Wildfire Safety Day at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Southern California has always faced the threat of wildfires and their impact on property and human life.  On Thursday, the second annual Wildfire Safety Day was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

The free event focused on education, preparedness, and community safety, and the knowledge needed to stay safe before, during, and after a fire.

Nick Cleary, division chief for Ventura County Fire Department, talked about the importance of being prepared for a fire: “Engage, stay active, be me in the know. There are tons of stuff out there now for awareness tools, and I think if we have the opportunity to learn about those awareness tools and be prepared, this is the time to take action now before we kind of lose some of the momentum of the history (of wildfires) that we’ve had in the past couple of years in Southern California”

The Ventura County Fire Department, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, the Ventura County Regional Fire Safe Council, the Simi Valley Community Emergency Response Team, Ventura County Animal Services, the Ventura County Human Services Agency, SoCal Edison, and the Red Cross were on hand with information, hands-on learning and equipment on display.

A Ventura County Sikorsky Firehawk helicopter demonstrated its water-dropping capabilities and then landed for visitors to get a close-up look at the state-of-the-art firefighting helicopter. Firefighting grazing goats welcomed visitors at the front of the library, with children enjoying the chance to pet the voracious herbivores.

Westlake Village resident Cara Galper, who was forced to evacuate during the 2018 Woolsey fire, says she takes preparedness much more earnestly now. When asked if she will be more prepared for any future fires. “I have learned about protecting my home, defensible space, and the proper stones, the proper things (fire-resistant) to have around your home.”

Melissa Giller, chief marketing officer at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, expected several hundred visitors to the event to learn how to protect their homes, pets, loved ones, and themselves, and to be ready to go quickly in the event of a fire.

As long as humans live and interact with the areas that can burn, there will be destructive fires. Events such as the Wildfire Safety Day can and will help people by providing the tools and knowledge they need to prepare to protect their property and survive a critical incident.