Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department

11/21/2023

Update: It is with great sadness that we pass along the report that Johanna was found deceased on a property near her home this morning. Please read the Sheriff’s update below for more information.

Please read below. Sonoma Sheriff is asking for your help to locate one of our community members who has gone missing.

(español abajo) UPDATE 11/21 5:03PM. We are sad to report that Search & Rescue Team members found Johanna deceased on a property near her home this morning. Thank you to everyone who kept an eye out for her the past few days. It’s clear that Johanna was a beloved community member.

Today we had over 60 people from seven counties searching for Johanna. We sincerely appreciate our volunteer Sonoma County Search & Rescue and the help from our mutual aid partners, including:
Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department
Marin County Search and Rescue
Mendocino County Search and Rescue
Alameda County Sheriff's Office - Search and Rescue Unit
Solano County Search and Rescue
Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU)
San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
Santa Clara County Search and Rescue
CARDA - California Rescue Dog Association
Cotati Police Department
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Contra Costa Search and Rescue Team
California Search and Rescue
WOOF Search Dogs
Intel 12 – FIRIS Plane
Air Force Rescue Coordination Center

UPDATE 11/20 at 4:20PM: This is an update on the search for Johanna. While we learned Johanna was missing yesterday, she was last seen alive on November 13. We’re using our own resources and mutual aid resources to search for Johanna, including our Search & Rescue Team, Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department firefighters, search dogs, a drone, and a plane with infrared technology.

We are asking for your help, especially if you live in the Cazadero and lower river area.

👀 Check your entire property, including outbuildings, and review security cameras and game cameras over at least the past week.

🤝 Ask your neighbors to do the same.

📱 If you have any information about Johanna, call Dispatch at 707-565-2121.

ORIGINAL POST 11/20 at 1PM: Missing elderly woman in Fort Ross Area

Please be on the lookout for Johanna Lynch, an 87 year old white woman. Johanna is 5’2”, 140lbs, with brown eyes and gray hair. Johanna should be on foot. Please check your property, including outbuildings, game cameras, and security cameras, for signs of Johanna.

Johanna’s last known location was the 1400 block of Big Barn Road in Cazadero. Johanna is at risk due to her age and suffers from early onset dementia. If you see, or have information about Johanna’s whereabouts, please call Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 707-565-2121.

***
ACTUALIZACIÓN 21 de noviembre, 5:03PM. Nos entristece informar que esta mañana unos miembros de la brigada de rescata encontraron a Johanna mu**ta en una propiedad cerca de su casa. Gracias a todos los que estaban atentos a ella estos últimos días. Está claro que Johanna era un miembro de la comunidad muy querido.

Hoy habían más de 60 personas de siete condados buscando a Johanna. Agradecemos sinceramente a nuestros voluntarios en la brigada de rescate y la ayuda de nuestros socios de ayuda mutua, incluido:
Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department
Marin County Search and Rescue
Mendocino County Search and Rescue
Alameda County Search and Rescue
Solano County Search and Rescue
Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit
San Mateo County Search and Rescue
Santa Clara County Search and Rescue
Contra Costa County Search and Rescue
California Rescue Dog Association
Cotati Police Department
California Search and Rescue
WOOF Search Dogs
California Office of Emergency Services
Intel 12 – FIRIS Plane
Air Force Rescue Coordination Center

ACTUALIZACIÓN 20 de noviembre, 4:20 PM. Esta es una actualización sobre la búsqueda de Johanna. Aunque supimos que Johanna estaba desaparecida ayer, fue vista por última vez el 13 de noviembre. Estamos utilizando nuestros propios recursos y recursos de ayuda mutua para buscar a Johanna, incluido nuestra brigada de rescate, bomberos voluntarios del Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department, perros de búsqueda, un dron y un avión con tecnología infrarroja.

Pedimos su ayuda otra vez, especialmente si vive en Cazadero y cerca del Russian River.

👀 Revise toda su propiedad, incluidas las edificaciones anexas, las cámaras de cazar, y las cámaras de seguridad, durante la semana pasada por lo menos.

🤝 Pida a sus vecinos que hagan lo mismo.

📱 Si tiene información sobre Johanna, llame al Despacho al 707-565-2121.

ORIGINAL 20 de noviembre, 1:00 PM. Una anciana está desaparecida en el área de Fort Ross.

Esté atento a una mujer blanca de 87 años que se llama Johanna Lynch. Johanna mide 5’2,” pesa 140 libras, y tiene ojos cafés y el pelo gris. Pensamos que Johana está caminando. Revise su propiedad, incluidas todas las edificaciones anexas, las cámaras de cazar, y las cámaras de seguridad, en busca de señales de Johanna.

La última ubicación conocida de Johanna fue la cuadra 1400 de Big Barn Road en Cazadero. Johanna corre riesgo debido a su edad y porque sufre demencia temprana. Si usted ve a Johanna o tiene cualquier información, llame al Despacho de la Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Sonoma al 707-565-2121.

06/14/2022

For residents in the Cazadero area and along the lower portions of Fort Ross Rd and King Ridge Rd. — Please sign up for the Cazadero Evacuation Exercise if you haven’t already and can do so.

Practice makes perfect, and knowing what you will need to do during an evacuation is critical.

10/28/2021

It’s always good to know where to get information during an emergency, and how each public safety agency uses the mechanisms they have available.

If you haven’t already please sign up for Nixle and SoCoAlert! They are also useful for more than just wildfire.

More on how to tune up your devices to make the most of these services to come soon.

Sonoma Sheriff

(español abajo) Given the recent rains and flooding, we thought now would be a good time to remind everyone how the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office uses Nixle. Every agency uses Nixle a little differently because they are trying to best meet their community’s needs. Our Nixle strategy is based on community feedback, program costs, and lessons learned since 2017.

When we send a Nixle text message, we want to get your attention. This is why we send Nixle texts for urgent and emergency situations, such as a missing child, shelter in place order, or evacuation. Click on the blue link when you get a Nixle text to read the full message with all the important details. We do not send Nixle texts or emails for press releases. Instead, we post those on social media.

We send text messages to people who are registered near, and potentially affected by, the incident. This is called geo-targeting. For example, if there are evacuations in Agua Caliente, you won’t get the evacuation order if you live in west county. We post evacuation information on social media so you can still get the information if you’re interested.

Our contract with Nixle allows us to send messages about Sheriff’s Office issues only. We cannot send Nixle messages on issues like traffic on unincorporated roads or smoke in the air.

Here are some helpful hints for fire season:
• Go to www.nixle.com to sign up and manage your account to have more control over the types of messages you receive. You can also get help at www.nixle.com/resident-faqs/.
• Consider downloading the Everbridge app (Everbridge owns Nixle). It may be an easier way for you to receive Nixle messages if you have WiFi but poor cell reception. Keep in mind that you will only receive messages on the app and will no longer receive text messages.
• During fire season, be sure to keep your cell phone charged, near you, and with the ringer turned on while you’re sleeping.
• Don’t forget to also sign up for SoCoAlert to receive emergency alerts from the County. Redundancy is important because there is no perfect alert system. You can sign up and find emergency alert information at www.socoemergency.org/get-ready/sign-up/.
• Follow the Sheriff’s Office on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We post bilingual information on these platforms 24 hours a day throughout a disaster.
• Identify your official, reliable sources of information now so you have them ready during a disaster. Excellent sources include the Sheriff’s Office, CAL Fire, your local fire agency, and the County’s emergency website (www.socoemergency.org).

Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this message. Stay safe, Sonoma County.

*****

Después de las tormentas e inundaciones recientes, quisieramos compartir con ustedes cómo la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Sonoma usa el sistema Nixle. Cada agencia usa Nixle de manera un poco diferente porque tratan de satisfacer las necesidades de su comunidad. Nuestra estrategia en usar Nixle se basa en los comentarios de la comunidad, los costos del programa, y las lecciones que hemos aprendido desde 2017.

Queremos llamar su atención cuando enviamos un mensaje de texto con Nixle. Por eso enviamos mensajes de texto con Nixle para situaciones urgentes y de emergencia, como un niño desaparecido, una orden de refugio en lugar, o una evacuación. Haga clic en el enlace azul cuando reciba un texto de Nixle para leer el mensaje completo con todos los detalles importantes. No enviamos mensajes de texto ni correos electrónicos con Nixle para comunicados de prensa. Los publicamos en las redes sociales.

Enviamos mensajes de texto a las personas que están registradas cerca del incidente, cuando sea posible que puedan estar afectadas. A esto se le llama orientación geográfica. Por ejemplo, si hay evacuaciones en Agua Caliente, no recibirá una orden de evacuación si vive en el oeste del condado. Publicamos información sobre evacuaciónes en las redes sociales para que usted pueda obtener la información si desea.

Nuestro contrato con Nixle nos permite enviar mensajes únicamente sobre asuntos de la Oficina del Sheriff. No podemos enviar mensajes con Nixle sobre asuntos como el tráfico en las calles no incorporadas ni sobre el humo en el aire.

Lea a continuación algunos consejos para la temporada de incendios:
• Vaya a www.nixle.com para registrarse y administrar su cuenta para tener más control sobre los tipos de mensajes que recibe. También puede obtener ayuda en www.nixle.com/resident-faqs/.
• Considere descargar la aplicación Everbridge (Everbridge es el propietario de Nixle). Podría ser una forma más fácil de recibir mensajes de Nixle con el WiFi cuando la recepción del celular es deficiente. Tenga en cuenta que solo recibirá mensajes en la aplicación y ya no recibirá mensajes de texto.
• Durante la temporada de incendios, asegúrese de mantener su teléfono celular cargado, cerca de usted y con el timbre encendido mientras se duerme.
• No olvide registrarse también en SoCoAlert para recibir alertas de emergencia del condado. Es importante tener mas de uno sistema de alerta porque no existe un sistema perfecto. Puede registrarse y encontrar información sobre alertas de emergencia en www.socoemergency.org/preparese/registrarse/.
• Siga a la Oficina del Sheriff en Facebook, Twitter o Instagram. Publicamos información bilingüe en estas plataformas las 24 horas del día durante un desastre.
• Identifique ahora donde puede encontrar información oficial para estar listo durante un desastre. Las agencias locales incluyen la Oficina del Sheriff, CAL Fire, su agencia de bomberos local y el sitio web de emergencias del Condado (www.socoemergencia.org).

Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de su día para leer este mensaje. Manténganse a salvo, amigos.

10/23/2021

A much yearned for early parcel of weather has been delivered to us over the last few days, but that's not all folks! A second serving is on its way that promises to be quite filling.

Given the wet wild weekend on the way please take a moment to ensure you have your heavy weather gear ready, that your radios are working, backup power operational, and that you are otherwise prepared for whatever nature throws your way.

Given the slick situation please take extra time for travel. Keep an eye out for flooded roadways, downed trees, and slides. Don't attempt to cross flooded roadways!

For our coast loving residents and travelers, please also keep an eye on the surf. Never turn your back to the ocean, and do keep your distance. While the current high surf advisory ends tonight expect it to be pretty rough and unpredictable out there for the next few days.

Even if you don't intend to stay dry, please stay safe!

10/18/2021

Heads up community. Smoke will likely be visible from a prescribed burn on Magic Mountain tomorrow.

09/30/2021

Red Flag Warning starting this evening at 11PM until 11AM Thursday.

Please always have your Go Bags packed and ready. Stay alert and aware for new fires and possible evacuation orders. While this event is focused on the interior North Bay mountain ranges there is always a potential during a wind event for rapid fire spread.

09/23/2021

It's a good dog day!

07/18/2021

Due to the threat of Dry Lightning: A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11 AM Sunday to 5 PM PDT Monday for the Santa Lucia Mountains, Los Padres National Forest, the mountains of San Benito County, and interior Monterey County. The Red Flag warning will also go in effect for the North Bay Mountains, East Bay Hills, and the Diablo Range, and the Santa Cruz Mountains starting 5 PM Sunday through 5 PM PDT Monday. Isolated to scattered dry thunderstorms will be possible Sunday afternoon through early Monday afternoon. Given the dry fuels over the higher elevations, any cloud to ground lightning strikes have the potential of starting new wildfires.

07/17/2021

Get Ready for Possible Lightning Event

This weekend is an especially good time to get your Grab & Go kit together and think about where you and your family would head if the evacuation call came. Why? We *may* have a dry lightning event that might touch off new fires locally.

It's hard to forecast for sure, so stay updated on the current Fire Weather Watch, this Sunday evening through Monday, at https://forecast.weather.gov/ (read Forecast Discussion for detailed updates). The Weather West blog has an excellent discussion of the situation at https://weatherwest.com/archives/10113.

For help assembling your Grab & Go kit, see http://www.frvfd.org/index.php/when-fire-comes/ .

03/11/2021

*** This is not an official or sponsored Fire Department event. This is a community event. ***

What: Community Roadside Clearing
When: This Sunday [3/14] from 10am to 2pm

The Details: At 10 AM there will be people you know from our community meeting at the top of Fernfield Road to start doing roadside clearing heading toward Niestrath. Please join and help however you are able, be it cutting with chainsaws, pole saws, loppers, or put on your gloves and help move the debris, or bring snacks or gas or chain l**e or something.
Every little bit helps and the more who help the faster it goes and more that can get done.

In January we had a work day at the entrance of Niestrath road – from Fort Ross road, over the bridge, all around the mail boxes and on up the road. Additionally, February included 2 roadside clearing Saturdays: one on Seaview Ranch (from the Corners heading up toward King Ridge] and another on Gualala Ranch at the corner of High Road and Creighton Ridge aka by Station 1. The difference in all these areas is night and day.

Roadside clearing is a concern for all of us who live out here, no matter which exit road you “normally” use. While it is an overwhelming idea to take on this project, we have to start somewhere and sometime – and there’s no better time than the present.
We hope to see you there and please forward this to others in our extended community.

NOTE: distancing and masking will be observed.

There’s no need to RSVP – This is strictly an informative message – We’ll be there.
If we get rained out, it will be rescheduled for the 20th.

11/01/2020

Our weather is getting cooler, with a possibility of rain next weekend -- although November is still expected to be unusually dry and fire season ain't over till it's over. Folks are cranking up their woodstoves and space heaters.

Time for Safety tips!

1. Clean your chimney for creosote. Inspect the entire set-up and replace anything questionable. (Be careful up on the roof!)

2. Woodcutters: let your chainsaw engine cool before refueling. Keep a hot muffler away from dry leaves and weeds.

3. Create a safe spot to store your firewood, away from your house.

4. Embers must be OUT before disposal.

5. Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. (What, you don't have any? Get some!)

6. If you're on-grid and using an electric space heater, be sure there's plenty of space around it, no curtains or flammables, and cord is not in the way.

7. Holidays invite candles burning. Never, ever, ever leave 'em unattended.

More woodburning tips at Insurance Information Institute: iii.org/article/wood-stove-safety.

If you're among the thousands who have succumbed to the lure of the wood burning stove, keep in mind that the return to the "good old days" of wood stove heating can have some old-fashioned drawbacks.

10/24/2020

On a scale of 1-10, this Red Flag is an 11. The next couple days have the potential for extreme wildfire. Be prepared to move fast if need be. It's not a bad idea to stash your Go kit in the car Sunday, just in case. Et cetera (Please see the link below for more information).

Meanwhile, it's autumn and getting nippy at night. If you're cold, please wear a sweater and fuzzy slippers -- don't start up your wood stove until the first true soaking rain arrives. Stay alert and stay safe!

Please click this link for more information about being prepared, and what to do when fire comes:
https://www.frvfd.org/index.php/when-fire-comes/