Hilltop Horsemen Learn About Emergency Preparedness · If you have horses, and water is not...
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APRIL 2018 Hilltop Horsemen Learn About Emergency Preparedness Part 2: Planning and Preparing for the “Big One” Submitted by Kerry Manos With Thanks to Jim Merson On a rainy night last January, the Hilltop Horsemen gathered to hear a sobering presentation on disaster preparedness from Jim Merson, Chairman of the Garner Valley Emergency Preparedness Committee. Jim focused his discussion on the two most likely challenging situations to occur in our mountain environment: fire and earthquake. The distinct nature of these two threats determines how we should prepare, both as a community, and as individual households, to deal with each of them. In the case of fire, the focus is on evacuation of ourselves, followed by our animals and personal property. Thus, preparedness for a fire disaster involves planning and preparing to leave the area and shelter elsewhere until it is safe to return home. An overview of this process was covered in the last issue of the Valley Voice. A major earthquake, however, may require that we shelter in place. It may not be possible, or desirable, to leave our homes or the immediate area. Preparedness for an earthquake thus focuses on being sure we have the extra supplies and special equipment we may need to get by at home until services are restored and we have normal access to daily necessities. In his presentation, Jim described how a significant earthquake might damage power distribution lines, water supply pipes and local roads. We could face a loss of electrical power, and perhaps a disruption of our water supply. In addition to the obvious loss of lights, appliances, heating and other electrically powered features in our homes, loss of electricity could mean our cell phones might not work, as many of us experienced when power was shut down due to fires near our area. Although Anza Electric keeps emergency generators, in the case of earthquake, roads might not be immediately passable, and it might be difficult to bring generators to where they are needed. Thus communication within our community, as well as with the outside world, could be challenging. Our community water tanks use gravity to feed the water in the tanks to our homes, but once drained, the tanks must be resupplied by electric pumps. Emergency generators to operate these pumps are kept at Lake Hemet, and must be transported to the pump site if the tanks are to be refilled. Any road damage or other impediment to moving the generators into place could disrupt our water supply. Also, an earthquake could damage the water supply pipes, which could lead to an almost immediate loss of water to our homes. Bottom line: in an emergency, we could lose our water supply within a few minutes to a day or so, and depending upon circumstances, it it could be some time before it is restored. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Memories of a Special Neighbor 3 Common Grounds Coffee 3 Microchip Clinic for Horses 4 Equestrian Alliance News 4 CPR Clinic 5 Roadrunners at Paint Night 6 Hilltop Horsemen Meeting 6 Board Election 7 Protect Your Pet 7 April Showers 7 Rattlesnake Avoidance 8
Transcript of Hilltop Horsemen Learn About Emergency Preparedness · If you have horses, and water is not...
APRIL 2018
Hilltop Horsemen Learn About Emergency Preparedness Part 2: Planning and Preparing for the “Big One” Submitted by Kerry Manos With Thanks to Jim Merson On a rainy night last January, the Hilltop Horsemen gathered to hear a sobering presentation on disaster preparedness from Jim Merson, Chairman of the Garner Valley Emergency Preparedness Committee. Jim focused his discussion on the two most likely challenging situations to occur in our mountain environment: fire and earthquake. The distinct nature of these two threats determines how we should prepare, both as a community, and as individual households, to deal with each of them.
In the case of fire, the focus is on evacuation of ourselves, followed by our animals and personal property. Thus, preparedness for a fire disaster involves planning and preparing to leave the area and shelter elsewhere until it is safe to return home. An overview of this process was covered in the last issue of the Valley Voice.
A major earthquake, however, may require that we shelter in place. It may not be possible, or desirable, to leave our homes or the immediate area. Preparedness for an earthquake thus focuses on being sure we have the extra supplies and special equipment we may need to get by at home until services are restored and we have normal access to daily necessities.
In his presentation, Jim described how a significant earthquake might damage power distribution lines, water supply pipes and local roads. We could face a loss of electrical power, and perhaps a disruption of our water supply.
In addition to the obvious loss of lights, appliances, heating and other electrically powered features in our homes, loss of electricity could mean our cell phones might not work, as many of us experienced when power was shut down due to fires near our area. Although Anza Electric keeps emergency generators, in the case of earthquake, roads might not be immediately passable, and it might be difficult to bring generators to where they are needed. Thus communication within our community, as well as with the outside world, could be challenging.
Our community water tanks use gravity to feed the water in the tanks to our homes, but once drained, the tanks must be resupplied by electric pumps. Emergency generators to operate these pumps are kept at Lake Hemet, and must be transported to the pump site if the tanks are to be refilled. Any road damage or other impediment to moving the generators into place could disrupt our water supply. Also, an earthquake could damage the water supply pipes, which could lead to an almost immediate loss of water to our homes. Bottom line: in an emergency, we could lose our water supply within a few minutes to a day or so, and depending upon circumstances, it it could be some time before it is restored.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Memories of a Special Neighbor 3
Common Grounds Coffee 3
Microchip Clinic for Horses 4
Equestrian Alliance News 4
CPR Clinic 5
Roadrunners at Paint Night 6
Hilltop Horsemen Meeting 6
Board Election 7
Protect Your Pet 7
April Showers 7
Rattlesnake Avoidance 8
The Valley Voice Page 2
Planning and Preparing for the “Big One”, Continued
Again, damage to roads might slow the ability of emergency personnel to deliver such things as repair equipment. Jim pointed out that, in the case of a major quake, damage and problems will be widespread, and the resources of disaster relief agencies will likely be taxed to the fullest. Our small, out-of-the-way community may not be first on the list for attention. Jim reported that one authority he consulted told him that, worst case, our community could be isolated for three to four weeks!
So what can we do to lessen the hardships on our families if the “Big One” hits, and some of these worst case scenarios come to pass? Much is common sense, but here are some specific tips:
Safe drinking water is the number one priority. If you hear pipes have been broken, shut off your main water valve at the street to avoid contaminated water entering your home. That way, you can use the water stored in your water heater, pipes, ice cubes, and even the toilet tanks (not bowls). Keep some bleach in the house to purify other sources of water later if you need to. Suspicious water can also be boiled if you have the ability to do so.
Better yet, plan on storing one gallon of water per person per day for the number of days you expect to need it. An easy way to do this would be to store 5-7 large cases of bottled water per person in your household.
If you have horses, and water is not available to your property, you can try watering them at Lake Hemet.
If the power is out, open your fridge and freezer as infrequently as possible to retard the warming and spoiling of food. Refrigerated food can thus stay good for about three days. Use the food from your refrigerator and freezer first. Keep a supply of canned foods or other relatively imperishable food items to use later. Make sure you have a manual can opener. Keep a supply of normal household goods, such as toilet paper, on hand. Don’t forget to keep an extra supply of pet food.
Consider getting a generator. A dual-fuel generator— one that can run on propane from your home’s propane tank as well as gas— is especially useful.
Have alternative heating and lighting sources on hand, such as battery-operated lanterns (plus spare batteries), and good supply of firewood for your wood stove or fireplace.
Keep a well-supplied first aid kit in your home. If you take critical prescription medications, try not to let them run low.
Make sure you can communicate and get up-to-date information from authorities. Get a solar cell phone charger and a battery operated radio. Tune radios to AM 1610 or FM 101.3 for emergency information.
Try to keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle, and keep an emergency bag in your car with extra clothes, water, food, first aid supplies, toilet paper, medicines.
If your home is damaged to the point of being uninhabitable, Pathfinder Ranch is a designated Emergency Staging Area.
For more specific information, tips, check lists, etc., go to www.redcross.org.
The San Andreas Fault passes through the desert just below us. Think about it…
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Memories of a Special Neighbor Dr. Richard MacNeal, an early resident of Garner Valley, passed away in January at the age of 94. MacNeal was known not only for his great mind, but also for his generosity. MacNeal was a generous philanthropist, who made incredibly generous donations in the early days of Idyllwild Arts Academy, donated land to the residents of Garner Valley, and also donated a large parcel of land to Pathfinder Ranch
Dr. MacNeal was cofounder of MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation, a software company whose software was vital to our country's aerospace industry in its infancy. The corporation also made MacNeal a very wealthy man. Dr. MacNeal believed in giving some of his wealth to worthy causes, education, and to the community, and to make the world a better place. His generosity both to the Idyllwild Arts Academy and to Garner Valley have had a lasting impact on both.
Long-time resident Millie Shaw remembers Dr. MacNeal telling her about some of the events that had taken place in the early years of the valley. The community was small and many people were purchasing land to build their homes. Dr. MacNeal originally lived on Hop Patch Spring Road, but due to a terrible fire, the MacNeals lost their home. Many people did not rebuild, but the MacNeals built a new home on Table Mountain.
Land was set aside for a "common area" for the community on Hop Patch Springs Road, but in time, the residents voted not to have a Common and the property was put up for sale for somewhere between $50,000-$70,000. Sales were slow. The economy was doing very poorly. The GVPOA accepted an "option to buy." After a time, the economy rebounded and the prices went up considerably. The buyers exercised their lease option. Residents in the valley were upset that the land sold for such a low price and started a lawsuit against the GVPOA. Richard MacNeal, then President of the Board, offered his acreage to settle the lawsuit in exchange for the money from the sale of the land. He hired a contractor, Bert Scholkolph, who agreed to build the Common building for that amount, even though it was much less than he should have gotten. Another neighbor, Mr. Petersen, donated the money to build the fireplace in the Common.
Thanks to the generosity of some of our early residents, especially to Dr. MacNeal, we are able to enjoy our Common today.
Common Grounds Coffee in Anza
We stopped by the Common Grounds trailer on Hwy. 371 for a cup of iced coffee and to get the scoop on Anza’s new coffee house. Jeral and Robyn have partnered up to bring us breakfast and lunch, and soon will add family style dinners to go! Their food menu currently includes brunchwiches, salads, soups, and specials like fish and chips, tuna melts, stuffed baked potatoes, and chicken alfredo.
Robyn has over 28 years of catering experience and will cater events in Garner Valley. We’re definitely going to give them a try!
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Microchip Clinic for Horses
Jo O’Brien is organizing a microchip clinic at the Garner Valley Arena with a local vet. The cost is $55 per horse, with an extra cost if sedation is needed. There is an 8 horse minimum in order for the vet to do this clinic. Please call or text Jo at 951-303-4867 ASAP with questions or to reserve a spot! Date and time will be determined once she has enough horses.
Having your horses microchipped is critical in case of fire, evacuation or other emergency! Take advantage of this local clinic at a great price.
GV Equestrian Alliance News
The GV Equestrian Alliance had a busy month, and more great events are in the works!
On March 24, the Equestrian Alliance organized a free trailer inspection for the community provided by Eileen Adams, a commercial motor vehicle carrier inspector for the California Highway Patrol for over 20 years. The inspection included looking at tire condition and weight rating, lights, floor condition, safety chains, and break-away devices. Each of the participants got good information and learned where their trailers needed some attention. Thanks go to Linda Mushaney and Melanie Bellamore for organizing the inspection!
On March 25, a chilly morning and a little wind did not deter the hardy horse and rider teams from a fun and sometimes challenging return to our drill team practice. We plan to perform at the Anza Lions Gymkhanas this summer, as well as possibly performing in Norco in the fall. It’s not too late to join us!! If you’d like to see what it’s all about, contact Melanie for the next group lesson dates, alternating on Saturdays and Sundays. Call 714-349-9800 or email [email protected].
On April 29, the GVEA is planning to sponsor a CPR Clinic for the community. Fire Captain Milford Ferguson will again be teaching CPR and Defibrillator Training at our Common from 8:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. The cost is $17 if you wish to be certified; FREE if certification is not desired.
See the flyer on the following page for details!
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Roadrunners at Paint Night Submitted by Chris Peters This was the fourth paint class hosted by the GVWG. Millie Shaw, our famous wildlife artist, has been our willing and helpful teacher. Millie is so patient and encouraging to all of us! This class subject was a roadrunner; in the past, we have done a rooster, a poinsettia, and a rabbit. It really has been a great experience, and so much fun meeting a lot of new people to the Valley. The one thing I learned with this class is that I will never be an artist, but it sure has been fun. We are all looking forward to more in the summer. Classes are open to everyone. Come on out and join us!
Hilltop Horsemen to Learn About the Redshank Riders Submitted by Kerry Manos
At the April meeting, Hilltop Horsemen will have the opportunity to learn about another local organization for active equestrians, the Redshank Riders.
Headquartered in Anza, the Redshank Riders are a unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California, which is in turn part of the Backcountry Horsemen of America. Members not only enjoy recreational trail riding together, but they also engage in activities that support the larger equestrian community, including trail maintenance and political advocacy on behalf of the interests of backcountry riders.
Our speaker will be Greg Bruce, a past president of Redshank Riders.
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3, from 6-8 PM at Susan Gonzalez and Robert Drewery’s home, 59493 Hop Patch Spring Road, Garner Valley. Susan will be serving an entree of barbecued pork ribs. Attendees are asked to bring a complimentary appetizer, side dish or dessert.
Social hour and dinner will be from 6-7 PM. The program will start at 7 PM.
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Board Election is Coming! The annual election for the GVPOA Board is coming up in May. This year, two new Board members will be elected for a two-year term. There will be a Candidates Forum after the Board Meeting Open Session on April 16. Come and meet the candidates and ask questions, and please take the time to vote for your new Board members!
Be on the lookout for ballots which will be mailed this month.
Protect Your Pet Recently, there have been several dogs loose in the neighborhood. Some of the dogs did not have a collar or tags. The best way to keep your pet safe if they get loose is to have a form of identification on them. The dog's name, your contact information and anything important about the pet should be on the ID tag.
Sarita Silen and Carole Winch send out an email to all of their contacts to inform the community of a lost dog, so that the pet has a better chance to be returned safely to its owner. In addition, if you find a lost dog, you can take it to Sarita's home on Butterfly Peak until the owner can be located. Sarita has a dog kennel where the dog will be safely retained until the owner is found.
If you find a lost dog and have no way of knowing who the owner is, please call Sarita at 951-659-9518. Let's keep our precious canines safe!
"April Showers Bring May Flowers"
April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks go." Not so fast, Garner Valley!
April is a month of transition for most. It arrives when winter ends and spring begins, symbolizing a period of rebirth. Usually, we see daffodils, colorful blossoms, and beautiful wild flowers in Garner Valley at this time, but don't be fooled into thinking winter is over for good! We can and have had snow as late as June 1st, which makes our growing season shorter than in the flatlands. Advice from some of the old timers is to plant after June 1st. Others will say plant after Mother's Day. In either case, don't plant too early. We have many new people in the valley, so be aware that your lovely blossomed fruit trees may not produce fruit if we get a freeze during or after they bloom. Especially this year, since we are having a late winter, it would be best to plant later rather than earlier.
Save time and money and wait to plant until you are sure there is no more frost.
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YOUR EDITORS
Lynnette Holdridge (626) 233-1224 Leslie Ingham
(909) 631-3685 Email:
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Submissions and photos are always welcome!
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Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Events! April 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Hilltop Horsemen monthly meeting and dinner. See article on page6.
April 28
Rattlesnake Avoidance Training. See article above.
April 29 at 8:00 a.m.
CPR Clinic at the Common sponsored by the GV Equestrian Alliance. See flyer on page 5. RSVP by April 22!
K9 Rattlesnake Avoidance Training Submitted by Sandy Brunet
As we enter rattlesnake season, you may want to consider training your dog to be an early detection/warning system.
Mountain Feed and Hay is pleased to host our 5th annual K9 rattlesnake avoidance training with Animalia Herpetofauna, Inc. Carl Person has worked with venomous snakes since 1976. He is a herpetologist first, a geneticist second; his Ph.D. is in speciation of rattlesnakes.
He became involved in rattlesnake avoidance training several years ago and as a biologist and a geneticist; he wanted to understand how dogs learn and remember. Dogs depend on their noses for almost everything. Why? Because it is their number one information system. A dog can discern one chemical part in a million! Comparatively, humans have around 5 million scent receptors; dogs have between 125 million (Dachshund) to 300 million (Bloodhound). This was the critical flaw in most K9 avoidance training systems which are primarily based on sight and sound….rattlesnakes avoid detection by not being seen so it is imperative to engage the dogs gift of the vomeronasal system to detect rattlesnakes. As a result, Carl has developed an optimized training course built specifically to engage the canine vomeronasal system. And the results are amazing.
Training takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Working with an e-collar, your dog is exposed to various scent stations and live snakes (adult and juvenile). If your dog has been trained by Carl and his team previously, you can get your dog re-checked at any of the trainings for $30.
This year’s training takes place on Saturday, April 28th in the field next to the store. The training is $99 per dog or $89 each for 2 or more dogs. Dogs must be at least 5 months of age. No aggressive dogs permitted. We sell out every year, so please register early. 951.719.6990.
