Tag archives: MFPD
The following was written after having to evacuate rapidly, with no warning, at 1 pm on January 9, 2023, from the lower Mission Creek area, where I live. Sunday night, it was a bucolic stream. It turned torrential a few hours later and turned my street into a swift river. For the past five years, […]
Also happening at MFPD, Montecito Fire Division Chief of Operations, Alan Widling, is set to retire on December 30. The #2 in command at MFPD, Chief Widling has worked the last 31 years of his life in the service of others. Widling was hired as a full-time firefighter by the Montecito Fire Department in September […]
Reps from the Montecito Fire Protection District were in front of Montecito Planning Commission last week outlining recent amendments to the District’s Fire Code. Fire Marshal & Battalion Chief Aaron Briner outlined the changes, which include changes to access road width and design, fire sprinklers requirements, emergency power systems, and more. Every three years, the […]
On Tuesday, December 10, the Montecito Fire Protection District marked the retirement of Communications Coordinator Jackie Jenkins, who served MFPD for 21 years. Jenkins began in Public Safety on April 1, 1980, at California State Parks, Pt. Mugu as an YCC Crew Member. At the same agency, Jackie continued as lifeguard and seasonal Ranger until […]
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 […]
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 […]
At a board meeting on Monday, January 28, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors appointed a new director: Judy Ishkanian. Ishkanian takes the seat vacated by John Venable, who served for 16 years on the Fire District Board before announcing his retirement in December. Ishkanian will be required to run for the seat […]
Later this week, Montecito Fire Protection District will release a draft amendment to its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), following lessons learned from the Thomas Fire in 2017 as well as findings from the recently released “A Defensible Community: A Retrospective Study of Montecito Fire Protection District’s Wildland Fire Program During the 2017 Thomas Fire” […]
The 7th annual Season of Hope food and toy drive is underway; Montecito Fire Protection District is now accepting donations of non-perishable foods and new, unwrapped toys at both fire stations. The community-wide event is sponsored by KSBY and includes local non-profit organizations, fire departments, and several businesses. The donations go to the Unity Shoppe’s “Central Distribution Facility,” […]
On Tuesday, October 30, Montecito Fire Protection District hosted a special awards ceremony at Montecito Union School. The formality was to honor two MFPD firefighters for their courage and bravery during the January 9 debris flow. Wildland specialist Maeve Juarez and firefighter/paramedic Andrew Rupp were each given a Medal of Valor award, which is the […]
At a special board meeting on Tuesday, May 29, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors recognized every one of its employees for their performance during the Thomas Fire and subsequent mudflow. The firefighters and support staff, who helped navigate the successful rescue of 800+ community members following the mudflow event, were on-duty nearly […]
At a District board meeting on January 22, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors was briefed on the mudslide situation by division chief of operations, Kevin Taylor. As of Monday, the recovery operations for the incident was transitioned to the County’s Emergency Operations Center, with Montecito Fire having an advisory role in the […]
As another year passes, we reflect on notable events in the Montecito community. From California’s largest wildfire, progress on development and new businesses, school happenings, retirements, and more, 2017 was a busy year in Montecito. While far from all-inclusive, here is a snapshot of our community’s happenings in 2017. Thomas Fire Without a doubt, […]
Last edition, the cover of Montecito Journal boasted the line “Saving Montecito”, with a photo of a Montecito fire truck at Station 1 on San Ysidro Road. Little did we know that roughly 48 hours after the newspaper hit stands, Montecito firefighters – along with thousands of others from across at least seven states – […]
At 10 am on Tuesday, December 12, dozens of Montecito firefighters and personnel gathered at Fire Station 1 for a morning briefing on the Thomas Fire, which, as of press time, had burned 234,200 acres and was 20 percent contained. For more than a week, MFPD has been operating in an “all-hands-on-deck” mode, meaning 24-hour […]
Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 14, when many retailers will welcome shoppers to a special shopping event on Coast Village Road, organized by the Coast Village Association. Shops will be offering special discounts and gifts, refreshments, entertainment, and even a photo opportunity with Santa! The event, called Shop Coast Village, is from 4 to […]
