THESE ARE BRIEF VERSIONS OF SOME OF OUR PAST NEWS STORIES FROM 2020.
CLICK ON NEWS-2017-2019 TO SEE STORIES FROM 2017-2019.
CLICK ON OLD NEWS TO SEE NEWS STORIES BEFORE 2017.

BLAZE AT HISTORIC RANCH – On Sunday, October 6, 2019 there was a fire at the entrance to El Rancho Robles. Oracle Fire responded with backup from other fire depts. Tenders were brought in and helped with additional water. (photos by Laura Flores / Collins Cochran)

EAGLE ONE VETERAN OUTREACH – The Eagle One Veteran Outreach Center will be at OFD on Wed., March 25 from 10am to 2pm. It provides veterans a place to learn about and apply for services available. You may also visit them online at hohp4heroes.org.

CAMPO BONITO ANNEXATION MEETING – Residents of Campo Bonito area met with Fire Chief Robert Jennings in an informal meeting at Arizona ZIpline Adventures on Sat., Feb. 22. This was an opportunity for a one-on-one conversation with the Chief. For further information on annexation in Oracle call 520-896-2980.

BRUSH BURN ALERT: This is an alert if you see smoke at the brush dump site on Sunday, February 9. If weather conditions allow, we may be burning the brush dump starting roughly 8am. Please take necessary precautions if you have a medical condition that might be irritated by smoke from the brush dump in the atmosphere. If you have further questions, please call 520-896-2980. Please note that the Brush Dump will NOT be open for use during the burn.

SNOWMAN VISITS ORACLE! You might be seeing a new face in the Viper out in front of the Oracle Fire House. Dominic Huerta, the son of firefighter Junior Huerta, donated his snowman to ride in the back seat. Dominic is 6 years old and goes to Mt. Vista School. Thanks so much Dominic!

SANTA VISITS! He was here! On Friday, Dec. 13, we welcomed Santa at his annual visit to Oracle. He arrived via helicopter in the afternoon and made his way to Mtn View School to visit and also meandered through Oracle. Around 4:30pm, he was at Oracle Fire station to welcome the children.

FIREWISE PROPERTY WINNERS FOR 2019 –  On August 13, 2019, the Oracle Firewise Board met to give out the annual Firewise Property Awards. There were several excellent nominations this year.
The Personal Property winner was Cindy Bieger and Chuck Jaffe located on Estill Dr. and Maplewood St. The Business Property winner for their work on American Ave. was the U.S. Post Office in Oracle. Each group is shown here with their Firewise certificate along with a sign that will be in front of each property. Thank you for all for your efforts to make Oracle a much safer community and to show us all “how it’s done!”

Photo above is OFD Admin. Manager Tina Acosta, Cindy Bieger, Chuck Jaffe, and Firewise Board member Rachel Opinsky.

Photo above shown here with OFD Admin. Manager Tina Acosta, new incoming Postmaster Justin Wallace, Jennifer Martinez, and Firewise member and sign installer Kevin Armbrust.

ORACLE HYDRANT CLEANUP – You might have seen the CERTs out early on the morning in Oracle (9/7/19). They were meeting to participate in the annual Cert Hydrant Cleanup around town. They do lots of things to make it easier for the firefighters and the public to maintain Oracle as a firewise town. Stop by the fire station if you are interested in joining one of these groups and let us know or just come to a meeting to see what it's about.

CONGRATULATIONS - NEW OFD ENGINEERS —
At the OFD Board meeting on August 14, 2019, Firefighters Nick Brening and John Savage were recognized for their recent and well-deserved promotion to the rank of Engineer.

Oracle CERTs in LZ training (July 2019) – Oracle CERT volunteers, Pinal Rural Fire and San Carlos Police participated in special Landing Zone training at the Apache Sky Casino recently. Helicopter crews from Native Air, Lifenet and AirEvac taught about setting up a landing zone, how to communicate with the pilot and what requirements are needed for patient transport. Also covered were when to have helicopters on standby, how to approach the helicopter once its landed and when it is not appropriate to transport by helicopter.

New Oracle Fire District (OFD) Board member – Paul Arias was sworn in at the last Board meeting on July 17th, to replace outgoing Board member William Ramsay. Mr. Arias was born and raised in the tri-community and has lived in Oracle since 1975. Along with raising his family, Mr. Arias also works in Oracle and was a volunteer firefighter for OFD back when the district was volunteer. We welcome Mr. Arias to the OFD Board and thank him for continuing to contribute to our great community! He is shown here being sworn in by Board Member Ellie Brown.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE – Mr. Ramsay had been on the Fire Board since last year and participated in OFD in many capacities over a 25-year span, with his last position being Assistant Chief. We thank Mr. Ramsay for his numerous years of service to OFD and to his community. We wish him and his wife, Linda, the very best in their new life up north!

NEW FIREWISE TRAILER – (March 2019) Barbara Elliott of Pinal County Office of Emergency Management dropped off the new Pinal County Firewise trailer for use at special events to OFD. Watch for it at the Oracle Oaks Fest on April 13th.

ORACLE HORSE OWNER’S Evacuation Preparation Group (OHO) –
met on Thursday, April 11th at 6pm. Their goals are:
• To educate Oracle residents of the need to prepare for evacuations in advance of an emergency;
• To connect horse owners with other horse owners, to help one another;
• To determine safe staging areas and temporary shelters;
• To establish a list of people with horse trailers who are willing to re-enter evacuated areas of Oracle to pick up horses in staging areas;
• To communicate this list of people to the Oracle Fire District to ensure access to staging areas.
To sign up for future meeting dates and more information, please email oracleequineevac@gmail.com.
You can call OFD at 896-2980 or visit Facebook: Oracle Equine Evac.

NEW CERTS – (January 2019) Congratulations! Our latest group of CERTs have finished their classes to get officially sanctioned as CERTs (Community Emergency Response Team). They have rejoined our group with the added skills they have learned in these classes or ones they wanted to refresh on. photo: (l-r): Bernie Haas, Sandy Chavez, Jim McNulty, Margie Buchanan, Barb Haas, Leroy Fors and John Predgo.

ORACLE PROPERTY EVALUATION MAP – We are presently working on a new updated evaluation map and will be updating this map on the web soon. Right now, we have the 2009 Oracle map with evaluations. Click HERE or on the map below, then zoom in on the area you wish to see. If you would like to know WHY your property is a certain color, contact the fire dept. There may be reasons that are beyond your control. This evaluation was done in 2009. If you feel you have made significant improvements toward lessening your fire risks, we encourage you to contact OFD for a new evaluation.



The 2009 Fire Risk Evaluation project has several intended uses including:
1. A measuring tool to view the progress of the Oracle Firewise program since the last Neighborhood Fire Risk Evaluation was done in 2004. (a paper version of the 2004 map can be viewed at the fire department).
2. To identify the highest risk neighborhoods for future fire prevention grant funding.
3. To identify high risk neighborhoods for future Firewise Workshops and community fire prevention projects.
4. To identify neighborhoods that need fire hydrants.
Please note that this evaluation does not take the place of an individual on-site Firewise Communities Evaluation between the property owner(s) and fire department officials. Those evaluations are done by appointment only and can be scheduled by calling the fire station at 896-2980.

NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE RISK EVALUATION MAP
An on-site evaluation has been completed for all addressed properties (with structures) that are located within Oracle Fire District boundaries. The form that we used for the evaluations included criteria such as fuel loading, topography, type of building construction, proximity to fire hydrant(s) ingress/egress, visible house addresses, etc. Properties were viewed from the street/driveway, graded by an OFD crew, and were then placed into three categories of wildfire risk.
The colors on the map represent the grade/score that was given to each property: GREEN = LOW RISK, YELLOW = MODERATE RISK, and ORANGE = HIGH RISK.
NOTE THAT WE ARE NOW CONDUCTING NEW PROPERTY EVALUATIONS ON ALMOST ALL PROPERTIES. WE WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN THESE ARE COMPLETE SO YOU CAN COMPARE RESULTS FROM THIS 2009 MAP TO THE THE NEW ONE. Members of the Firewise Board are conducting these and you may see them in your neighborhood.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING – Oracle Fire District is pursuing the annexation of the Campo Bonito area in Oracle, Arizona. All property owners in that general area have been sent a letter and map regarding the possible boundary changes. Oracle Fire District will host a public hearing for the proposed boundary change on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 6:00pm at the fire station at 1475 W. American Ave.
Click HERE to see the official letter and map for more information.
Currently, the Campo Bonito area has no guaranteed fire coverage. Being in the Fire District will have many benefits including no liability for any charges incurred for response to any fire, the possibility of better insurance rates (depending upon your provider), access to grant-funded brush thinning, inclusion into the Oracle Firewise community, the opportunity for youth to join our Junior Fire Explorer program (ages 14–18 yrs.), as well as other advantages.
A copy of the boundary change impact statement is available for review in the Oracle Fire Station front office, Monday through Thursday, 8am-5pm.

Firewise/ CERT Volunteers at OCC – Once again, by popular demand, Firewise and CERT volunteers have been requested to serve as hosts for the Oracle Community Center luncheon on Monday, Sept 30 at noon. The menu at present is shredded BBQ chicken on bun (or veggie burger), cole slaw and chips with cookies. Please join us and support the community center.

SMOKEY BEAR'S 75th! – Did you know that August 9th and all this month, we are celebrating Smokey Bear's 75 Years of Preventing Wildfire. Historic portraits will be on display at National Forests throughout the country as well as other exhibits.
To find or submit an event near you, visit SmokeyBear75th.org.

Since 1944, Smokey Bear has taught millions of Americans about their role in preventing wildfires. Seventy-five years later, in 2019, Smokey is celebrating a milestone birthday. Read about his 75-year campaign in preventing wildfires. You can even follow him at FollowSmokeyBear on facebook. Click HERE or on the photo above to see some of these posters of Smokey Bear. Click HERE to read the Story of Smokey and view decades of posters and stamps.

LUNCH AT OCC – Volunteers from CERT and Firewise prepared lunch at the Oracle Community Center on Monday, June 3rd. Besides preparing lunch, they had tables with Firewise brochures and opportunities to sign up for the ENS system as well as free home assessments.  The lunch menu was pesto pasta with chicken, salad, breadsticks, fruit and cookies. It was well attended. Click HERE or on the pictures below to see more photos of the event.

OAKS FESTIVAL 2019 – (April 13, 2019) Thank you to everyone who attended the Oracle Oaks Festival this year and saw OFD in the parade or stopped by OCC to see the Children's Safety House/Firewise/CERT Booth. It was a fun place to be on Saturday. The weather was cooperative. it was great having Smokey Bear, Dea and Mayra join us. 
Many children (and some adults) had their pictures taken with Smokey and answered questions on the spinning wheel. The Firewise crew engaged in conversation with people walking by and asking repeatedly if they are part of the Emergency Notification System, giving them the bag of informational brochures and a free coupon for the brush dump.
Thanks to Susie Cochran for organizing activities in the Children's Safety House. A special thanks to Brian, Kevin, Dale, Michael O., Jim M. and David for moving the Safety House, CERT trailer and FEMA's CERT trailers. Thanks also to Karen Lombardi for representing us at all the OCC meetings and the Explorers for working with the children and assisting at the jumping castles. Click HERE or below to see more photos from the event.

HOME ALONE UNITS – (January 2019) We are blessed with a dedicated group of volunteers who organize, install, and maintain Home Alone Units (HAUs). Oracle Fire District (OFD), would like to recognize and thank these volunteers who take time out of their busy lives to help those in need. If you are interested in obtaining a Home Alone Unit, volunteering, or donating, please contact Tina Acosta at Oracle Fire District at 520-896-2980.

Presentation of donated Home Alone Units to the Oracle volunteer group included (l-r): Pete Bernstein, Bob Elder, Mary-Claire Bernstein and Jenine Mayer. Additional volunteers not shown here are Sherry Ziegler, Judy Kalish and Jill Caid. Thank you to this caring group of volunteers!

SUMMER 2018 FIREWISE NEWSLETTER – By now you probably have received our latest 2018 summer newsletter in the mail. We try to get one out each year as part of our Firewise goals for being an officially-certified Firewise Community. This issue is now available on line. Click HERE and read about what's happening at OFD now! This two-page issue covers information on Firewise assesments and grants, defensible space, the Firewise and Cert groups, firewise community events, Oracle Emergency Notification System, Home Alone and the new horse owners group OHO. it also contains an Emergency Evacuation List for your reference. You can also access just the list HERE.

MULTI AGENCY DRILL HOSTED BY OFD – Click HERE to see the latest video on Facebook from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office that took place on Sept 29, 2018 near San Manuel.

PARADISE, CA – (January 2019) Last year, they lost their community due to devastating wildfires. Are you interested in donating in some way to to either that community or for a firefighter who lost their home? Please check out these two links to the California Fire Foundation: CA Firefighters Benevolent Fund or to SAVE (Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency) for general public victims.

ORACLE FIRE BOARD POSITION OPEN – (June 2019). Oracle Fire District is currently seeking a person to fill a vacant seat on the Oracle Fire Board. The remainder of the four-year term will expire on November 30, 2020. Click HERE to review qualifications and a Letter of Interest to fill out and drop off or mail to OFD no later than June 27, 2019.

SMOKE FROM PRESCRIBED BURN – (June 2019) Yesterday, heavy smoke was showing in the direction of the Galiuros. If you are wondering where it is coming from, check out the best fire link to find out details from InciWeb for the South Rim (Aravaipa) prescribed burn. Keep this link for future reference: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

CERTS GO OUT – Thanks to those CERTs who were available to go to Mammoth to distribute water on Monday, April 1, 2019. This is a very important function of the CERTs, to help neighboring communities in need, and once again, they were there! Thank you very much to David, Kevin, and one of our newest CERTs Sandy Chavez.

BRUSH BURN HAPPENED! – This last weekend (3/30/19) there was an official burn at the Brush Dump! There's plenty of room now for your brush and trims . . . and the weather's fine! Let's get as much done now before it gets too hot!

TOWN HALL 2019 – Oracle Firewise Board and OFD held a successful Town Hall at OCC on February 26, 2019. The subject was "Wildfire and Insurance: What You Need to Know."
Agenda: Mary Harris and Margie Buchanan (co-chairs Firewise) organized the CERT and Firewise volunteers. Chief Jennings started the meeting after which Frank Pierson moderated the panel of insurance representatives: Aaro Franco (State Farm), Kelly Madril (Frontier Insurance) and Ruth West (Farmers Insurance). Click HERE to view the information flyer and agenda for the evening.

ORACLE FIRE BOARD NEWS – (January 2019) Oracle Fire District (OFD) welcomes back board members Franky Hill and Bud Bristow who will serve another four-year term. Additionally, we are very pleased to welcome local, long-term Oracle resident Rob Walker, who was also sworn in as a newly-appointed OFD board member to replace Bill McMurry, who served on the board for five years and recently moved out of the fire district.  Rob was also nominated to be the new Clerk of the Board. Administering the Oath of Office is newly appointed Chairman Will Ramsay. Thank you: Franky, Bud, Rob, Will, and Ellie Brown for your service to our community and to the Oracle Fire District!

AED Presentation – On Tuesday, December 4, 2018, at the CERT meeting at Oracle Fire District, Fire Chief Robert Jennings and Margie Buchanan, Firewise Board Co-Chairman, presented an AED unit to Pastor Ed Nelson of Oracle Union Church.
The AED unit included replacement pads and batteries that were purchased using fees charged by the fire district for use of the OFD brush dump. The AED (automated external defibrillator) unit is a user-friendly life-saving device that can allow the heart to beat again once it has stopped. First aid, basic life support and CPR classes are included with the unit. 

Shown here is Fire Chief Robert Jennings and Firewise Board
Co-chairman Margie Buchanan presenting the AED unit to Pastor Ed Nelson.
Fees collected by the fire district from the brush dump is used primarily to support the maintenance of the brush dump. Any extra money is used for community betterment projects such as the purchase of a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) trailer and supplies used to support our firefighters and law enforcement during large incidents in Pinal County.

FIREWISE PROPERTY WINNERS FOR 2018 – On Sept 11, 2018, the Oracle Firewise Board met to give out the annual Firewise Property Awards. The winner for personal property was Juan & Maria Rodriguez of DeMarco's. The winner for business property for their work along American Ave. was Pinal County Public Works. Chief Robert Jennings and Firewise co-chair Mary Harris are shown here with the Firewise certificate along with a sign that will be in front of each property. Thank for all for your efforts to make Oracle a much safer community!

ORACLE FIREFIGHTERS – (August 2018) – The community of Oracle thanks our firefighters for helping out on the fires in California.

AED presented to Living Word Chapel – Oracle CERTs and OFD Chief Robert Jennings presented an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to Living Word Chapel on July 25, 2018. Mary Harris, co-chair of the Firewise Board presented the AED to Mike Sloan, an elder at the church. Firewise will provide training for church staff in its use. Firewise has provided AEDs for other non-profits in Oracle including the Oracle Public Library, Mountain Vista school and Rite of Passage. Chief Jennings said he wanted to personally thank Firewise and that this is a great example of support groups and the wonderful people involved doing great things for the community.

The AEDs, replacement pads and batteries are purchased with money received from the fees charged by the fire district for use of the brush dump. Those fees pay for the operation expenses for the dump. Any extra money is used for community betterment. These funds have been used to purchase the CERT trailer and supplies which allows the CERT volunteers to provide support for our firefighters and law enforcement during large incidents in Oracle and the southeastern part of Pinal County. (photo/article John Hernandez/ Copper Basin News)

ORACLE HORSE OWNER’S Evacuation Preparation Group (OHO) –
Met on Thursday, March 14, at 6 pm at the Oracle Fire Station.
• To educate Oracle residents of the need to prepare for evacuations in advance of an emergency;
• To connect horse owners with other horse owners, to help one another;
• To determine safe staging areas and temporary shelters;
• To establish a list of people with horse trailers who are willing to re-enter evacuated areas of Oracle to pick up horses in staging areas;
• To communicate this list of people to the Oracle Fire District to ensure access to staging areas.
To sign up for future meeting dates and more information, please email oracleequineevac@gmail.com.
You can also call OFD at 896-2980 or visit their Facebook page: Oracle Equine Evac.

EAGLE ONE MOBILE VETERAN OUTREACH – Counselors from
Arizona Dept. of Veteran Services will be at Oracle Fire on Wed.,
June 26 from 10am-2pm. For more information call 520-866-3645.

Latest Snow and Ice Accumulation Can Create Problems for Your Home! – Pinal County has release information that may help you deal with the dangers of snow and ice to your home. Click HERE to read these helpful DOs and DON'Ts for home owners.

WINTER SNOW IN ARIZONA – ADOT has winter-driving tips available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow. Download the free ADOT Alert App to your mobile for more up-to-date information on travel.

PRESCRIBED BURN – Oracle AZ (February 27, 2019) – Smoke has been seen recently from Oracle in the direction of the Galiuro Mountains. The Safford Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest is conducting the Fourmile Prescribed Fire. The project area consists of National Forest System lands in the northwest portion of the Galiuro Mountains in southeastern Arizona, and is included in the Forest’s Galiuro FireScape Project. Click HERE to read all the details of this burn.

SAVE THE DATE! (2019) – Oracle Firewise Board is preparing for a Town Hall in Oracle on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 on "Wildfire and Insurance: What You Need to Know." It will take place at the Oracle Community Center from 6:30-8:30pm. Click HERE to view the information flyer and agenda for the evening.

VIPER ELVES – Thanks to a recent visit from the "Viper Elves" crew, the old historic vehicle, the Viper, was decorated for the holidays and lit up at night. Thanks to Karen Lombardi, Mary & David Harris, Kevin Armbrust and Virginia Gonzales for decorating as well as Dale Suter and OFD firefighters for getting it ready.

ORACLE HYDRANT CLEANUP – the Oracle CERTs met on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 7am to participate in the annual Cert Hydrant Cleanup.

Tina started their day with coffee and muffins and they proceeded to weedwack and clear debris from all the hydrants in Oracle so firefighters have one less problem when they need to get access. With the grasses being at an all-time high, it was quite a job. We would like to thank Dale Suter and his crew: David and Mary Harris, Barb and Bernie Haas, Susie and Collins Cothran and Holt Bodinson.

New full time Oracle firefighter Nick Brening – Firefighter Nick Brening was pinned as a full-time firefighter for the Oracle Fire District. Nick has only been with OFD for two years but has impressed his supervisors and fellow firefighters. He is an EMT and was named Firefighter of the Year for 2017. Fire Chief Robert Jennings said that “Brening has a class about him that brings the best out of people around him.” The Chief read a letter from U.S. Congressman of the 1st District, Tom O’Halleran that was sent in January. Click HERE to see the letter. Nick Brening is shown here as his new rank is pinned to his collar by his mother Joanna Brening. (photo John Hernandez/ Miner Copper Basin News)

OFD Firefighter Harley VanCollie received the Don Hartman award – The Don Hartman Award was established a few years ago to honor Don, the first Oracle Fire Chief and to keep his memory and tradition of community service alive. The award is presented to the firefighter who has displayed selflessness, caring, honor, respect, gratitude and commitment to the people of Oracle. Harley was elected by his peers to receive the award this year. He is shown here being presented the award by Fire Chief Robert Jennings. (photo John Hernandez/ Copper Basin News)

New Oracle Fire District Board member Will Ramsay – Will Ramsay, was sworn in at the OFD meeting on July 18, 2018. Former Oracle Fire District Operations Chief Will Ramsay was selected as the new board member replacing Dale Suter. Will had 32 years of service with the Oracle Fire District before retiring in 2014. With his experience and friendly personality, he will be a great addition to the Board. He is shown here being sworn in by Fire Board Chairman Franky Hill as the newest member of the Oracle Fire District Board.

ORACLE HORSE OWNERS EVACUATION PREPARATION GROUP (OHO) – met on Thursday, September 13th at Oracle Fire Station. Their meeting was to help plan for an organized and successful evacuation of one of our most vulnerable groups; horses, livestock, and other animals. Please inform anyone you know who would be affected and interested in learning more. For more information and to sign up for future meeting dates call the station at 896-2980 or email Tina at tacosta@oraclefire.org

Oracle Firefighters Battle Brush Fire – On Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at approximately 11:15am, Oracle Fire District was dispatched to a brush fire on the side of Highway 77 between Biosphere 2 and Oracle. First responders included Oracle Fire, Northwest Fire, Golder Ranch Fire, Arizona State Forestry Wildland Fire crew and DPS. The fire was contained and controlled by 2pm. The incident shows just how dry the area is and should serve as a reminder to residents to be extremely careful. (article/photos: John Hernandez / Miner)

CYPRESS FIRE IN ORACLE (07-16-18) – A huge storm rolled in last evening and brought lots of wind, hail, and rain (0.41" at OFD and over 1" in some areas). Washes were running. It also brought a bolt of lightning that caught a cypress tree on fire in mid Oracle.
Remember, even though we don't think about washes running here very often, during storms like this, it is important to avoid entering these areas. (photo: D. Weiss)

SCHOOLS OUT! – Thursday, May 31, 2018. Oracle firefighters celebrate the last day of school for Mt. Vista students with a splash

BRUSH DUMP NEWS – April 18, 2018 – Oracle Fire District was able to burn the huge amounts of weeds, grass and brush that have accumulated at the Brush Dump located on American Ave. near the entrance to Oracle. It is now open for your use.

CELEBRATING FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IN ORACLE –
H.O.P.E. (Health Outreach Prevention Education) Walk – Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 9-13): This week was a busy week for both OFD personnel and the support groups Firewise and CERTs. Volunteers were needed to teach or assist teaching Oracle students about Fire Safety, Firewise, and Fire Prevention. Firefighters on duty brought fire trucks to the school to acquaint the children with both firefighters and their equipment. Firewise and CERT volunteers also assisted in traffic control on Friday, Oct 13th during the actual HOPE four-mile walk where children go through the streets of Oracle.

VACANT SEAT ON ORACLE FIRE BOARD – Oracle Fire District is currently seeking a person to fill a vacant seat on the Oracle Fire Board. The remainder of the four-year term will expire on Nov. 30, 2020. Click on the Letter of Interest for more information and to apply by 5pm on Dec. 27, 2018.

SANTA IS COMING! – Santa will be flying in on the medical helicopter and landing on the school football field to wave to the kids at Mtn. Vista School on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018 at mid-afternoon. He then climbs into the fire truck to ride around Oracle to let everyone know he'll be at the Oracle fire station for about two hours from 5-7pm. There will be stockings filled with goodies for each child, cookies, hot chocolate, Santa letter-writing and drawing, and a jumping castle. Here's some photos from last year. Merry Christmas to y'all!

HORSE OWNERS EVACUATION PREPARATION GROUP – met on Thursday, August 9th at 6pm, at Oracle Fire Station. Their meeting was to help plan for an organized and successful evacuation of one of our most vulnerable groups; horses, livestock, and other animals. Please inform anyone you know who would be affected and interested in learning more. For more information, please email Tina at tacosta@oraclefire.org

ORACLE HORSE OWNER’S Evacuation Preparation Group (OHO) –
will meet again on at Oracle Fire Station. We will let you know when. . The purpose is to further discuss these topics:
• To educate Oracle residents of the need to prepare for evacuations in advance of an emergency;
• To connect horse owners with other horse owners, help one another;
• To determine safe staging areas and temporary shelters;
• To establish a list of people with horse trailers who are willing to re-enter evacuated areas of Oracle to pick up horses in staging areas;
• To communicate this list of people to the Oracle Fire District to ensure access to staging areas.
To sign up for future meeting dates and more information, please email: horses.are.purlove@gmail.com or inquire at Oracle Fire Station at 896-2980.

BRUSH DUMP NEWS – April 18, 2018 – Oracle Fire District was able to burn the huge amounts of weeds, grass and brush that have accumulated at the Brush Dump located on American Ave. near the entrance to Oracle. It is now open for your use.

ORACLE TOWN HALL – We had our Oracle Firewise Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, March 22nd, at 6pm at Oracle Community Center. Wildfire season is just around the corner and we learned about what you can do to better protect your house and family, and how to prepare for possible evacuation. Representatives from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Pinal County Emergency Management, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Public Safety and The Red Cross participated in the meeting. Additionally, a couple of new groups were at the meeting to talk about what they are doing in our community: the Oracle Horse Evacuation preparation group and the Oracle “Village People,” for neighbors helping neighbors.

2017 PROPERTY AWARDS OF THE YEAR – (Sept 12, 2017). The Oracle Firewise Board presented the 2017 property awards of the year to residents of Oracle. Mary Harris and Becky Taylor, co-chairs of the Board, presented the residential award to two different locations this time, Rodolfo & Margaret Moreno and Andrew & Allison Hendrix. The commercial award went to Living Word Chapel. Lead Pastor James Ruiz accepted the award for the church.
Shown above are co-chairs Becky Taylor and Mary Harris, Fire Chief Jennings, Pastor James Ruiz, the Moreno and the Hendrix families with their certificates.
Oracle Fire District Fire Chief Robert Jennings was at the presentation and spoke to the audience about the importance of being firewise and clearing property of brush, grass and other potential fire fuels. He said that it has helped in recent fires in the area and has prevented fires from spreading. He also commended the Firewise Board and group for the work they do.
Thanks to the efforts of Dale, Brian and Kevin the new property award signs are now in front of each of the properties.

EAGLE ONE MOBILE VETERAN OUTREACH – Counselors from
Arizona Dept. of Veteran Services will be at Oracle Fire District on Wed., June 27 from 10am-2pm. Get information on Ebenefits and MyHealthVet websites, referrals to emergency services and help with questions on veteran services. For more information, call 520-866-3645 or email: hohp4heroes@gmail.com.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE OAKS FESTIVAL ON APRIL 22, 2018 – Click HERE to see a video of OFD in last year's Oaks Parade by Laura Flores. Here's a photo of the Oaks Parade.

CPR CHALLENGE – AMR, as part of a nationwide event is presenting free CPR training to the public. It will be held in Oracle on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 from 10:00am-1:30pm at Oracle Fire Station at 1475 W. American Ave. You can just drop in as you wish. Click HERE for more information. American Medical Response (AMR) is presenting this in observance of National Emergency Medical Services Week.

NEW FIRE FIGHTER – We welcome John Savage as our newest Full Time Fire Fighter. Fire Fighter Savage has reserved with Oracle for the last two years and was awarded a full time position this March 2018. John also served in the U.S. Marines for five years. We thank Fire Fighter Savage for his commitment to our community and country.

Horse Evacuation Preparation Meeting – on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at Oracle Fire Station, Oracle residents and horse owners discussed how to prepare for animal evacuations during an emergency, such as a wildfire. Inquire at the fire station if you are interested in joining this group for future discussions. The next meeting is April 12.

PEPPERSAUCE FIRE – Oracle Fire assisted Coronado National Forest (CNF) with a fire near Sycamore Canyon on Monday, March 26, 2018. The fire was fought by air and by ground. Crews were able to contain the fire throughout the night and will continue to be on site securing the edge, monitoring and mopping up. Great job to all who helped with the fire and thank you to Coronado National Forest for the quick response. (photo Boe Pfleger)

PUBLIC MEETING ON OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND NALOXINE TRAINING. There will be a meeting on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 6:00 PM at Oracle Fire Dept. Click HERE for more information if you wish to attend.

EAGLE ONE MOBILE VETERAN OUTREACH – Counselors from
Arizona Dept. of Veteran Services will be at Oracle Fire on Wed.,
March 28 from 10am-2pm. Due to construction in our parking area, they will be parked next door at 1395 W. American Ave. For more information call 520-431-5663.

FIREWISE ASSESSOR COURSE – This 2-day course is designed for fire professionals and community members interested in evaluating properties from a Firewise perspective. The course will train individuals in fire ecology, fire behavior, property assessment, and fire hazard mitigation tactics for property owners. Those interested should contact Oracle fire station for more information. It will be held in Kearny on January 20 and 21, Saturday and Sunday.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE A PDF WITH INFORMATION ON THIS COURSE.

FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR – Nick Brening was recognized as the 2017 Firefighter of the Year at a presentation dinner at the Elks in San Manuel on Saturday, January 20, 2018.
Nick has been with Oracle Fire District for approximately two years. During that time Nick was able to fill in as shift lead during the absence of our captains or engineers. His commitment and very positive attitude are greatly appreciated by the district and surrounding communities. We congratulate Nick on his achievement. We look forward to his  continued service. Shown here is Oracle Fire Chief Robert Jennings with Nick accepting his award. Photo by Jennifer Carnes.

Here is a photo of Nick Brening with the Fire Chief, officers and some of our firefighters at the dinner.

Brush Dump Revamp . . . (January 2018) Recently, the Oracle Firewise group started preparing for a revamp of the Brush Dump near the entrance to Oracle to facilitate a better way for folks to get rid of their limbs, leaves and firewise hazards off their property and to facilitate the area better for burning and clearing. Shown here is the group preparing buckets to designate areas for dumping.

OFD CHRISTMAS DINNER – A nice time was had by all with a scruptious meal prepared by the OFD staff and volunteers for this year's Christmas dinner on Friday, December 15, 2017. Here's wishing to you and yours – a safe and merry holiday to you all!

SANTA MADE IT TO ORACLE! Santa landed via helicopter at Mtn Vista School on Friday, Dec 8th. He was at the Oracle Fire Station from 5-7pm to greet the kids. While they were waiting to visit with Santa, they romped around in a jumping castle, wrote Christmas letters to Santa and mailed them from the station. They also had fun coloring Christmas pages, and enjoying cookies and hot chocolate.

Captain Paul Farrell . . . was recognized at the most recent Oracle Fire District Fire Board meeting (11/2017) for obtaining the level of Engine Boss. This is prestigious certification that takes many years of hard work both in the classroom as well as on wildfire assignments. A“task book” is started very early in one’s career, and, little by little, significant accomplishments are achieved, signed off, and intermediate levels are assigned until finally, every objective in the task book is completed. At that point, the book goes in front of a “Red Card Committee” at the Arizona State Forester’s Office. It is this committee which determines whether the designation of Engine Boss should be awarded.
Captain Farrell received this official title this month. As an Engine Boss, Captain Farrell can lead a wildland fire engine out on assignments, either here in the Oracle Fire District, throughout Arizona or elsewhere in the United States.
Thank you Captain Farrell for your hard work and dedication to your profession and to Oracle Fire District! And, special thanks to Martha, David, and Patrick Farrell for the huge sacrifice of your husband and father during these lengthy and dangerous assignments.
Firefigter David Selby . . . Welcome Firefighter David Selby to the full-time rank at Oracle Fire District. Firefighter Selby was hired as a “Reserve Firefighter” in 2015, and after passing a lengthy testing and interviewing period, was hired full-time this July.
Thank you Firefighter Selby, for your hard work and dedication to the community of Oracle, the State of Arizona, and the United States of America.

NEW OFD BUILDING – Wondering what is happening at OFD with the new building? When complete, this building will be utilized for some storage that replaces the old building on Mt. Lemmon Highway that was sold last year.

CERT DRILL – Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017 – Oracle CERTs (Community Emergency ResponseTeam) held their monthly meeting and drill led by co-chair Doug Johnson. Their task was to review and check their CERT bag items. CERTs keep these bags handy in case they are called in an emergency so they are ready quickly.
There were also Certificates of Appreciation presented by the Pinal County Office of Emergency Management to those certs that volunteered at recent fires or events. They included Susie Fairbanks, Kevin Armbrust, Susie & Collins Cochran, Barbara & Bernie Haas, Doug Johnson, David Harris and Dale Suter. We thank you for your service.

BRUSH DUMP NEWS – Saturday, September 2, 2017 – Oracle Fire District was finally able to burn the huge amounts of weeds, grass and brush that had accumulated at the Brush Dump located on American Ave. near the entrance to Oracle.

Did you know that we have had 1671 trips to the brush dump so far this year? The grasses etc. are at an all time high after all our rains. However, to actually do a 'burn,' all sorts of parameters must be in place before OFD can do this. So this burn was most welcome at this time. It will still take more time and work to get our community safe again. We are happy we can get "back to business" and continue this effort. Thank you Oracle! Keep 'er comin'!

FIREWISE AT THE ZIP – July 29, 2017 – Members of the Oracle Firewise board participated in Community Days at the Arizona Zipline Adventure by sharing information about firewise, emergency notification system, home assessments, and smoke alarms to visitors at the zipline Saturday morning. (shown below Barb Haas, Mary Harris, David Harris and Dale Suter)

ARTICLE – This time the NY Times has an article called: "Let Forest Fires Burn? What the Black-Backed Woodpecker Knows." A scientific debate is intensitying over whethere too much money and too many lives are lost fighting forest fires. Click HERE if you wish to read this.

ARTICLE – Want to know more about the science of wildfires?
UA News has an article "AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE SCIENCE BEHIND WILDFIRES." Click HERE to read this insight about the ecology and physics involved.

SMELL SMOKE? if you see or smell smoke or see a fire, please call 911. If you would simply like to know more about the fires burning in Arizona, please follow this link to Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION LIST – If you would like to have a suggested EMERGENCY EVACUATION LIST click HERE to see and print the pdf to have handy.

ORACLE BRUSH FIRE – A brush fire was reported on Calle Futura in Oracle about 11:30am on Thursday, June 29th. OFD crews responded and were able to stop the spread at approximately 1.75 acres. Two fire departments responded besides OFD which included San Manuel and Golder Ranch. OFD Certs assisted with hydration and heat relief. Thanks for a great job stopping the fire and containing it to a few acres and the support.
This is an important reminder of how dry it is and how dangerous any type of spark can be! Please be extremely careful with any form of sparkler or fireworks over the July 4th weekend.
photos by jcook / suter / kmh

ARCING WIRES – There was a small fire in the heart of Oracle on June 19th, caused by arcing wires, which burned the top of a tall pine tree. A crew from the Bureau of Indian Affairs San Carlos Irrigation Project responded to repair the line and to clear the brush from under the power line. They told our crew that this is a free service that they provide for brush removal directly under their power lines. If you have this situation or know of an area of concern, you can call the BIA at 520-723-6209, option #1 "to report a utility hazard."

What is a Red Flag Warning? – According to the National Weather Service, a Red Flag Warning is issued when a "combination of low humidity, strong winds, dry ground cover, and warm temperatures are expected to bring critical fire weather conditions to the warned area." When we have these conditions, you may see a red flag flying in front of the fire station. Please be vigilant and cautious especially on these days. The fire status in Oracle is now at Very High.

OAKS PARADE 2017 – A good time was had by all at the annual Oaks Festival on April 22, 2017. Oracle Fire District got to show off some of their apparatus and the CERT and Firewise group joined in on the Viper. In addition to the Viper and information booths, they also brought the Kid's Safety Van which featured firewise experience and tips for kids.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU . . .
This was a hard-wired smoke alarm that could have caused a fire in the home. Check with OFD to see if you can take part in the free smoke alarm/ CO2 program.

FREE SMOKE / CO2 ALARMS –
Oracle Fire and San Manual Fire Districts are offering free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to residents. This program, funded through a FEMA grant, starts Dec. 1 until supplies last. For more info or to schedule an appointment call:
520-850-9713 (Dale, Oracle).

CALIFORNIA FIRES – Hundreds of firefighters are trying to contain blazes across Northern California that started on Sunday night (9/8/17) in what officials said was one of the more destructive fire emergencies in the state's history. For more information check with your news source or click HERE to go to the inciweb website that is specific to each fire in each state.

9/11– A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE – for those that lost their lives, and for all those who gave their lives. We remember.
“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.” – President Barack Obama

Fire Restrictions in CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST – Stage II is now in effect. Click HERE for a list of what is prohibited and what is acceptable.

ROACH FIRE – A fire started on July 7th in Dudleyville along with evacuations. OFD assisted along with other support resources.
The CERT trailer was also used as a rehab center over the weekend to help personnel. All road closures and evacuations were lifted on Sunday, July 9. As of Monday, the fire is estimated at 335 acres with containment lines established around 95% according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. The cause is under investigation. Click HERE for information.

BURRO FIRE – There is a fire near Redington Pass called the Burro Fire. Details are on Inciweb. If you see or smell smoke from that direction, It could be this fire.

CERT MEETING IN PINAL COUNTY – Recently, our Oracle CERT team (Community Emergency Response Team) of Doug Johnson and David Harris met in Florence with the Maricopa CERT team and the Pinal County OEM to discuss local issues.

NEW ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF – former Battalion Chief Brian McGinnis received his Assistant Fire Chief badge during the Oracle Fire Board meeting on April 5, 2017. Brian McGinnis is shown below being pinned by his wife Crystal. Fire Chief Robert Jennings was honored to present Brian with his new badge and to welcome him to his new position shown below that.

WELCOME NEW FIRE CHIEF – Robert Jennings was officially sworn in as our new Oracle Fire Chief on January 11, 2017 at the Oracle Fire Board meeting. Shown here is Bill McMurry with Robert, and also Robert with his wife Andrea "pinning him" with the Fire Chief badge. We wish Robert all the best of luck in his new position.

LARRY SOUTHARD RETIRES! – A retirement party at OFD on January 14, 2017 was quite the gathering of friends and colleagues of Chief Larry Southard. Click on the photo below for some more photos at the event. We wish Larry and Terrie all the best of luck in their new adventures.

SAWMILL FIRE IN GREEN VALLEY – Oracle Fire District sent a brush truck to the Sawmill Fire on Monday, April 24th with three of our firefighters. Update: Our crew got back on Saturday, April 29th.

As of April 30: The Sawmill Fire was burning on lands under the jurisdiction of Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Bureau of Land Management, and the Coronado National Forest. Gusty winds and broken topography have contributed to growth of the fire, burning in tall grass, riparian woodland, mesquite/oak brush, oak woodland, and pinyon-juniper fuel types. Values at risk included homes, ranches and outbuildings, communications facilities, powerlines, and the Arizona National Scenic Trail.
Pre-evacuation status lifted for J-6 and Rain Valley . At present it is 94% contained. To find out more information, click HERE to go to the Inciweb site or bookmark the link: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

ORACLE FIRE BOARD UPDATE – Cert and Firewise member, and long-time resident of Oracle, Dale Suter, was sworn in as the newest Fire Board member at the December 14, 2016 Board meeting. We are honored and extremely pleased to have him as part of our Oracle Fire District family! Congratulations Dale! (photo by Miner Sun Basin)

BRUSH THINNING GRANT – OFD is pleased to announce the award of new brush thinning grant funds. If you have not yet signed up for a property assessment to determine if your property qualifies for brush reduction work, please either call the Station at 896-2980 or stop by to provide your name, phone number and physical address. A representative will call you to set up an appointment sometime in April. Shown below is an example of before and after that was done recently in Oracle.

EAGLE ONE MOBILE OUTREACH AT OFD – Counselors from Arizona Dept. of Veteran Services will be at Oracle Fire on March 30th from 10am-2pm and again on June 28, Sept. 27 and Dec. 27, 2017. For more information call 520-866-3645 or go to: hohp4heroes.org.

Pinal County SPAY/ NEUTER FREE CLINIC FOR DOGS AND CATS AT OFD – Saturday, April 1, 2017 at OFD. Shots and exams are available for pets being altered at that time only. Appointment time is given when paper work is returned. For more information, text only to 520-705-5435 or email: Cherhe70@yahoo.com.

NEW FIRE CHIEF STARTING 2017 – We are pleased to announce that as of January 2017, Robert Jennings (seen right in photo below) is our new Fire Chief. Congratulations to Robert on this important position for the fire district and the community of Oracle.
Manny Navarro has stepped down from the Oracle Fire Board as his term ended. He was given a plaque at the Oracle Fire Board meeting on Nov. 8, 2016. We would like to thank Manny for his service to the fire district and to the community.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! – An informal celebration for Fire Chief Larry Southard's service to the fire district and the community of Oracle will take place at the fire station on Sat., January 14, 2017 at 2pm. Please stop by to wish Larry your best.