Didn't see this until now...

I was looking up the boundaries of Wonder Valley at the San Bernardino County LAFCO site and found this:

San Bernardino County Fire Protection District - Service Zone FP-4 (Wonder Valley)
Report Created: 1/22/2018

"The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District reorganized in July 2008 and created the South Desert Regional Service Zone. The South Desert Regional Service Zone is a component unit of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, in which the County Board of Supervisors is the board of directors of the district. Within the South Desert Regional Service Zone, Service Zone FP-4 Wonder Valley special tax was originally authorized by the Board of Supervisors in August 1972 (originally under CSA 70 M Zone FP-4). Service Zone FP-4 provides fire protection services to the community of Wonder Valley. These services are funded by a special tax of $30 per parcel with an annual 1.5% cost of living increase as approved by the voters in June 2005. The current special tax rate is $34.82 per parcel. Services had previously been provided through Fire Station #45. However, this fire station will be closing due to lack of funding and future services will be provided by the nearest available fire station. Data for 2012 is not available as there was a change in interpretation of reporting standards which returned in 2013. Additional information on the District can be accessed via the link below."

There was nothing official until now.

Water Tender is gone

"A" water tender, not "our" water tender

For the first time in 50 years Wonder Valley is without a water tender. The old one that we had was on its last legs with more than a million miles on its odometer. It was a behemoth and with a gear box that made it nearly impossible to drive, but it was OUR water tender.

We learned that we lost the water tender at last Saturday's Community Meeting. I talked with Assistant Chief, South Desert, Tom Marshall at last night's MAC meeting and he said they are replacing the water tender with a newer, better one that will be housed at the Twentynine Palms Fire Station. The water tender should be able to get to a fire in Wonder Valley within 10 minutes. Assistant Chief Marshall affirmed that he was doing the best thing for the Community of Wonder Valley.

It is important to consider that we have a 2-person fire station with one captain and one firefighter/paramedic at any one time. These two take the brush patrol truck to any event - fire or medical. It takes two people to operate the brush patrol at a fire. We do not have the manpower at Station 45 to respond with a brush patrol and a water tender. We have depended on Twentynine Palms and the Base to back us up with a water tender.

Residents at the meeting were very upset to hear that we no longer had a water tender. James Copeland, a former assistant fire chief of the Wonder Valley Volunteer Fire Department, described the water tender as our portable fire hydrant, and said that without it we are basically without fire coverage.

Fire at illegal dump

The illegal landfill at Via Arenosa burned yesterday. The owner was burning wood when the wind came up and the fire spread.

Fire on May 1, take by James Brakebill

SBC Land Use Services has been working with the owner to clean the site.

The Wonder Valley Fire Department was called out to Via Arenosa to put out a fire on May 1. James Brakebill, a Wonder Valley resident and the head of the Fire Technology program at Copper Mountain Mesa was the first to report the fire. He said he saw a white truck speeding from the site.

The following week the Wonder Valley MAC Volunteer, Teresa Sitz, toured the site with Brakebill. Sitz has been working with Land Use Services to clear the site and prevent more dumping once the site is cleared. County Fire Division Chief Tom Marshall said in an email to Sitz that an arson investigator has been requested.

Hi-Desert Star: Firefighters attack burning trash pile
http://www.hidesertstar.com/the_desert_trail/news/article_538654f8-2369-11e6-9ad6-c79ae6d1b189.html

Notes and action items from the April 23, 2016 meeting with LAFCO and County Fire

Everyone commented that they took a lot away from this final informational meeting on the Fire Issue. County Fire has recommended that the Board of Supervisors continue to subsidize Fire Station 45 in Wonder Valley for the fiscal year of 2016/17. We'll know more in May when they've voted.

In the meantime we'll be working on the following items listed below agreed to by the Volunteer Fire Committee. We'll begin having meetings after the Board of Supervisors votes to decide what we want to do as a community.

If you weren't able to attend all or any of the meetings, the agendas and notes, and the supplementary materials are all listed under the [Fire] tab. I suggest watching the first video and then work your way through the rest of the materials.

If you feel that you aren't getting the meeting notices, please sign up bit.ly/nextdoorwv, or call Teresa Sitz at 760-865-9550 to be added to a phone tree.

Thanks,

Teresa Sitz
MAC Volunteer

Download the notes from the April 23, 2016 meeting:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bg2a3pa960dxcys/04232016_wv_notes.pdf?dl=0

ACTION ITEMS
These actions came out of the Fire Committee meeting that met directly after the LAFCO Meeting, on April 23, 2016, about 12:15 p.m.

Present:
Division Chief John Chamberlin; Teresa Sitz, MAC Delegate; Karen Meyers; James Copeland; and James Brakebill

TERESA SITZ, MUNCIPCAL COUNTY ADVISORY COUNCIL VOLUNTEER

• Contact Mark Lundquist to find out how community mandates are determined for possible ballot measures or requests for actions.

DIVISION CHIEF JOHN CHAMBERLIN, COUNTY FIRE

• Take Darlene Parris’ suggestion for an incremental increase of $50 a year over 7 years back to County Fire for consideration.
• Provide the community of Wonder Valley with requirements for Paid Call Firefighters, including disqualifying criminal charges.
• Investigate forming a JPA - joint powers authority that would transfer the Water Tender to the Parks or Roads department. Will need to coordinate with Special Districts.
• Order a porta-tank so the water tender can draw from tanks and pools.

Posted April 25, 2016

EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) Information Session

EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) Information Session

Saturday, April 16, 2016, from 2 PM - 4 PM

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526 1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

There will be an EMR Information Session on Saturday, April 16 from 2 - 4 p.m. at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road. Come find out why you, or someone you know, should take this training.

If the Community of Wonder Valley chooses to form its own Paid Call or Volunteer Firefighter program we will need to train and qualify community members to participate.

There are two steps to this process:

1. Take and pass the EMR Training (in as little as one month)
2. Take and pass the Firefighter Training (in as little as one semester)

Both of these programs are provided at Copper Mountain College and are scheduled to accommodate working people.

CLASS DETAILS
The next EMR training starts on June 13 and continues through July 13. Classes are on Monday through Thursday from 9 to 11:50 a.m. at Fire Station 422 in Desert Heights (north of Twentynine Palms). There are no requirements or prerequisites for taking this course. There is no age limit.

This is a 3 unit college course. The cost is $46.00 per unit for a total of $138.00, plus the cost of the textbook which is $125.00. Students are also responsible for purchasing a CPR Pocket Mask, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and a pen light.

Some SCHOLARSHIPS and FEE WAIVERS may be available and we will have a Financial Aid Specialist from Copper Mountain College come to the Community Center in May to help people apply for financial aid and fee waivers. Please contact James Brakebill at jbrakebill@cmccd.edu AND Teresa Sitz at teresa.sitz@gmail.com if you are interested in registering for the EMR course. Attend the EMR Information Session to find out more and to talk one to one with students currently enrolled in the program.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1000193023402119/
For more information: WonderValley.org

Desert Trail Column, February 25, 2016

The Wonder Valley Cleanup went very well, with lots of trash, tires and electronic waste being brought in for free disposal. Also, San Bernardino County Code Enforcement officers were there to discuss code enforcement issues and to show pictures of cleanups they’ve done recently in Wonder Valley. While all this was going on outside, there was a fire extinguisher training class going on inside our community center. We’re hoping this will be a regular event.

A garbage dumpster and a tire dumpster

A Health Science Open House will take place on Sunday, February 28 at Copper Mountain College from 9 to noon.

We send out Rainbows-of-Amethysts-and-Violets to Susie Sesma who celebrates her special day this week. Happy birthday, Susie!

Karen’s Commentary: I attended the three-hour fire extinguisher training class taught by Jim Brakebill at our community center. We were shown two short films – one showing and describing a house catching on fire which was scarier than any horror movie, and one all about fire extinguishers. We then went outside and actually put out fires! I learned right away that the pin is very hard to pull out (at least for me) and that the fire can be put out extremely fast with a few well-aimed sweeps of the extinguisher. I highly recommend this class to everyone.

Some of the students with their certificates with Whiskey, the Wonder Valley Fire Dog

Darlene’s Commentary: I love the desert and just about everything in it. I could do without scorpions and am not thrilled when I encounter a sidewinder, but if you watch where you are walking and know where you should not be walking, you can avoid crossing paths with our fellow “residents” that have been living here a lot longer than we have. I am talking about the two-legged, four-legged, eight-legged and the slithery no-leggeds, namely snakes. My motto is respect the desert and its inhabitants, and by and large they will respect you. (Hopefully, at a distance.)

Even though Food for Life Ministries can’t use Little Church of the Desert for preparing and serving their free Saturday meals any longer, they are managing to get meals out to people who need them. Call Reach Out Morongo Basin at 760-361-1410 or Linda Geddis at 760-362-4510 for information on having meals delivered to your home.

Handy Hint:  Ten foods with a big nutritional bang for your buck are carrots, plain low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, frozen peas, canned salmon, whole frozen turkey breast, black beans, russet potatoes, brown rice and canned tomatoes. Cost per serving ranges from 13 cents (carrots) to 88 cents (cottage cheese).

Thought for Today: If we’re not meant to have midnight snacks . . . why is there a light in the fridge? Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.

Wonder Valley seen from the top of the East Valley Mountain,
more affectionately referred to as "Mount Wonder"

Wonder Valley Community Meeting with LAFCO

You are invited and welcome to attend and participate in a Wonder Valley Community meeting with LAFCO, San Bernardino County's Local Agency Formation Commission from 10 a.m. until Noon on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

County Fire gave us four options to address our tax/assessment shortfall for our fire services. The fourth option, and the only one we have not yet addressed as a community, is the dissolution of FP 4 - our fire protection district 4 along with its $34.10 assessment.

LAFCO will be present to discuss the process for dissolving FP4, and the consequences - good and bad. They will also be able to answer any questions regarding forming a CSD, or city, or any other agency formation questions you may have.

Division Chief John Chamberlin, County Fire Division 5 South Desert, will also be present to discuss the issue and answer questions.

AGENDAhttp://bit.ly/firetaxppt

SPECIAL MEETING
April 23, 2106, 10:00 a.m.
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277
Wonder Valley MAC Volunteer and Meeting Chair: Teresa Sitz
Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate.

A G E N D A
http://bit.ly/fp4meeting

1. Call to order and Flag Salute

2. Community comment on items not on the agenda
The community is also invited to comment after the reports and during the discussions below.

3. Presentation on the Possible Dissolution of FP-4
- Kathleen Rollings-McDonald, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
- Division Chief John Chamberlin, County Fire, Division 5, South Desert

BACKGROUND:
On May 20th, 2005 the residents of the community of Wonder Valley voted on a 72% margin in favor of establishing a fire tax. This tax started at $30 annually and had an inflationary value of 2.5% attached. The Board of Supervisors declared the official results of the mailed ballot (Item #15) on June 7th, 2005 for Improvement Zone M, with a 1.5% inflationary measure. This tax was built on the premise of both Limited Term Firefighters and Paid Call Firefighters.

FP-4 started at a rate of $30 for the 2005-06 tax year. Through the 1.5% accepted increase from the Board of Supervisors, it has gone up an average of .471 cents each year per parcel. The current rate is $33.80 per parcel for 2015-16. SFP-4 is made up of 4,636 total parcels. Year to Date collections 2014-15 are $151,218.81.

SOURCE: San Bernardino County Fire Department FP-4 Wonder Valley Presentation, Division Chief John Chamberlin, http://bit.ly/firetaxppt

5. Announcements

6. Adjournment

View County Fire's presentation, with the 4 options, here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/75d0e0g4n3hkio9/Wonder%20Valley%20Presentation.pptx?dl=0

Moms, Grandmas and Grandpas in Today's Rural Fire Service

James Brakebill mentioned this article at Saturday's meeting on a Paid Call Firefighter service. It's not that everyone needs to train to be a firefighter, it's just that we all might be able to do a little more than we think we can.

And even if we can't be a firefighter, there are dozens of necessary support positions that MUST be filled for this to work for our community. We're all in this together.

Moms, Grandmas and Grandpas in Today's Rural Fire Service

And meet Andrea Peterson, the 68-year-old grandmother firefighter - watch her slideshow.

People suffering from cold in Wonder Valley

This just breaks my heart.

WARMING FIRE IGNITES WONDER VALLEY CABINBy Z107.7 News, on November 3rd, 2015Firefighters were called to what was thought to be a structure fire in Wonder Valley early Saturday morning. According to a Sheriff’s report, about 6 a.m., a man who lived in a homestead cabin in the 7500 block of Pinto Mountain Road made a fire near the door, inside his one-room cabin in order to keep warm, and then went back to sleep. The report states the makeshift door did not allow the smoke to escape from the cabin, and when the cabin filled with smoke, the resident panicked and attempted to put out the fire. A neighbor saw the smoke and called for help. The man, who was not identified, received a superficial burn to his right shoulder, but refused medical treatment.
http://www.z1077fm.com/warming-fire-ignites-wonder-valley-cabin/

There will be a HEAP Outreach and Education Workshop in Wonder Valley on November the 13th. If you need financial assistance with electricity, propane, or firewood, please follow the link below and come to this workshop.
Read more...

Fire Statistics and Information for Wonder Valley

 Download this information.

If you want to prepare useful questions for Monday's meeting, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the 10 pages of the LAFCO Service Reviews for the Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley Communities, pertaining to Wonder Valley Fire Protection District FP-4, from May of 2012.
The entire report (p. 165-175): www.sbcounty.gov/lafco/items/201205/Item_8.pdf
Wonder Valley only: http://bit.ly/wvfp4

FIRE FACTS
Wonder Valley contracts with the San Bernardino County Fire Department for our fire and emergency services:
http://www.sbcfire.org/

Our Division Chief is John Chamberlin.

We are in SBCFD Division 5 (South Desert) 
http://bit.ly/southdesertregion
which includes Big River, Black Meadow Landing, Copper Mountain Mesa, Havasu Landing, Homestead Valley / Landers, Johnson Valley, Joshua Tree, Needles, Panorama Heights, Park Moabi, Parker Strip, Pioneertown, Wonder Valley, and Yucca Valley.

The following report was taken from the SBCFD Annual Report for 2014/2015

DIVISION 5 (South Desert)

LAFCO Service Reviews for the Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley Communities
www.sbcounty.gov/lafco/items/201205/Item_8.pdf
(Wonder Valley only) http://bit.ly/wvfp4, pages 165-175, May 7, 2012

What we pay now for Fire & Emergency Services
“The reorganization of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (LAFCO 3000), effective July 1, 2008, included the transfer of responsibility for fire services from County Service Area 70 Zone M (serving the Wonder Valley area) to a new Service Zone FP-4 of the newly reorganized San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (‘County Fire’) along with the formation of the regional South Desert Service Zone.”

Included in the transfer was 
1. 100% of the ad valorem property tax from CSA 70 Zone M and
2. the special tax for the provision of fire protection service within the Wonder Valley Community from CSA 70 Zone M.

Our 1% property tax goes to the SBFD’s South Desert Service Zone, and the special tax goes to Service Zone FP-4.

     “Zone FP-4 has no direct employees; it pays for a proportional share of salaries and benefits costs necessary to serve it and pays a proportional cost of the administrative functions of County Fire and its South Desert Service Zone.” P. 173

OPTION, LAFCO
LAFCO Service Reviews for the Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley Communities, p 174
“Twentynine Palms Water District as the fire provider in the Wonder Valley community. In this scenario, the Water District could expand its sphere of influence and annex the boundaries of Zone FP-4 of County Fire. The Water District would succeed to County Fire’s assets to include the assessment of Zone FP-4 and become responsible for fire protection services to all of the Wonder Valley community. Benefits could be achieved as the region would elect a single board of directors, have local control of financial resources and determine the level of service to be provided.”

Zone FP-4’s incident response categories and times 
July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
www.sbcounty.gov/lafco/items/201205/Item_8.pdf
http://bit.ly/wvfp4, pages 169, May 7, 2012

WONDER VALLEY DEMOGRAPHICS
Population is difficult to determine as many people live in Wonder Valley on a seasonal basis.
City-Data: 528
LAFCO: 999
Registered Voters: ?
City-Data.com 2013
Median household income in 2011: $15,399
Median age - males: 62.5 years
Median age - females: 60.0 years
Average household size: 2 people
Percentage of population below poverty level: 16.9%
Percentage of units with a mortgage: 38.8%

2015 FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES

Incident Response Categories and Times

Someone today asked me if we had records for calls and responses. Here they are from July 2009 to January 2012.

LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION FOR SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
SUBJECT: Agenda Item #8: Service Reviews for the Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley Communities

The charts below identify Zone FP-4’s incident response categories and times since July
2009. (page 169)