**Mike Carter:** Cherry Creek consists of 59 parcels developed in the 1980s on an old 6,600-acre ranch. We formed the Cherry Creek Road Association, and I became the secretary. We widened roads wherever there was room, replaced all the one-sided plywood road signs, and added new ones. Now all intersections have double-sided, reflectorized standard street signs visible from all directions.

We then formed work parties or hired contractors to clear brush along roads, following priorities supplied by the Long Valley (Laytonville) Fire Department. We prepared fire maps with all road names and locations of structures, ponds, and water tanks, including a number giving the capacity of each tank. We later added emergency escape routes. The maps are updated every spring, and provided to our local fire departments as well as CAL FIRE.

As an amateur ham-radio operator, I also established an emergency communications center at my residence and monitor CAL FIRE, local fire department, and County OES radio broadcasts. We also set up an electronic bulletin board for all owners, both local and remote.

Last year we established the Cherry Creek Fire Safe Council. We now have monthly meetings to discuss road improvements, escape routes, structure hardening and grant applications. One of the first things we did was develop a phone call tree; this morphed into using the DialMyCalls system provided by MCFSC. We have had a few successful tests of the system, but fortunately have not had to use it for actual emergencies.

**Cindy Panzer:** The Cherry Creek Fire Safe Council recently gave residents tours of the three emergency escape routes that our road association established through agreements with private property owners. Some were on 4WD roads or cow pastures—you work with what you can!

BEFORE we had a formal Neighborhood Fire Safe Council:

Our road association was the only formal organization in our community.
Some owners held occasional, informal meetings on fire safety.
We created an online Google Group for communitywide communication.
We disseminated information on Go-Bags, defensible-space advice, etc.
We created a manual phone tree for emergency alerts.
We hosted a Chipper Day, compliments of MCFSC.

AFTER forming a Neighborhood Fire Safe Council:

We hold regular meetings with presentations on various subjects—often from the firesafemendocino.org website.
We send a representative to MCFSC’s monthly Leadership and Technical Advisory Group meetings to keep our members informed.
We converted our manual phone tree to the more efficient DialMyCalls automated system offered through MCFSC.
We hosted a series of community Home Hardening Assessment and Advice sessions.
We took advantage of MCFSC’s discounts to purchase reflective address signs.
We utilized MCFSC’s first Monday-of-the-month drop-in Zoom office hours to discuss fire-related issues with Emily or Scott in an informal setting.
MOST EXCITING—we obtained fiscal sponsorship from MCFSC in planning and funding a major roadside fuel-reduction project on 9 miles of single-access roads. They bundled our project with other similar ones in a successful CAL FIRE grant application, and are managing our project as our sponsor, with our input and assistance.