Letters
I am the general manager of a winery in Calistoga and live in Marin County. I am writing to you with a full heart after a member of your community came to my rescue Wednesday night – you have a Hidden Valley hero in your midst.
Over a year ago my then-16 year old's car caught fire whilst she was driving it – within seconds of smelling burning my husband who was thankfully with her at the time made her pull over immediately. Within seconds the car was alight and was completely destroyed (the photos were awful and life lessons learned).
With this in mind – as well as the horrific wildfires of October 2017 – I was driving home Wednesday night on Petrified Forest Road in my husband’s rather old Mustang and smelt burning. I opened the windows and couldn't smell anything outside – I knew I was just about to lose my phone signal as I headed over the mountain so pulled over. My biggest fear is to start a wildfire on a mountain that was so devastated by last year’s fires and have no cell coverage to call for help.
It was so scary, the lorries and cars zooming past me on the narrow road. I tried to open the hood and just couldn't. I was stuck there on the side of the road for what seemed like an eternity.
Suddenly a white Mustang zoomed up and a girl jumped out and popped the hood in under 30 seconds (I had the humility to blush at my inadequacy to get the hood open). She took that car apart to ensure nothing was burning – she was quite simply amazing.
Turns out I have an angel: Jacqueline, a Mustang lover and lady with a heart of gold was on her way home from Santa Rosa to Hidden Valley Lake and spotted me struggling in a precarious part of the mountain, so she turned around and come back to help. I have no doubt that she was Heaven-sent.
It filled my heart that, after a day at work and children to get home to, she turned around on that mountain and came back to help. Cal Fire stopped to assist but thankfully no further assistance was needed.
I had to share this story with you because she really deserves recognition for her outstanding community spirit. You have a hidden hero in Hidden Valley Lake.
I have invited Jacqueline to the winery for a VIP visit and will give her a gift as a thank you her for being my Hidden Valley Lake hero.
Emma Blatcher lives in Marin County, Calif.
Over a year ago my then-16 year old's car caught fire whilst she was driving it – within seconds of smelling burning my husband who was thankfully with her at the time made her pull over immediately. Within seconds the car was alight and was completely destroyed (the photos were awful and life lessons learned).
With this in mind – as well as the horrific wildfires of October 2017 – I was driving home Wednesday night on Petrified Forest Road in my husband’s rather old Mustang and smelt burning. I opened the windows and couldn't smell anything outside – I knew I was just about to lose my phone signal as I headed over the mountain so pulled over. My biggest fear is to start a wildfire on a mountain that was so devastated by last year’s fires and have no cell coverage to call for help.
It was so scary, the lorries and cars zooming past me on the narrow road. I tried to open the hood and just couldn't. I was stuck there on the side of the road for what seemed like an eternity.
Suddenly a white Mustang zoomed up and a girl jumped out and popped the hood in under 30 seconds (I had the humility to blush at my inadequacy to get the hood open). She took that car apart to ensure nothing was burning – she was quite simply amazing.
Turns out I have an angel: Jacqueline, a Mustang lover and lady with a heart of gold was on her way home from Santa Rosa to Hidden Valley Lake and spotted me struggling in a precarious part of the mountain, so she turned around and come back to help. I have no doubt that she was Heaven-sent.
It filled my heart that, after a day at work and children to get home to, she turned around on that mountain and came back to help. Cal Fire stopped to assist but thankfully no further assistance was needed.
I had to share this story with you because she really deserves recognition for her outstanding community spirit. You have a hidden hero in Hidden Valley Lake.
I have invited Jacqueline to the winery for a VIP visit and will give her a gift as a thank you her for being my Hidden Valley Lake hero.
Emma Blatcher lives in Marin County, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Emma Blatcher
Lakeport has stared down a wall of fire and survived. Survival was not an accident. It was a result of the efforts of thousands of people each doing their part to respond to a dynamic and high risk situation.
On behalf of our residents and city, I first want to thank Cal Fire, all the mutual response fire agencies, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeport Unified School District, our Lakeport Fire Department, Lakeport Police and our own City Hall staff. If there is ever a moment for government to execute and deliver for our community, a major public safety threat is the best example, and on that front, we all have much to be thankful for. I am proud of their response and dedication throughout the fire threat.
However, the recognition does not stop there.
Crisis is a chance to see the soul of a community and what I have seen the past weeks are neighbors helping neighbors, the business community rising up to unleash their considerable resources to help, and a spirit of civic duty that has infused everyone.
This is not just government – this is an entire community working for its survival and assured safety of its residents. It is the best of us.
Residents are also to be commended for heeding the warning from our emergency system and responding to public safety messages. An efficient evacuation process is critical to life preservation.
While smoke drifts in the air, we should capture this momentum to prepare for an inevitable future fire risk to our community. Residents in the wildland urban interface should prepare plans and yards to defend their homes with proper spacing and vegetation removal.
Everyone should check their registration with the city’s emergency alert system NIXLE (even though we more than doubled our registration during the fire event), to ensure you are registered and have an updated email, cell phone, home phone and other entries for every member of the family.
Make a plan now for your “go bag” and the items you want in there if you had to walk out of your house in five minutes. It is a sobering effort, but important.
While I ask that residents plan, know that the city is planning, too. We are in pursuit of grants to address wildfire mitigation plans and will be working proactively with authorities to address broader scale fire risks in our county.
Lakeport offers a simpler pace of life, a chance to know your community, a chance to connect with neighbors, a chance to have a positive impact. The actions of our community reaffirmed these community traits.
Stay strong. Stay connected. Stay prepared. Onward.
Margaret Silveira is city manager of Lakeport, Calif.
On behalf of our residents and city, I first want to thank Cal Fire, all the mutual response fire agencies, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeport Unified School District, our Lakeport Fire Department, Lakeport Police and our own City Hall staff. If there is ever a moment for government to execute and deliver for our community, a major public safety threat is the best example, and on that front, we all have much to be thankful for. I am proud of their response and dedication throughout the fire threat.
However, the recognition does not stop there.
Crisis is a chance to see the soul of a community and what I have seen the past weeks are neighbors helping neighbors, the business community rising up to unleash their considerable resources to help, and a spirit of civic duty that has infused everyone.
This is not just government – this is an entire community working for its survival and assured safety of its residents. It is the best of us.
Residents are also to be commended for heeding the warning from our emergency system and responding to public safety messages. An efficient evacuation process is critical to life preservation.
While smoke drifts in the air, we should capture this momentum to prepare for an inevitable future fire risk to our community. Residents in the wildland urban interface should prepare plans and yards to defend their homes with proper spacing and vegetation removal.
Everyone should check their registration with the city’s emergency alert system NIXLE (even though we more than doubled our registration during the fire event), to ensure you are registered and have an updated email, cell phone, home phone and other entries for every member of the family.
Make a plan now for your “go bag” and the items you want in there if you had to walk out of your house in five minutes. It is a sobering effort, but important.
While I ask that residents plan, know that the city is planning, too. We are in pursuit of grants to address wildfire mitigation plans and will be working proactively with authorities to address broader scale fire risks in our county.
Lakeport offers a simpler pace of life, a chance to know your community, a chance to connect with neighbors, a chance to have a positive impact. The actions of our community reaffirmed these community traits.
Stay strong. Stay connected. Stay prepared. Onward.
Margaret Silveira is city manager of Lakeport, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Margaret Silveira
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