SCHOOL EVACUATION PLAN: In the event of an ordered evacuation, the school district of the visiting school would be notified, immediately. Arrowhead Ranch would then communicate with Rim Of The World Unified School District and promptly receive school busses in the event the visiting school didn't have time to get their own bus company to the site. If there were time, the visiting school would be able to pack up their items, load the luggage on the bus, get all students safely on board and I would escort them down the mountain to ensure that all went well.
If for some reason, the busses belonging to the school couldn't come up, we would use our local school district busses, as mentioned above. The transportation department from Rim Unified would coordinate with the visiting school transportation department. The SAFEST meeting spot is located on the corner of Waterman and 40th Street in San Bernardino. The Rim District busses would unload in the parking lot right next to the Shell Gas station which is on the corner of 40th/Waterman. There is a huge open parking lot where a Stater Brother's Market was previously located. It is the safest and most logical place to trade children from one bus to the other.
Fortunately, we have not had to go to this extreme but the plans are in place and will not change. The best thing that you can do as concerned and afraid as you may feel if this event occurs, please remember, to remain calm. You cannot think straight when you become overly concerned and panicked. Take deep breathes and stay calm. Your children will leave this mountain before I would pick up my own children. The reason for this is that all of our school sites are fire "stations" in the event of a fire. The local mountain schools would keep the students for as long as needed and as long as it was safe. Our local schools have higher clearance policies than the average homeowner.
| THE GRASS VALLEY FIRE OCTOBER 22, 2007
As everyone one has heard about the wildfires spreading across California; several guests, families, teachers and school districts have voiced their concerns about mountain safety.
I wanted to personally account for you from an owners' perspective, a resident, and a mom how the events of that morning transpired.
No one could have predicted the way the winds would shift or the speed to be expected from the windgusts. At approximately 4:00am on Monday October 22, 2007 a power line was downed. It had been stripped from its moorings by the powerful winds the night before. Santa Ana winds are infamous for their great power and this fire is one example of how wind plays a major factor to fighting a fire.
Unfortunately the result was a major fire on the west side of Lake Arrowhead called the 'GRASS FIRE'. The fire began a couple of miles west of Lake Arrowhead in a little community called Deer Lodge Park. The area is spread out with homes, ranches and is a popular destination for dirt biking trail riders. The landscape is partial desert with sand and brush accompanied by some of the Cedar trees and Pines you see everywhere on the mountain.
The active power line swung in the wind and the line began to spark as it was a live wire. The sparks began to fly in the wind traveling toward the pine area where oak leaves and pine needles had collected. It was the first all out fire of our season. The fire began to roar up the hillside where the trees are plentiful and the forested area was prime kindling. Beyond the trees stood homes that had a view of the upper and lower desert. Due to the vast amount of resources focused on the Malibu Fire, we had the local departments of fire and forest to assist in fighting this particular fire. We did receive backup and it was at that point the containment began. There were several fire fighting companies on hand. By the end of Tuesday night, there were easily 1,000's of strike teams available. The winds prevailed and continued to blow embers toward the homes on the ridge. We lost many homes in this fire. Mostly in the Grass Valley golf course area and in Running Springs. It was very sad to see so much of the devastation in our own "backyard". It broke our hearts to see homes becoming engulfed in flames. The firemen and women worked with skill and diligence to save as many as they could. We are working together as a community to bring together the necessary tools, support and help that is needed to rebuild.
Our fire escape plan weather it be on a weekend or weekday are the same. Evacuation time is usually given with plenty of time to leave the area safely.
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