Shelly Blacks Background and Experience in Fire Prepardness and Community Coordinations
PERTINENT EXPERIENCE:
Volunteer Fire Fighter in Cleveland National Forest, Holy Jim (Trabuco) Canyon 1983 - 2009
The department maintains its own Off-Grid Fire Station and Fire Trucks, as well as six 5,000-gallon water tanks, and miles of galvanized water lines (volunteer installed) Holy Jim and Trabuco Canyons are tight steep canyons with Oak Trees, Sycamores, Scrub Oaks and a tremendous amount of undergrowth vegetation – all of which is highly flammable and difficult to access.
Our many duties and responsibilities included:
• Provided Fire Clearance Safety Guidelines and Procedures to 45 cabin owners.
• Assisted in Fire Clearance and Loss Prevention for Holy Jim Canyon & Upper Trabuco Canyon.
• Collaborated closely with Police, Firefighters, and EMS, to respond to vehicular accidents, fires, floods, and disasters, including Search and Rescues for lost hikers.
• Essential First Responders within Cleveland Nat’l Forest, as the 5 mile long dirt entrance road is 4-wheel access only, and the entire canyon is outside of any cell service range.
• Practiced, and certified, emergency medical response procedures, such as CPR and First Aid.
• Delivered public education presentations about fire safety awareness topics.
• Monitored weather conditions and fire behavior for fire loss prevention, preparedness, and safety.
• Maintained knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.
• Drove and operated fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
MAU Mounted Assistance Unit 1999-2009 Orange County California
MAU members go through the same extensive volunteer training expected of all State Park volunteers, as well as specialized training that ensures horse and rider safety and preparedness. We were trained and certified in all terrain rescues for both humans and large animals.
Annual recertification requirements were rigorous and extensive. MAU members supply their own horses and transportation. I loved being part MAU - the lessons learned, and the experiences we were involved in - were invaluable.
We learned, experienced, and provided many different public services, such as:
Collaborated effectively with other organizations such as Police, Fire, Parks, Animal Control and County Services, in order to ensure smooth operation of all MAU service activities.
• Practiced emergency medical response procedures, such as CPR and First Aid.
• Committed to at least four 8 hour group training days per year - for horses and riders.
• Trained horses to handle extreme situations including crowds, explosives, fires and floods.
• Held practice drills in preparedness for all types of extreme rescue scenarios.
• Performed outreach activities such as attending, and creating, community events on horseback.
(Co) Creator of Saddleback Canyons Conservancy Group 2000-2003
A grass-roots community collaboration to prevent an environmental atrocity known as Rancho Potrero Leadership Academy in Trabuco Canyon, Ca. The RPLA project was on County property, funded by the State of California and the Federal Probation Dept. We sued all three agencies.
• Organized community members, thus creating Saddleback Canyons Conservancy.
• Facilitated community forums, meetings, and education to bring a legal battle against the County of Orange, and the State of California, as well as the Federal Government, in Federal Courts.
• Created fundraisers to generate funding for legal counsel for nearly three years of litigation.
• Challenged County Supervisors in Public Meetings and in Superior Court.
• Interviewed on multiple news stations and newspapers, regularly.
• Wrote articles presented in the Orange County Register and the L.A. Times.
• Worked directly with legal counsel in and out of court for nearly 3 years.
• Successfully won our court case, thereby protecting ancient Oak Trees, and protecting an Endangered Species: Gnatcatcher (bird), from Governmental exploitation and destruction.
• Won a CEQA court case that even the Sierra Club said could not be won!
• Saddleback Canyon Conservancy is still actively and proudly protecting Trabuco Canyon today.
Rehabilitation and (Re)Construction Trabuco Elementary School Animal Farm 2001-2002
Trabuco Elementary School is the oldest operating school in all of Orange County California, Est in 1879. It has an animal farm containing horses, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and more.
In 2001 the farm, and it’s animals, were allowed to fall into complete disrepair and neglect. I stepped in and recruited the Trabuco Canyon community to Save the Farm. For nine months I cared for all the animals, ran the farm and…
• Utilized seven Low-Boy dumpsters, and many community helpers, to remove all the manure.
• A large gravel French Drain was created 8 feet deep through the middle of the farm for optimal drainage.
• Rebuilt the large animal corrals and added enclosed barn stalls for all livestock animals.
• All outdoor bird cages were replaced, and a new state of the art chicken coop was built.
• I spent nine months negotiating with the Saddleback Valley School District to create an actual (first time ever) paid position for Farm Animal care.
• Held many fundraisers - as facility rehabilitation turned into a $120,000.00 project.
Today the farm is still in operation and all the other 22 Elementary schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District bus their classes on annual field trips to visit the Animal Farm.
Protecting from wildfires is something I have been involved in for quite awhile...
In 2007, I was living in the charming community of Trabuco Canyon, where folks have horses and chickens in the yards, septic tanks, propane tanks - and dead zones for cell phones. When the fires were raging throughout California - we had our own fire happen - the Santiago Fire.
My canyon, Trabuco Canyon, was evacuated for 11 days. I, having Barricade® II on hand, remained in my home for the first 7 days, until I could see the fire coming over the ridge line above my home. Once I could see the flames were very likely coming into my canyon, I sprayed my home with Barricade® II, got my kids and animals, and the possessions that we had packed ahead of time, and I evacuated. You can watch a video about our 11 days caring for the 700 evacuated horses here...
At the time, I had a home based business (aka: my entire financial life was in my home), 2 kids, 2 horses, 8 cats, 3 dogs, and a bird - all of which I had to safely evacuate - as well as - find places to have them housed for the duration of the evacuation. Not a small task, pre-planning absolutely essential!
After evacuating - I was able to hike back into my house daily (no cars were allowed back into our canyon) to rehydrate my Barricade® II on my home. Much to my delight - it fluffed right back up to fully functioning capacity for 5 days in a row. Hooray!!!
One of the coolest parts about hiking back in - was I was able to let the Fire Crews that were stationed in our canyon know that my home had Barricade® II on it. The fire crews all parked in my driveway - as they knew that if the Fire Tornado raged through that canyon - that my home - only one of two homes with Barricade® II on them - was their safe spot. They knew that they could go inside my home and still live to tell about the fire, if it came to that.
This was a win-win for them - and for me - as my house was as protected as any home could ever be - from a wildfire - thanks to Barricade® II - AND the FireFighters staging on my street for the duration of the evacuation.
Due to all the fires already burning in Malibu and San Diego - we did not receive ANY air support until 10 days and 27,000 acres into the Santiago Fire. On the 10th day - they air dropped - one location was the ridgeline I could see from my kitchen window, and stopped the fire from coming into Trabuco Canyon. Sadly 12 homes in Mojeska Canyon were lost - 6 of those homes belonged to friends of mine.
Once the fire was contained - we were able to return to our beloved canyon.
I was then able to wash off the Barricade® II from my home and return to life as I knew it - before I almost lost all of it - to a wildfire.
Below is a video of the horse evacuation during the Santiago Fire. I am the one with the long blonde ponytail, with red (they look like pink) pants - at one point I am walking 2 horses, as it started to rain...
Collections
Fire Safe Barrier
Fire Safe Community Membership (Annual)


