Tag archives: Kevin taylor
As record-breaking wildfires affect millions of people across the state of California, we recently sat down with Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor, who has been at the helm of the District for one year. From getting to know Chief Taylor and his family better, to learning about Montecito’s future fire and debris flow risk, we […]
Back in January, a standing-room-only crowd filled Montecito Union School’s auditorium for an update on what to expect this year in terms of both fire and rain. The message was exactly what residents were hoping to hear. First, a lower than average chance of the kind of rain events that could lead to another debris […]
When I first met Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor last year, I remember asking him what the biggest challenge was facing his department. “The weather,” he told me, quickly adding that the sheer unpredictability of Montecito’s weather threats, be they fire or rain, made his job uniquely worrisome. This week, I caught up with Taylor […]
It was major social gridlock at the Rosewood Miramar when the Montecito Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation threw its second annual New Day gala with the 225 guests raising more than $150,000. Nina Terzian, Gretchen Lieff, Cathy Link, Beverlye Hyman Fead, and Wendy Foster were on the boffo bash’s steering committee, which was produced by Judi Weisbart […]
A question one often hears in Montecito this summer involves home real estate values within the dreaded “red zone.” Those currently in the red zone, whose homes were untouched by the 1/9 debris flow, ask how can they have their homes removed from the punitive evacuation red zone. To better understand the “red zone” and […]
Last Wednesday, December 11, Montecito Association’s Beautification Committee along with Montecito firefighters and kids from Montecito Union School, upheld an over 50-year tradition of decorating the community tree. As mentioned in the Letters to the Editor section of last week’s edition, the festive holiday tradition was born in the early 1960s thanks to then Montecito […]
For all of us who live or work in Montecito, the rainy season brings up a still fresh mix of emotions. We’re grateful for the hydration of our mountains as they continue to recover and revegetate. We’re thankful to no longer be in an active drought. But still we struggle with the residual trauma from […]
Last week, several hundred Montecito residents turned out at Montecito Union School to hear Kevin Taylor, Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) chief, plus a parade of six county officials, provide an update on Winter Storm Readiness in Montecito. Montecito Fire Chief Taylor served as “Unified Commander” during the December 2017 Thomas Fire, as well as […]
Next Thursday, December 5, Montecito Fire Department, in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Carpinteria Summerland Fire Protection District, and 1st District Supervisor Das Williams, invites the public to attend a community informational meeting in advance of the winter storm season. The purpose of this community meeting is to publicly […]
The Montecito Emergency Recovery and Response Group (MERRAG) graduated their first ever community volunteers with CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) certificates on Saturday, November 9. The Montecito Fire Department hosted the intensive 20-hour course. The CERT program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic […]
Montecito Fire Department welcomes new Battalion Chief, David Neels. “We are very excited to transition Chief Neels into our already excellent management team and look forward to drawing from his depth of knowledge as an emergency response professional,” said Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor. Chief Neels began his career in 1998 with the Santa Barbara County […]
On Monday, October 28, the Board of Directors of Montecito Fire Protection District approved Resolution No. 2019-08, which calls for the establishment of a standing committee to explore mutually beneficial locations for new fire station locations in the jurisdictions of the Montecito Fire Protection District and the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District. The Committee, called the Fire […]
Caltrans reported earlier this week that the Montecito Creek Bridge at Parra Grande and Highway 192 is slated to open mid-December, nearly three months later than originally planned. Caltrans Public Information Officer Jim Shivers tells us the reason that the Montecito Creek Bridge is the last to be opened to traffic is due to a […]
Paving work began on Coast Village Circle earlier this week; the beginning of a two-month long restoration project to rehabilitate the road following the 1/9 Debris Flow in January 2018. The Debris Flow caused major damage to the roadway on Coast Village Circle due to flooding and the presence of heavy equipment; the project will […]
Since 1994, the Montecito Fire Department has partnered with the community to prepare for the High Fire Season by reducing the density of vegetation along strategic portions of roadways as well as on private property. The intent of the Neighborhood Fire Prevention Project is to assist property owners in improving the defensible space around their […]
At a board meeting on Monday, June 24, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors appointed Division Chief of Operations Kevin Taylor as the next Fire Chief of the Montecito Fire Department. “I appreciate the faith and confidence the Board has placed in me to lead this fantastic organization,” Chief Taylor said to a […]
At a Montecito Fire Protection District board meeting last week, Montecito Fire Chief Chip Hickman announced his retirement in July. Before taking the role as Chief in 2012 as the successor of Fire Chief Kevin Wallace, Chief Hickman was a 21-year veteran of the MFPD, beginning his career in 1990 as one of the District’s […]
Montecito Association (MA) members have identified three issues – water security, including lifetime independence from drought; effective recycling with re-use of wastewater; safety and security from future flood and debris flows – as critical issues facing Montecito that need to be explored and resolved as the community looks toward a better future. To resolve any […]
Spring is gorgeous around these parts, and it is also the time of year when we do our annual membership drive. We’d very much like to extend an invitation to you to join the Montecito Association, if you’re not already a member. We are offering a special three-day emergency safety kit this year as a […]
“I’ve been waiting twelve years to tell you that the Miramar is completed,” said Caruso Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations Rick Lemmo to a packed audience at the Montecito Association board meeting earlier this week. Lemmo shared some details about the Resort, which had its soft opening on Monday, February 11. “Thank you for […]
