#80-foot   #Inter-Canyon   #Communication   #Hilldale   

Before we all just sign petitions to stop the communications tower that ICFPD plans to build as fire station 5, lets understand why this is planned for in the first place.
Full disclosure: I am a retired firefighter from this district and I experienced the issue first hand. Radio comms in our area in the front and at the back of Hilldale Pines, down S Turkey Rd and down Deer Creek Canyon is very spotty or non-existent. What does this mean? Think about it.
The volunteers and staff of this department that serve YOU need our support for a number of reasons!
They put their lives on the line for you, to safe you, you loved ones, your pets or your property.
For example, that volunteer that lives amongst us, arrive first on scene using his own personal vehicle, only with a small handheld radio. For 10-15 mins until the first apparatus start arriving, they struggle to give a situational overview of what the need is. That means they can’t call for additional apparatus from neighboring districts to fight that structure fire, so 10-15 mins later is a lot of time for a house to get out of control and burn to the ground.
10-15 mins is a lot of time for your loved one or you, that suffered severe burn wounds trying to existing the fire, for someone to potentially get decent comms to get a helicopter sent to save a life.
10-15 mins is a lot of time is this dry timber area, for a wildland fire to get out of control. Even with apparatus on scene, it is still a challenge for wildland firefighters to call in a helicopter to do a precision drop to save your house.
The problem is not everywhere on the mountain, but the problem exists and it is a big problem if you on the ground, trying to get help.
But if you manage to stop the building of the comms tower, I don’t want to hear from you on this page or on TV how you lost everything, how your loved one or your pets died, or even worse one of those firefighters die, because they died not get timeous communications.
We all may end up with nothing left here on the mountain. But at least other people driving through our blackened district will appreciate your view.