DEERHORN FIRE STATION: OPEN HOUSE & COMMUNITY REUNION!

SUNDAY, JUNE 26

11AM - 2 PM     (Program Begins at 11:30

(Lunch provided by the Fire Department)
CSZ BOARD ELECTIONS

     Join with your backcountry neighbors and celebrate our local firefighters in their newly remodeled station.
36 years ago the Deerhorn Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. and its Ladies Auxiliary began. There was no fire station or equipment, just a lot of good folks who were willing to serve their neighbors and community. The only equipment was an old triple action pumper, and Emily and Floyd Bennett volunteered their garage for its home for the next four years. Then it moved (temporarily) to Paul and Dianne Jacob's old brown barn off of Honey Springs Rd. and DV residents donated enough money to by an attack pumper to keep it company.
     In 1987 the Jacobs stepped forward and donated a plot of land for a permanent fire station/community center. The era of DV potlucks, pancake breakfasts, swap meets and chicken-plop contests began! Along with everyone's waistline, the pot of money grew. $40,000 was raised, and then DV did something that stands in the record books to this day:
     The DVVFD Board placed a proposition on the November 1990 ballot to pay off the remaining debt and provide ongoing support for the Volunteers: The results were stunning – over 80% of Deerhorn Valley’s registered voters turned out to vote, AND 76% supported the proposition in the highest voter turn-out ever in a San Diego Special Election!

     To all our past/present firefighters and their families: we honor and support your selfless giving of time and effort to bring about a safer and more vibrant community.

FROM THE ARCHIVES....

 

CONTROL BURNS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...

CalFire San Diego is advising there will be a 40-acre control burn near their Cuyamaca Station today and tomorrow. Dense fuel may put up quite a large smoke. No worries.  Oops... that is a thoughtless remark, as one neighbor just reminded me: "...a so called controlled backfire took my home in 07. Still living in a trailer. sorry just venting. I think its too windy. Thank you for all your updates." Thanks for that.  No time to drop the vigilance.

Today Is Flag Day...

The flag flies proudly at the Ignosci home ... every day.

NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS: COMMUNITY WEED-WHACKING:

BIG community thanks to Tom Lamb and the other volunteers who showed: Luis Torres, Eiwin Ruse, Sharon Gladding, Ruth Brewer, Sandra Ignosci, Kim Hamilton, Phyllis Dozier, Andy Robinson.

Signs pointed the way on Sunday... 

Call Tom to volunteer:

619 463-8408

Sunday I joined a group of neighbors who had stepped up to our FireSafe Council's call for volunteers. Task: create some defensible space around the home of an elderly couple up on Mother Grundy who needed some helping hands.
Nine volunteers arrived. All had their own weeds to whack at home, but found a couple of spare hours to help out a neighbor. That is the kind of spirit that makes Deerhorn Valley so special!
By 8:00 am Tom Lamb had the FireSafe Council's trailer in place with all tools needed: weedwhackers, pruners, saws, and even a rolling chipper. Gloves, helmets, ear and eye protection were set out, and the first volunteers arrived.
Like an old-fashioned barn raising, helping hands made the work so much easier. Sandwiches, cold cuts, potato salad, chips and cheese were laid out at lunch time. Clean porta-potties were set up, and unlimited chilled water and juices filled the coolers. Friends were made, stories shared, and most of the volunteers stayed through the afternoon. It just felt that good to be working together!
This was a 100% volunteer effort, and the first of it's kind here in Deerhorn. Nobody else is going to do this work for us... so we'll get her done in true community fashion!
 Have a couple of weekend hours to lend? You'll meet new friends, help a deserving neighbor out, and have that feel-good glow knowing what you did made a difference.

LOST DOG FOUND...

Jill Powell's special companion, Fender, went missing yesterday.  Before we could even get out a notice, good neighbors (what other kind do we have?!) had gone to the rescue:  

FENDER... Back at home.

Found my dog.  So very grateful for a kind neighbor!  I held a rattlesnake avoidance class this morning at our place.  Funny how Fender conveniently went missing and I located him shortly after it was over.  The other two dogs failed to get out of the class….
Fender [was] found on Honey Springs at Mother Grundy by a woman sitting on her patio.  She had not seen me with my horse trailer but saw Fender and said it was clear he was chasing after something.  So she kenneled him and hung a sign on the board there.  She had called Animal Control but was going to wait till Monday and take him in to be scanned for microchip.  Her son [wanted] him... and when I went to get him I was greeted by 3 other dogs.  Seems he might not have missed me much!  AWESOME NEIGHBORS WE HAVE OUT HERE!   -Jill Powell

"BEE FIRE" (DULZURA) AT 100-130 ACRES

Cal Fire expects containment by midnight Sunday, and crews will be committed to mopping up through tomorrow afternoon.   Leslie Yoder (Lawson Valley) shot this photo on her way home from Potrero this afternoon.
Looks like the Fire Season has arrived... time to pull out the Evacuation Box and make sure my email links all work.  I had trouble yesterday and today getting out the Antler Alerts, so I'll be sending out some Tests over the next week or so.  Stay alert, and stay connected.

Bee Fire from 94 looking west from Potrero - Photo by Leslie Yoder

SUNDAY AFTERNOON RIDE ENDS IN TRAGEDY FOR MOTORCYCLIST

Saturday afternoon a motorcyclist lost his life on Otay Lakes Rd, just west Thousand Trails Campground when he collided head-on with a Ford-150 pickup truck.  The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, and two occupants in the truck were transported to the hospital.  Otay Lakes Rd. remained closed for fatality investigation until approximately 9:00 pm.
One of our Deerhorn neighbors was first on the scene and called 9-11.  I got this from her this morning, and it serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly events can change not only our lives, but those of our family, friends, and neighbors:

Unfortunately, we were there.  We had the kids and were headed to a party when it happened just seconds before us.  We made the first call to 9-1-1.  I got out to attempt rescue breathing.  But he was already dead from the head-on impact.  So very, very sad.  His friend was just sobbing, and sobbing over his body.  Young men out for a fun weekend ride.  I have no idea how it turned around to such a horrific end.

Our condolences to all those affected, and a hope that we all take it a bit slower on the twists and winds of our backcountry roads.

DOG VS. DRAIN... AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS WERE THERE TO HELP

From Resident Sheriff Enrique:  On Sunday (5/29) Deerhorn Firefighters rescued this local dog that was stuck in a drain.  No other details, but the pictures tell the story.  That was one grateful dog... and some grateful owners too! 

Thanks, guys!