Dare County Firewise Council Meeting

The DCFC meeting was held on September 18, 2007 at the Fish & Wildlife Service office in Manteo.  In attendance: Kelley Van Druten, Georgia Ellis, Matt Callahan, Thomas Whitaker, Rob Shackelford, Susan Ruiz-Evans, and Aaron McCall.

PROGRAM:

·      Kelley showed a brief PowerPoint on the Southern Area Fall 2007 Wildland Fire Assessment that predicts a 60% chance of an active fall fire season beginning in November based on current drought conditions across the southeast.

·      Kelley presented Module 1: Myths of Wildland/Urban Interface Fire from the Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone.

MEETING:

·        Kelley passed out a graphic that explained where home assessments, Firewise Communities, and Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) fit together in level of planning to those that missed the last meeting.

·        The group discussed 2 postcard designs that fit the Post Office specifications for addressing.  The first design had the logo on the front and the information side with the addressing side.  The second design reserved the pattern with the logo on the addressing side.

o       The majority voted for the first design (see second page).

o       Aaron suggested putting the website address on the front with the logo.  The final design will be reworked to show this.

o       From the counts that Georgia supplied, we you would to send 1,070 postcards to include all of Stumpy Point, Kitty Hawk Woods, Nags Head Woods, Manns Harbor, and Buxton Woods.

o       Tallying up costs for postcards, printing, and postage would be just over the current amount left in the account.  Aaron will cover the price difference.  Georgia will check on getting the labels printed.  Kelley thinks she can supply the labels.

o       Still working on cleaning up the logo so that it doesn’t print out so blurry.

o       GOAL: Have postcards and labels printed before the next meeting.  Will try and split up the stack between members, but whatever is not labeled and stamped will be finished at the next meeting.

·        Matt has been delayed with finishing the website but will have it completed by the next meeting so that it will coincide with the postcard mailing.

·        Susan reported that a visit by Jamie Dunbar and Ed Christopher (NCFS) to a homeowner in the Flowers Ridge subdivision of Buxton concerning the drought-troubled oaks had alarmed the homeowner over the fire danger.

o       Kelley will check with NCFS to see if they have done a follow-up and try to arrange a presentation with the Flowers Ridge Homeowners Association.

·        Group discussed upcoming outreach opportunities.

o       Green Space workshop hosted by Extension Service, Oct. 24 – Kelley will shorten an existing firewise landscape presentation and Aaron will present it

o       Stumpy Point Crab Fest, Oct. 13 – Kelley will double check on the date, Matt agreed to man the exhibit board

o       Wildfest, Oct. 20 – will have a coloring activity on firewise for the kids, Kelley will check on intern availability to man table

o       Health Fair/Marathon, Nov. 9-11 – Georgia will check if we can still get a booth and the cost, Aaron put up an exhibit last year that was unmanned.

o       Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 7-13 – Georgia will check on where the county Fire Safety trailer with the possibility of setting by the Council’s exhibit with it; pointed out that the exhibit is geared for adults and we should work on developing one for kids.

o       If you know of any others or want to help, just let Kelley know.

·        Kelley passed out the handout on suggested workshops to those who weren’t at the last meeting.  She asked everyone to review it and think about the workshops as a future avenue for hitting targeted audiences.  Susan thought the landscaping workshop could be bundled with an Extension event to make it a full day.

ACTION ITEMS:

·        Direct mailing - Georgia has a contact for logo artwork and mailing labels.  Kelley will supply labels for printing. Once logo is done, Kelley will ensure postcards are printed.

·        Website - Matt will continue work on website and ask for comments as needed. Launch date November 2 after reviewing at next meeting.

·        Homeowner follow-up – Kelley will call about Flowers Ridge and hopefully arrange a presentation to the homeowners association.

·        Events – Kelley will check on Stumpy Point festival; Georgia will check on table for Health Fair and Fire Prevention Week; Kelley will contact members for help as needed.

·        Member CDs – Kelley will complete and have ready at the next meeting.

The next meeting will be on Friday, November 2 from 10:00 – 12:00.  Location TBA.