Monday, 04 February 2008 00:46
Amador Fire Safe Council Reminds Citizens To Take Advantage of Funding
The Amador Fire Safe Council is reminding
citizens to take advantage of funding still available for defensible space
grants. The grants are
available for qualified full time county residents who are low to moderate
income seniors age 65 and older, or disabled full time residents.
Defensible space is considered to be the area around a structure
that has been landscaped to reduce fire danger.
This space reduces the risk that fire will
spread to the structure, and also provides firefighters a
relatively safe area in which to work while protecting the structure. Cathy
Koos Breazeal, Executive Director of the Fire Safe Council, says the recent
wildfires that swept Southern California are a
perfect example of defensible space at work. Homes cleared for defensible space
had a far higher success rate in surviving the fires. The Council was
originally granted 150,000 dollars in grants last fall with the commitment that
they would raise matching funds of 75,000 dollars. The funding was predicted to
cover some 140 homes. Breazeal says there is still funding available for 35 to
40 homes. Fund availability will expire in August or when funding is no longer
available. If you think you qualify
and would like to apply, contact Cathy Koos Breazeal at 296-6220.
