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MyspaceRoughly 150 people attended the Tea Fire Community Forum in Montecito on Monday evening. It was residents’ opportunity to hear firsthand from Montecito Fire, law enforcement, and the Montecito Water District just how close to disaster the hurricane-force winds and low humidity pushed fire resources unequal to the rapidly spreading conflagration.
Despite the Fire District’s meticulous rundown of resources deployed - including about 800 midnight sorties by water-dropping helicopters from Los Angeles City and County Fire - residents stood up most often to recite Reverse 911’s failings, saying they first heard of the fire from friends phoning. Lt. Eric Koopmans of the Sheriff’s Department replied that neighbors needed to notify each other, that fire and smoke affected power lines, and that Reverse 911 could not call *82-blocked phones. But Koopmans also said that Reverse 911 notified 193 households above and below Mountain Drive within 13 minutes of the first calls about the fire at 6:23 p.m. Other frustrations expressed were the lack of knowledge about those who started the fire - the D.A. has yet to file charges or reveal the individuals’ names, said Lt. Koopmans - and traffic problems that night ranging from lookie-loos driving into the fire area to whether or not the gates on lower Sycamore Canyon Road were open. Fire District records show the gates open shortly after 6 p.m., contrary to much hearsay.
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Comments
This anger at Reverse 911 not working is startling. Reverse 911 was just introduced in the County several years ago, and now residents believe it is their right to be notified by a Government Agency at the first sign of trouble. They seem upset they first heard the news from their neighbors and not the Government. Isn't that how news has been passed on for the decades of living up there before Reverse 911? We should look at Reverse 911 as another tool in responding to disaster, but not the first and certainly not the best tool.
pope (Paul Costales)
January 29, 2009 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The question I STILL have is" WHO STARTED THE FIRE?! What's being done on the prosecutory front? I know for a fact is ANY of us started a fire such as that, our names & pictures would be splattered all over every local publication :) henry
hank (anonymous profile)
January 29, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is understandable that fire engines surrounded the Westmont gym given there were lots of people in the gym. It is also understandable that the county told Westmont to stay on campus because of the traffic jam they would create if they tried to evacuate.
What is not understandable is why a institution of approx 1500 people is allowed in a high fire location and why they are being allowed to build even more.
It is also not understandable why Westmont pays nothing for fire protection and yet got lots of it while many taxpayers who lost their homes never even saw a fire engine on their street.
burnedtea (anonymous profile)
January 29, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Funny how they report that *82 doesnt work with reverse 911 for the county. I live in the GAP fire area and received nightly reverse 911 calls from the City of Goleta and I have *82 in place on my landline. Hmmm. Maybe Santa Barbara County needs to take a lesson from our newer city?
KarenR (anonymous profile)
January 30, 2009 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember the old days when neighbors got the word of mouth around town faster then the Fire trucks and Police Man arrived on the scene, some would say we were more gossipy in those days too, but in those days everyone knew everyone and we had more time to be intimately involved with all those around us.
So if each neighbor knocked on the door next to them while evacuating you would get people out much quicker, and safer. I'm not implying one person does all the knocking as they leave, but rather each person does the house next to them as they leave...
California is challenged every year with more extreme fires and I'm personally afraid each year will get worse with each drought we incur. Our Fire Departments main job is to deal with the fires as quickly as possible and the Police Departments jobs are to evacuate in an orderly manner and assists those who otherwise cannot. It's easy to want to lay blame on loosing what is so near and dear to your hearts and many of us outside the area feels deeply for you and your losses. But under the extraordinary circumstances a lot of lives were saved and after all isn't that the most important?
It is also important to remember with all of our modern technology it only works as long as our electricity and phones work. Once that is compromised the "good old fashion" word of mouth between those you share your community is the best tool.
Wishing you all the best,
mddesignhomes (anonymous profile)
January 31, 2009 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When are they going to release the name of the culprits that started this fire? Are the insurance companies paying off without knowing whom to sue?
Gordo (anonymous profile)
January 31, 2009 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Watching the TV knowing I had to get away from the fire but never being told whether or not the Sycamore Cyn Lower Rd. was open was one of my biggest traumas that night. Our house burned with so many others. The lack of this notice on the TV was a glaring error. I didn't want to send my household young drivers into a situation where the road might be closed and a big pileup in front of the fire. So we (3 cars) went up towards Foothill Rd. to join that long line of cars stalled but escaping. Scary!
slbroberg (anonymous profile)
February 1, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)