The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District has launched a campaign to purchase a helicopter, which would be a key piece in protecting the basin from future wildfires. The campaign, “Operation Save the Basin,” is a fundraising and education effort to help change the way the Basin prepares and fights fires. The recent Caldor and Tamarack fires were a wake-up call to the very real and potentially devastating threat wildfire is to our great Tahoe Basin. About 40% of fires in the basin are started by lightning and with climate change and drought conditions, firefighting needs to be more aggressive.
Currently, there are no dedicated aerial resources for our area, but by implementing one the Douglas Fire District that serves the Lake Tahoe Basin and surrounding areas, they could dramatically increase the ability to save lives, properties, infrastructure, wildlife, and the National Treasure that is Lake Tahoe. The helicopters could also be used for backcountry rescue, to aid in avalanche rescue through the ability to monitor and read heat signatures, and in roof rescues incase of an emergency in one of the areas aging casinos.
Another benefit of the helicopter is that when its not being used for fire or rescue, it can be used to lift out large trees during the building of fuel breaks, which the area desperately needs. Building fuel breaks can ensure that the fires do not spread into the basin. Building a fuel break before a fire starts can ensure that sensitive habitats, such as the Angora Meadow which was destroyed during the building of the fuel break in the Caldor Fire, can be protected.
Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District believes our community can improve our level of protection and response through a FIRE RESCUE HELICOPTER PROGRAM but they need our support!
Public Support
SPREADING THE WORD –They need your help in spreading the word of this new program to your friends, neighbors, HOA’s, etc.
Political Support –
TDFPD is in the process of contacting local, state, and federal government officials for their support in making this program a reality for the Tahoe Basin.
Charitable Donations –
An online donation option set up for community members and businesses to donate towards the helicopter program HERE.
I first learned about this initiative at our Annual Chase Meeting, where Tahoe Douglas Fire Chief Scott Lindgren presented a slide show for our company. At the event it was announced that if every Chase agent donated just $62 that Chase International could raise $20,000 for the initiative and Shari Chase (the founder and CEO) announced she would match it. Twenty minutes later, agents and staff of the Chase International Family of Companies, raised $100,000 (Read more about that here).
As well as donating at our Annual Chase Meeting, I have decided to donate a portion of each of my real estate commissions this summer to the Tahoe Basin Fire Rescue Helicopter Program, and I will ask all of my clients to do the same. This is not just about saving the forests and the wilderness we love, it is about protecting your home, my home, and the homes of our community and friends.
FIRE RESCUE HELICOPTER PROGRAM DETAILS
What would a program like this provide?
- Initial fire attack that would suppress fires quickly when they are small – 24/7, 365 days
- Emergency rescue from the air – 24/7, 365 days
- The capability of dropping 1,000 gallons of water on a fire
- The capability to drop a Helitack Crew on the ground for fire suppression
- An onboard paramedic with full advanced life support equipment to perform emergency life-saving skills
- A hoist to perform rescues in remote or hard to get to locations
- The capability for night flying to detect and suppress fires and for search and rescue operations
- Non-emergency fuels reduction work to establish fuel breaks around neighborhoods and businesses in the Lake Tahoe area
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