BC, it’s important to keep wildfire prevention and mitigation top of mind. Check out Ember’s Den for helpful resources and tips for the whole family to get FireSmart!
To many, Embers from a fire may seem small and inconsequential. But these tiny flittering offshoots can travel a great distance and cause real world devastation.
For even more information, listen to the Get FireSmart™ Podcast where we interview experts from the world of wildfire. The Get FireSmart™ Podcast is available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Humans have left a lasting imprint on B.C.’s landscape. This is especially prevalent in areas where properties border on wildlands (such as forests or grasslands), which are known as wildland urban interface (WUI) areas. An increasing number of homes are being built in or on the boundary of these WUI areas, which means there is a shared responsibility to care for these areas between communities and forests. With communities continuing to grow, WUI areas will only get larger. This will create a greater need for community wildfire preparedness in both urban and outlying areas.
Read more by downloading the Kamloops Fire Centre’s July Newsletter.
Over 29 people participated in the FireSmart Clean-Up event today, July 14th, 2019. We need to give a big thank you to Gerry Fester, the Strata President for organizing the event today. He obtained strata approval, secured a trailer to haul the debris to the landfill and communicated with the Strata for volunteers to help make the day a success. Heather Fester made homemade cookies and served cold watermelon to the volunteers – Thank you Heather !
The FireSmart Committee assisted today advertising the event for volunteers to come out and help from the rest Community. We also provided vests, gloves, safety glasses, tarps, rakes and water.
Clean-Up Area
The area cleaned was right opposite the hockey cabin and down on either side of the golf cart path towards Ridge 16 and the other way to the start of the Cottages (the area opposite Ridge 17). Branches on trees were laddered, deadfall removed from the ground, dead branches removed from the bushes and trees and many, many pine cones picked up.
We all worked for about 3 hours today. Some volunteers worked longer taking the last load to the landfill and a volunteer cleaned the path later in the day.
Two full loads were taken to the Vernon Landfill (trailer and truck loaded right to the top) so a lot of debris was hauled away today. Today’s event really shows what a Community can accomplish when working together – in just a few hours, a very large area was “FireSmarted”.
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the event today – the hours spent by you today will count towards applying for the 2019 FireSmart Community Recognition – We really appreciate your help and support ! Stay tuned for more details on our next clean-up event which is planned for an area in the Whitetail neighbourhood (likely late summer).
PreparedBC has released a new Wildfire Preparedness Guide to ensure British Columbians are ready for what will likely be another busy wildfire season.
Created in partnership with FireSmart BC and the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the new guide provides information on what to do before, during and after a wildfire, including advice on mitigating risk, managing stress and coping with smoke.
It’s currently available for download from the PreparedBC website.
The FireSmart Committee is holding a clean-up event on Sunday, July 14th at 9:00 am to assist the Falcon Point Residents complete a FireSmart clean-up of the Chicopee/Falcon Point common property in areas 1, 2 & 3. See the colour coded map below:
The FireSmart committee will be on hand at the Hockey Canada Cabin on Sunday, July 14th beginning at 9:00 am with all kinds of great information on FireSmart. This is a great opportunity to learn more about FireSmart and how you can help protect your property from wildfire. FireSmart manuals will be available as well as other educational materials. This is a good opportunity for Predator Ridge residents to come out and see first hand what FireSmart is all about and what can be done around their own homes with laddering trees, cleaning up pine cones, etc.
For those folks that would like to participate in the clean-up, gloves, vests, safety glasses and electric saws will be provided. We anticipate the FireSmart Clean-up will take 3 hours to complete and we will get underway at 9:00 am. Meet at the Hockey Canada Cabin.
The FireSmart Committee is holding a clean-up event on Sunday, July 14th at 9:00 am to assist the Falcon Point Residents complete a FireSmart clean-up of the Chicopee/Falcon Point common property in areas 1, 2 & 3. See the colour coded map below:
The FireSmart committee will be on hand at the Hockey Canada Cabin on Sunday, July 14th beginning at 9:00 am with all kinds of great information on FireSmart. This is a great opportunity to learn more about FireSmart and how you can help protect your property from wildfire. FireSmart manuals will be available as well as other educational materials. This is a good opportunity for Predator Ridge residents to come out and see first hand what FireSmart is all about and what can be done around their own homes with laddering trees, cleaning up pine cones, etc.
For those folks that would like to participate in the clean-up, gloves, vests, safety glasses and electric saws will be provided. We anticipate the FireSmart Clean-up will take 3 hours to complete and we will get underway at 9:00 am. Meet at the Hockey Canada Cabin.
