Last night, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) commission selected Capt. Mike Mulhall to be the interim fire chief until a permanent replacement for recently retired Chief Steve Kunkle is selected.
The commission also said it would be announcing the vacancy and using normal fire chief chanels (such as journals) to solicit applicants.
Mulhall is a 25-year IFPD veteran. He has served as chief during his tenure and most recently was the district's training officer.
The meeting began with several citizens offering their suggestions to the Commission. For example, Commissioner Dr. "Sweetie" Schelly's wife, Leslie, urged them to consider a person who would work with the staff, understand the district's financial issues and care for its equipment.
Pine Cove resident Jeff Smith suggested the commission postpone the decision until it could discuss its options with riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins and Hemet Fire Chief Matt Shobert.
And Nancy Borchers of Pine Cove reminded the commission that Pine Cove supports the ambulance contract through its payments and hoped the commission would select an individual who would support the contract with adequately trained and capable staff.
Stay tuned later today to see or hear about the agenda for IFPD's special meeting scheduled for 5:30 pm, tomorrow, Feb. 17 at the fire station.
Showing posts with label Kunkle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kunkle. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friday, August 28, 2009
St. Park reservations
The Mt. San Jacinto St. Park has decided to call campers with weekend reservations offeriing a full rebate, according to Superintendent Garret Aitchison.
"With limited staff, I'm worried about an emergency evacuation," he said. And he acknowledged this was strictly a state park decision.
In contrast, John Miller, the information source for the incident command structure assigned to the Cottonwood Fire, said," We have left all the campgrounds and picnic areas open. The last thing we want is put a nail in the coffin of the town."
Miller and other fire officials are more than confident that the Hill can be alerted to an imminent danger well before the emergency is on our doorstep.
While the rumor yesterday was that the Idyllwild Arts campus was evacuated, Idyllwild Fire Chief Steve Kunkle acknowledges he asked employees to keep in contact with their staff because they are dispersed around the campus. He did not call for an evacuation, but only suggested it might be temporarily safer in town.
This is JP's vow: If an evacuation is ordered, it will be posted on this site within minutes of learning about the decision. I will post if from my desk at the Town Crier. I will not be in San Diego, Palm Desert or on the beach.
We are here together. Being vigilant does not mean panic. Please come to the town meeting.
"With limited staff, I'm worried about an emergency evacuation," he said. And he acknowledged this was strictly a state park decision.
In contrast, John Miller, the information source for the incident command structure assigned to the Cottonwood Fire, said," We have left all the campgrounds and picnic areas open. The last thing we want is put a nail in the coffin of the town."
Miller and other fire officials are more than confident that the Hill can be alerted to an imminent danger well before the emergency is on our doorstep.
While the rumor yesterday was that the Idyllwild Arts campus was evacuated, Idyllwild Fire Chief Steve Kunkle acknowledges he asked employees to keep in contact with their staff because they are dispersed around the campus. He did not call for an evacuation, but only suggested it might be temporarily safer in town.
This is JP's vow: If an evacuation is ordered, it will be posted on this site within minutes of learning about the decision. I will post if from my desk at the Town Crier. I will not be in San Diego, Palm Desert or on the beach.
We are here together. Being vigilant does not mean panic. Please come to the town meeting.
Jazz Fest is a GO! IFPD says not so fast!
Jazz In the Pines- Event is a GO (Statement from Bill Lowman, President)
Jazz Committee & Musicians,
According to local authorities, the Cottonwood Fire currently poses no threat to the village of Idyllwild or Idyllwild Arts Academy. Jazz in the Pines is still a go, so please come up to enjoy the music and the mountain. It’s cool up here.
You should be aware that Highway 74 is closed between Hemet and Highway 243 at Mountain Center. Visitors can use Highway 243 off Interstate 10 in Banning or Highway 74 from Palm Desert. For additional information please contact the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, CalFire or CalTrans.
Sincerely,
Jeff Hocker, Executive Producer
Jazz in the Pines
Now wait a second, Idyllwild Fire Chief Steve Kunkle told Marshall Smith, our local agent, the following:
Idyllwild Arts gives “go/no go” Jazz in the Pines decision to IFPD Chief Kunkle!!
According to Diane Miller, speaking on behalf of Idyllwild Arts CEO Bill Lowman, Idyllwild Arts gave the “go no/go” decision to proceed with this weekend’s Jazz in the Pines Festival to Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) Chief Steve Kunkle.
It should be pointed out that Chief Kunkle is not yet part of the unified command that presently includes CalFire and the Forest Service. IFPD will be included if and when the fire crosses a designated point set by the unified command that makes it likely the fire will move uphill and easterly toward the Hill communities.
But Chief Kunkle does issue the special permit that allows the festival to proceed. Because of that, and wanting to provide potential attendees and townspeople more than adequate cancellation notice, Kunkle established a “pre-trigger” point for pulling the permits and cancelling the festival.
Should the fire cross to the south side of the North Fork of the San Jacinto, a distance of approximately 3 to 5 miles from the present fire site, Kunkle will effectively cancel the festival. Last night the fire was at Kunkle’s pre-trigger point but air support and firefighters on the fire line beat the fire back to its present location, effectively moving it farther away from Hill communities.
The fire is moving (at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28), according to the Forest Service Website www.inciweb.org, at a “moderate rate” of speed, north and away from Idyllwild, which is to the northeast. The greatest present activity is on the fire’s western flank. Winds are at 10 mph, the temperature is 107 degrees F. and humidity is at a low 7%. Kunkle believes that even should the fire cross his “pre-trigger” point it would be, using “current models,” two days before the fire reaches the Hill communities, unless wind conditions were to pick up.
Kunkle expressed concern over the economic consequence of canceling the festival, both to Idyllwild Arts and to local merchants who depend on this weekend to make much of their bottom line, but expressed that his main concern is safety.
Kunkle’s “pre-trigger” point is 1-1/2 miles west of the official Hill evacuation trigger point at Fisherman’s Point.
Kunkle said Idyllwild Arts can decide at any time prior to the point at which his responsibility kicks in, i.e. his “pre-trigger” point, to cancel the festival.
Jazz Committee & Musicians,
According to local authorities, the Cottonwood Fire currently poses no threat to the village of Idyllwild or Idyllwild Arts Academy. Jazz in the Pines is still a go, so please come up to enjoy the music and the mountain. It’s cool up here.
You should be aware that Highway 74 is closed between Hemet and Highway 243 at Mountain Center. Visitors can use Highway 243 off Interstate 10 in Banning or Highway 74 from Palm Desert. For additional information please contact the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, CalFire or CalTrans.
Sincerely,
Jeff Hocker, Executive Producer
Jazz in the Pines
Now wait a second, Idyllwild Fire Chief Steve Kunkle told Marshall Smith, our local agent, the following:
Idyllwild Arts gives “go/no go” Jazz in the Pines decision to IFPD Chief Kunkle!!
According to Diane Miller, speaking on behalf of Idyllwild Arts CEO Bill Lowman, Idyllwild Arts gave the “go no/go” decision to proceed with this weekend’s Jazz in the Pines Festival to Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) Chief Steve Kunkle.
It should be pointed out that Chief Kunkle is not yet part of the unified command that presently includes CalFire and the Forest Service. IFPD will be included if and when the fire crosses a designated point set by the unified command that makes it likely the fire will move uphill and easterly toward the Hill communities.
But Chief Kunkle does issue the special permit that allows the festival to proceed. Because of that, and wanting to provide potential attendees and townspeople more than adequate cancellation notice, Kunkle established a “pre-trigger” point for pulling the permits and cancelling the festival.
Should the fire cross to the south side of the North Fork of the San Jacinto, a distance of approximately 3 to 5 miles from the present fire site, Kunkle will effectively cancel the festival. Last night the fire was at Kunkle’s pre-trigger point but air support and firefighters on the fire line beat the fire back to its present location, effectively moving it farther away from Hill communities.
The fire is moving (at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28), according to the Forest Service Website www.inciweb.org, at a “moderate rate” of speed, north and away from Idyllwild, which is to the northeast. The greatest present activity is on the fire’s western flank. Winds are at 10 mph, the temperature is 107 degrees F. and humidity is at a low 7%. Kunkle believes that even should the fire cross his “pre-trigger” point it would be, using “current models,” two days before the fire reaches the Hill communities, unless wind conditions were to pick up.
Kunkle expressed concern over the economic consequence of canceling the festival, both to Idyllwild Arts and to local merchants who depend on this weekend to make much of their bottom line, but expressed that his main concern is safety.
Kunkle’s “pre-trigger” point is 1-1/2 miles west of the official Hill evacuation trigger point at Fisherman’s Point.
Kunkle said Idyllwild Arts can decide at any time prior to the point at which his responsibility kicks in, i.e. his “pre-trigger” point, to cancel the festival.
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