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Eye on Woods Watch Fire Training

Coconino Flagstaff Red Rock forest zonesSedona AZ (April 14, 2014) – On Friday, April 11, 2014, at 6:00 in the evening, more than 60 community members gathered at the Law Enforcement Administration Facility, Sawmill Road, Flagstaff, for the 2014 Woods Watch Training. Obvious in the distance to the people walking from the parking lot to the training building was the ominous massive black column of smoke being produced by the Fisher Fire. As a result, the community atmosphere was somber.

Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office began the training program with an expression of appreciation for the community partnership on behalf of all the partners in the Woods Watch Program (Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, U.S. Forest Service and area fire districts).

The Woods Watch program is similar to Neighborhood Watch and is of vital importance in residential areas interfacing with forested land. Volunteers are trained to assist local officials in watching and properly reporting people accessing closed areas or for people who use fire carelessly or against fire restrictions, especially on forested lands. Community volunteers commit to working with local law enforcement officers to keep communities and forests beautiful, safe and free of wild land fires.

Coconino County Sheriff BadgeWoods Watch has been very successful in years past. In 2012, approximately 100 volunteers attended the training and watched access points to the forest. By providing additional sets of eyes in the community, Woods Watch Volunteers help law enforcement officers keep unlawful fire activity under check. With the extremely dry and windy conditions our communities often experience, a fire start may spread very quickly endangering lives and property.

The Woods Watch program has over 160 individuals walking neighborhoods that interface with forested land reporting violations and suspicious activity. A group email list is utilized to apprise participants of current information regarding fires restrictions, forest closures, and other updates related to wild land fires.

You can do your part by planning to attend the next Woods Watch presentation at the monthly Community Emergency Response Team volunteers (CERT) training on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 5:30 in the evening. For additional questions or information, contact Gerry Blair of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-226-5089.

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