Chief Janet Winchester

Welcome to Sugar Loaf’s New Chief, Janet Winchester

Please join us in welcoming Janet Winchester as the new Chief of the all-volunteer Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District. Janet stepped into her new role on January 1, 2022. She has served as a volunteer firefighter and emergency first responder on the department for 30 years, and is trained in structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, emergency medicine, vehicle extrication, search and rescue, wildland urban interface issues and fire service leadership. Janet was the assistant chief for SLFPD from 2018-2021, mentoring under former chief Andrew Goldman.

By day, Janet works as an occupational therapist for the non-profit TRU PACE in Lafayette, helping older individuals continue to live safely in their community. She works with clients both in their homes and in the outpatient rehab setting to promote strength and safe living, and to help her clients prolong options for independent living.

In addition to her duties as a volunteer firefighter, Janet has also been involved with special fire department projects, including the Boulder County Wildland Hazard Identification and Mitigation Project (WHMS), testing and public outreach for testing residential drinking water wells for Per- and Polyfluorinated compounds, and she has served on committees to create specifications for new apparatus, including a UTV and a rescue truck.

Janet’s natural compassion fits well in the fire service because she can empathize with people in distress. Her immediate goals as chief include restoring some of the team effectiveness and basic firefighting skills that couldn’t be emphasized well during COVID distancing protocols, continuing to build on the department’s welcoming and inclusive culture, and continuing ongoing projects such as vehicle replacement, wildfire mitigation, and firefighter and leadership development in the department.

Janet and her husband John joined the department in 1991 when they moved to Sugarloaf to help John’s parents age in place. Together they raised their three children in the Sugarloaf Community. As empty nesters, they recently adopted a rescue dog and enjoy hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing and bicycling. They’ve recently discovered that learning to fly drones is fun but can be harder than it looks.

Previous Letters

May 2021

Dear Neighbor,

As vaccinations accelerate, we are increasingly hopeful that we’ll all be able to gather in person again soon. But we’re not there yet.

I am writing to tell you that we are once again unable to commit to a garage sale and to ask you to consider making a contribution to the Sugar Loaf Fire Department.

The Sugarloaf Garage Sale takes months and months to organize and requires that we temporarily store a lot of items. We just can’t risk doing all that until we know for sure that COVID restrictions will be lifted.

Let’s all look forward to 2022 as the return of the much-loved garage sale.

This past year was an “exciting” one for all of us. The combination of the pandemic and an active fire season kept our all-volunteer fire department on its toes. We worked extra hard to respond to COVID-19 and we responded to multiple wildland fires, including the neighboring Cameron Peak, East Troublesome, Left Hand, and Cal-Wood Fires. Whenever our community called for our volunteers, they were there.

Whether it was a fire, a medical emergency, a car accident, an unattended campfire, or a lift assist, they were always first on the scene.

This year we are gearing up for what could be a particularly challenging fire season. Thankfully, our team is trained and ready to serve. And we have welcomed a new class of trainees, bringing our membership to over 50, the highest number in many years.

Your support is more important than ever. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Sugar Loaf Fire Department. Our goal is to raise $25,000 by July 4th . These funds will help maintain our fleet of fire trucks and equipment, provide firefighters with crucial gear for personal protection, and fund the continued training of new firefighters.

Please support our GoFundMe campaign: gofundme.com/f/2021-fundraising-campaign-sugarloaf-fire-dept

If you prefer to give by check, you can mail or drop one off at Station 2: SLFPD, 1360 Sugarloaf Road, Boulder, CO 80302

Thank you for all you do to make Sugarloaf a great place to live. It is an honor and a privilege to serve you.

Sincerely,

Andrew Goldman
Chief

April 2, 2021 

Greetings Sugarloaf Neighbors, 

As the weather gets warmer and the summer season arrives, there are a  number of actions we can all take to prepare for the upcoming fire season.  Please read more about the steps you can take in advance of an evacuation.  We’ve included information about how to prepare your home and property  and steps to take in the event of an evacuation. 

EVACUATION NOTICES  

There are two different types of evacuation notices that you may receive, if  your phone number is registered:  

  1. A Pre-evacuation “Evacuation Warning” (prepare to evacuate)  message or 

  2. A Mandatory “Evacuation Order” (evacuate immediately) 

These messages will describe the nature of the emergency (e.g., wildfire),  and very importantly, the evacuation route so you do not inadvertently head  toward the danger.  

It is possible for parts of a neighborhood to receive a notice, but not all. It is  also possible for parts of the district to receive “prepare to evacuate” while  other parts receive an “evacuation order.”  

Please be sure to register your phone number for emergency notifications  at:  

https://www.bouldercounty.org/safety/emergency/emergency-mass notification-system/ 

PRE-EVACUATION - WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW!  

  • Create a list of your important items ahead of time and keep it  in a handy and readily accessible place.  

  • Medications and prescriptions

  • Pets with carriers, leashes and food 

  • Prescription eyewear 

  • Changes of clothing 

  • Important documents: insurance policies, passports, financial  papers, banking information, address or phone book of friends,  insurance agencies, doctors, friends and family 

  • Computers 

  • Cell phones 

  • Family photos 

WHY CONSIDER EVACUATION EARLY?  

Fires can spread rapidly under extreme fire conditions. It takes time to get evacuation information and notices out to affected areas. Our mountain  roads can get jammed up with emergency responders coming in, and several  hundred cars trying to get out all at once. Don’t wait until the last minute!  

We know you don’t always want to leave your home, but it is for your own  safety, and the safety of the emergency responders, for you to do so. We  live in an area with ample fuels and steep terrain, which lead to extreme fire  behavior. You can replace a home, but you can’t replace a life.  

IF ORDERED TO EVACUATE  

  • Close all windows and doors  

  • Close drapes or window coverings  

  • Leave porch lights or lights in the home on  

  • Have a ladder handy for fire fighters to access your roof if needed 

  • Leave hoses attached to outside faucets  

  • Make water sources such as pools and cisterns available for firefighters 

  • Leave doors unlocked to allow firefighters to check homes for any  possible fire  

  • Do not block driveways with vehicles. Fire apparatus may need to  access driveways  

HOW CAN I MAKE MY HOME SAFER?  

  • Make sure your address is clearly visible - This is an easy way to  improve safety, by ensuring a quicker response from police, fire, and  medical personnel. Many homes in our area are not clearly marked,  and this can cause delays during an emergency. Make sure your street  address can be clearly seen from the main access road, from both  directions, especially at night. If you share a common driveway, all  home addresses should be marked at the bottom of the driveway as well as at any splits. If you share a cluster of mailboxes, you still need  to mark your individual driveway.  

  • CO and Propane detectors - Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors and  Propane detectors are also available and can detect hazardous  situations that a regular smoke detector might miss.  

  • Keep smoke alarm batteries fresh - It is a good idea to change out  all the batteries in all your smoke alarms when daylight savings time  changes in the Spring and Fall. If you have battery operated CO or  Propane detectors, replace those, too.  

  • Portable fire extinguishers - Fire extinguishers are fairly  inexpensive and can save your home. Everyone should have one or  more: in the kitchen, near wood stove/fireplaces, near entry ways, etc.  The multipurpose dry chemical (ABC) type works well on most fires. Be  sure to get them reinspected on schedule, and it is a good idea to pick  up a dry chem model once a year and turn it upside down to keep the  powder from settling too much.  

  • Maintain defensible space - We live in a wildfire danger area. Every  resident needs to be aware of the dangers and do as much as possible  to make their home more defensible in the event of a wildfire. In the  event of a major wildfire, local resources could be overwhelmed, and  your preparation may make the difference in saving your home.  

  • Wood stoves/fireplaces - You should only burn dry, seasoned wood to reduce accumulation of flammable materials in your chimney. Get your chimney inspected once a year. This is especially important since  many people in our area burn pine and it can cause build-up fast.  

  • Call the fire department early - If you suspect a medical, rescue, or  fire emergency, call the fire department early. It is much better to  cancel a response than to call it in too late. The first few minutes of an  emergency are the most crucial.  

SEASONAL WILDFIRE PREPARATION CHECKLIST  

  • Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers posted near your phone  and in your emergency supply kit.  

  • Subscribe to neighborhood email groups.  

  • Have a portable radio or scanner so you can stay updated on the fire.  • Develop your fire evacuation plan and practice family fire drills. Ensure  that all family members are aware of and understand escape routes,  meeting points and other emergency details. 

  • Contact Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and ensure that your home  telephone number and other important phone numbers appear in the  county’s Reverse 911 or other emergency notification.  

  • Prepare a “grab and go” disaster supply kit that will last at least three  days, containing your family’s and pets’ necessary items, such as cash,  water, clothing, food, first aid and prescription medicines.  

  • Ensure that an outdoor water supply is available. If it is safe to do so,  make a hose and nozzle available for responding firefighters. The hose  should be long enough to reach all parts of the house.  

Credit: http://csfs.colostate.edu 

EVACUATION NOTIFICATION CHECKLIST  

Often you are given advance warning of an evacuation. In this  situation, and only if you have time:  

  • Dress to prevent burns - wear long pants, boots, goggles, cap, bandana if you have them, but don’t waste time looking 

  • Move propane and BBQ appliances away from structures

  • Place a ladder against the house  

  • Move combustible deck furniture inside  

  • Leave doors closed but unlocked  

  • If the evacuation order comes, act immediately. Load people and pets  and GO! Fires and other hazards running before the Boulder winds or down the canyons can be there in minutes.  

DEFENSIBLE SPACE  

Protect your family, home and property by creating and  maintaining defensible space now. 

Defensible space is the area surrounding your home and is essential to  improving your structure’s chance of surviving a wildfire. Managing the  buffer between a building on your property and the grass, shrubs,  trees, or other vegetation that surround it is vital to protecting the  structure. This treated area is vital to slow or stop the spread of  wildfire and protect your home from the consequences of both radiant  heat and direct flame contact. Defensible space is also important for  the protection of firefighters, who find themselves defending your  home during a wildfire event. 

Plant and Tree Spacing  

Proper spacing between vegetation including grass, shrubs, and trees is  crucial to reduce the spread of wildfires. The spacing needed is determined  by the type and size of brush and trees, as well as the slope of the land. For  example, a property on a steep slope with larger vegetation requires greater  spacing between trees and shrubs than a level property that has small,  sparse vegetation.  

STRUCTURE PREPARATION  

  • Remove needle-cast from the base of the house and around decks 

  • Gutter and roof cleaning  

  • Move and re-stack woodpiles to safe locations  

  • Weed whack to a height of 6 inches or less  

  • Remove duff away from the base of large trees  

  • Limb low-hanging branches within the defensible space 

  • Remove trash and debris accumulations from the defensible space 

  • Remove branches that overhang the roof and chimney  

WEED WHACKING  

Keeping the grasses managed around your house and driveway can  significantly impact fire behavior in a wildland event. It is common for flame  lengths to reach double the height of the fuel it’s burning or even more in  some circumstances. Grassy areas managed to 6 inches may produce a 1 ft  flame length. That same area with unmanaged grasses may produce a 3 ft  flame length which is much harder for firefighters to control.  

Wildfire Partners offers free home assessments to help with mitigation. See  their website by clicking on this link: https://wildfirepartners.org/ 

Thank you to our community for helping us all prepare for wildfire season.

--Andrew Goldman
Chief , Sugar Loaf Fire Department