Located on the face of the San Bernardino Mountains, the fire department in Lake Arrowhead is dedicated to the protection of the lives and property of the people who live in this community.
With the permanent population growing rapidly as of 2010(12,424), Lake Arrowhead fire department strives to ensure that it responds swiftly and tactfully to the alarms made in cases of fire outbreaks.
It has four fire departments and fire stations:
- San Bernardino County Fire Department Station 94 whose street address is 27470 North Bay Road, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
- San Bernardino County Fire Department Station 93 whose street address is 200 North Hwy.173, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
- San Bernardino County Fire Department Station 92 whose street address is 981 North Hwy.173, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
- San Bernardino County Fire Department Station 91 whose street address is 301 S. state Hwy.173, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
These fire departments are easy to get to on clear open roads, which enhance the ability of the Lake Arrowhead fire department to reach all parts of the community. The community has been able to save lots of lives and properties due to the effectiveness of the fire department in Lake Arrowhead that responds quickly to their calls.
The firefighters are well trained and educated on the techniques necessary to do their duty. The services offered by the Lake Arrowhead fire department include;
- Ambulance transportations that not only cater for the fire emergencies but also medical emergency service
- Community education & awareness programs which are meant to provide the knowledge about how to prevent fire outbreaks and the dos and don’ts once a fire outbreak occurs. These programs have significantly reduced the number of fire incidents in the area. Most of the topics that are taught to the community feature the following:
– Safety & Health policies
– Fire simulation that makes one to develop decision-making skills once there is a fire outbreak.
– Handling wildfires caused by high temperatures - 24-hour continuous paramedic programs have put Lake Arrowhead fire department on the map of California as a force to reckon with. The firefighters have been divided into alternating shifts.
- Fire risk assessment
- Mitigation of hazardous materials
Creative is the correct word that describes the Lake Arrowhead fire department voluntary groups, which are comprised of a group of concerned citizens. These firefighters volunteer their time to promote good will within the community. They have given out donations and contributions, which establish a community fire department.
October 23, 2007, left the Lake Arrowhead community shaken but vowing to rebuild. Homes went up in flames one by one destroying 140 homes on the Grass Valley. The Lake Arrowhead fire department managed to evacuate people preventing loss of lives. It was windy with speeds up to 60mph hampering the firefighters.
1n 2016, August 8 a pilot fire broke out rising to flames up to 15 feet high for two days, which was ultimately put out through coordinated efforts between the Lake Arrowhead fire department and other US Fire agencies. The function of such an agency is to provide weather information, logistics and resource coordination for wildfire suppression.
Some of the factors that contributed to the wildfires in Lake Arrowhead are noted as a result of the surrounding mountains. Conditions such as;
- low humidity
- high temperatures
- winds up to 25mph especially in the afternoon.
Looking into the statistics, wildfires are more likely to occur on these mountains. This is the reason why the fire officials and Lake Arrowhead fire department have put in place policies and resources that minimize the damage and assess the risk in case of a wildfire. An initial assessment of fire pointers includes fuel load, topography, weather, hazards, fire behavior and exposures of valuable properties. This technique detects the needs for additional resources and sets proactive operational priorities.
The bottom line is the fire department in Lake Arrowhead is appreciated and respected for their exceptional work. The risk the firefighters take every day they respond to a 911 call shows how they are dedicated to the protection of life and property of its community. They fly the flag high by proudly representing the state of California in the emergency service of United States of America.
