LAKE COUNTY >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors accepted a $25,000 donation on Tuesday so the Lake County Sheriff’s Office can purchase fire protection suits for its personnel.
The necessity of such equipment was made patently clear over the past 14 months. Repeatedly during the Rocky, Jerusalem and particularly the Valley and Clayton Fires, deputies ended up on the fire line assisting desperate evacuations and rescuing people from threatened areas. Patrols into scorched neighborhoods where fires could reignite also pointed to the need for specialized cover.
More recently, Lake County deputies assisted with the Sawmill Fire in Sonoma County.
As the drought continues, authorities warn that the state may transition from a wet season and fire season to something less comfortable. Firefighters now talk about a continuous fire season, with peaks and valleys but lasting throughout the year.
“[The current wear] is not safe for wearing in these type of environments,” Sheriff Brian Martin said, speaking of the major wildfires in the county. “Our hope is that every patrol car on the streets is going to be equipped with one of these … readily accessible to make sure our first responders are as safe as possible.”
The check was presented by Russ Cremer of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association. It is part of the group’s fire relief fund, which has raised and distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars since the Valley Fire.
LARCA has raised approximately $67,000 for the Clayton Fire. Another $31,000 has been pledged.
