The Firewise USA® program is supported and administered by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and is co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

 

Since 2012, the HPMA Board of Directors has given the Fire Safety Committee the task of maintaining our community’s membership in Firewise USA® and it is part of the Committee’s Charter.

 

The program exists nationwide providing communities with a framework to mitigate wildfire risk, that is comprehensive, collaborative and localized in nature.

 

To become a Firewise USA® community and maintain membership, certain requirements must be met.  The three ongoing requirements for membership are…

1.     Organization - A “volunteer board” is required to represent the community and is composed of Fire Safety Committee members.  Organization in our case  also includes coordination and consultation with Central Mason Fire, the Mason Conservation District and the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

2.     Planning - The “board” arranges for a Community Wildfire Risk Assessment completed by local wildfire experts every five years.  The latest assessment was completed by Mason Conservation District foresters this month (November 9, 2023) and is posted in the Fire Safety Committee library on Condo Control.  An Action Plan created by the “board” and updated at least every three years is a further Firewise requirement for membership.

3.     Action - On a yearly basis community members complete wildfire risk mitigation education and actions identified by their action plan and Firewise USA®.  Firewise requires communities to invest a minimum of one volunteer hour (or the monetary equivalent) per home in the community.  This year’s renewal requirements for our community of 477 dwelling units amounted to a total investment of $14,286.15 or $29.95 per dwelling. The dollar amount $29.95 is the amount that Firewise values one hour of volunteer time to be worth.

 

1.     Framework for action - Having a framework eliminates the need to “reinvent the wheel” and should help move our community forward towards regular, systematic action in reducing our risk of wildfire.

2.     Education - Access to resources, such as posters, concepts such as fire zones, facilitating interaction and connection with local wildfire experts.

3.     Peace of mind - Information and constructive action is empowering.  Learning about wildfire and taking action to reduce or mitigate its risk and having a plan to respond quickly in the case of its occurrence, should add to the general sense of calm in our community.

4.     Community Building - Volunteerism and shared action can inspire people to a common goal for the good of the community.

5.     Access to funding and assistance - Communities that have shown foresight and invested energy to become and maintain Firewise Recognition, result in those communities having a “leg up” when grant money become available for wildfire safety or fuel reduction.  In 2019 we received $10,000 from Mason County Department of Emergency Management.  In 2021 we received $5,850 from the same agency.  In 2022 we received a $4394 grant from the Mason Conservation District which paid for the Spring Forest Floor Debris Pickup.  In 2023 the same project was paid for by a micro grant from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in the amount of $5859.