NORTHSHORE
2023 Northshore Ready Fest on April 29
Have you heard of the Northshore Fire Fund? It’s a non-profit organization that started up just a few years ago, spawned by two failed ballot measures to increase property fees that go directly to the Northshore Fire District and the Ranch Fire in between the votes, and the gap in budget need for the NFPD (Northshore Fire Protection District) to have equipment, technology, safety gear and supplies that keep our firefighters safe and servicing our communities in the best way possible.
The Northshore Fire Fund (NFF) received their official 503( c ) non-profit standing just as the world closed to Covid, so efforts were stalled for quite a while until July 2021 when finally, the NFF was able to launch their grass-roots organization. The core belief of the NFF is that there were community organizations and individuals that were interested in supporting the cause.
Since the NFF has been collecting donations they have raised $ 93,364 in the nearly two years they’ve been operating and have been able to purchase needed equipment for firefighter safety reflective helmet badges and matching funds for a grant to get additional PPE structure gear, station equipment (extractors for washing PPE gear, as well as equip for FF living standards), EMS Training kits and Supplies (manikins for CPR trainings for FF’s, Schools, and community events), Circular saws to make entry into buildings during fire incidents, thermal imaging cameras and help with funds for a side scanner for the boat that the Northshore Dive Team uses for search rescue/recovery.
\Northshore Fire Fund is planning an upcoming community event – the 2023 Northshore Ready Fest which will have several organizations available to provide information about fire prevention and emergency preparedness. Some of the organizations that will be available to meet with at Ready Fest are:
- Cal Water with their ERTU (Emergency Response Trailer Unit)
- Lake County Sheriffs/Office of Emergency Services to talk about Know Your Zone and emergency alerts.
- American Red Cross (who will facilitate a home evacuation exercise)
- Cal-Fire with prevention materials and information on fire safety.
- Northshore Firewise Community Leaders with information about how to start a Firewise community in your own neighborhoods.
- Northshore Fire Protection District will have Firefighters and Paramedics to provide training on Hands-only CPR.
- Dive Team members to discuss water safety.
- Explorers to share their experience on the explorer team for anyone interested.
- Support Team sharing how they help firefighters on incidents and The Hogback Ridge Fuels Crew representative to share how they have helped to reduce wildfire fuels in our communities and within our County.
There will be sessions throughout the day which will be held Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Lucerne at the corner of 11th Ave and Hwy 20. Come to the event and enjoy a barbecue lunch and learn about these very important topics.
The Northshore Fire Fund welcomes donations either in person or online. We’ll be at the Ready Fest Event, please feel free to stop by our booth and say hi or reach us at www.northshorefirefund.org. Donations can also be mailed to PO Box 122 Upper Lake, CA 95485.
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MENDOCINO COUNTY
‘Once’ continues through April 2 at Mendocino College
“Once”, Mendocino College’s Spring production, is a one-of-a-kind musical where the music isn’t just part of the play, it is the play. From the opening chords strummed and sung beautifully by Julian Sterling, who plays Guy, a young Irish musician pouring out his heartbreak into songs he composed for an ex-girlfriend, the audience is pulled into this gentle world of loss, sacrifice, self-doubt, and most of all, love.
Once opened on March 23. Performances continue through April 2. Remaining performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday March 30, 31and April 1 at 7:30 PM, and Sunday April 2 at 2 PM. Tickets ($20 general; $15 students and seniors) are available at the Mendocino Book Company, online at www.ArtsMendocino.org and at the door as available. The performance on Thursday March 30 is a special discount night, with all tickets costing only $10. Audiences are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. For information, call (707) 468-3172 or visit http://www.mendocino.edu/the-arts/theatre.
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