California Department Benefits from Nonprofit

When night washed the hills above Santa Barbara with darkness, county fire helicopter pilots slipped on night vision goggles and kept dumping hundreds of gallons of water on the roaring Jesusita Fire.

When calmer winds and cooler temperatures allowed local hot shot crews to hike into steep and rugged terrain to attack the fire directly, their new lightweight cargo pants made it easier and more comfortable to work in the hot, gritty conditions.

And if the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance gets its way, local firefighters will soon be able to swap out their bulky fire goggles for a new set of sleek and high-performing Advancer V-12 goggles.

"It's like the really-nice-to-have things," said County Fire Capt. David Sadecki, a founding member and liaison to the nonprofit alliance, which raises money to purchase unbudgeted equipment for city and county fire crews.

"Santa Barbara city and county [officials] provide us with everything we need, but they can only go so far," he continued. "This stuff is much-needed but unbudgeted equipment."

Since forming five years ago, the alliance has spent approximately $700,000 on rescue and firefighting equipment for local firefighters, from handheld global positioning systems and weather monitors to thermal imaging cameras and fire-resistant curtains for fire engines.

"At least locally, for sure, there's nothing else like this," City Fire Spokesman John Ahlman said. "They're wonderful and help us out with so many different things."

At its board meeting earlier this week, the SBFA decided to focus future efforts and its upcoming annual Fire Ball fundraiser, a cocktail party planned for June 5 at the Coral Casino, on new fire goggles for hot shot crews and a $15,000 wildfire suppression pump.

The group also authorized the purchase of GPS units, emergency radios and weather monitors after fire officials requested the items.

Rikki Emory, president of the all-volunteer alliance board, said the need for new fire goggles became apparent when a few local firefighters went out and bought newer brands during their downtime on the Jesusita Fire.

"Think of a large ski goggle," she said, referring to the goggles many local firefighters currently use. "They don't adhere to the face very well and they get knocked around pretty quickly. The goggles we're looking at are a lot smaller. They actually create suction to the face."

As far as the wildfire suppression pump, Emory said it would be installed on a smaller truck used by the county hot shot crews that can maneuver into remote locations that full-size equipment can't access.

When asked about similar organizations that raise money for fire equipment in the area or even the state, fire officials couldn't come up with another example.

"I know a lot of people who are shocked that we have this and they wish they had something similar," Sadecki said.

While not designed to replace the fire budgets for the county or city by any stretch, the alliance offers an opportunity to provide newer technology to local fire crews often at a faster pace.

"Certainly the budgets are on the tight side right now," Ahlman said. "Typically, these are things we budget for way out in advance, but we have to wait for them. They can expedite getting them for us."

For example, he said, the city had several thermal imagers - cameras used for rubble searches, nighttime emergencies and other applications - but would never be able to outfit every rig.

The price for a new camera runs between $11,000 and $13,000, Sadecki noted. The alliance signed a check and had every county and city fire engine equipped with a thermal imaging camera in short order.

"It's really quite remarkable what they've done," Ahlman said.

While considerably cheaper, the $160 fire-resistant cargo pants purchased recently by the SBFA have also made a significant difference, Sadecki said, describing how firefighters previously had to pull a layer of fire-resistant material over whatever they were wearing at the time.

"It makes it more comfortable to be outside working," he said. "We were one of the first departments in the area to switch to those."

Emory echoed the praise for the new duds, noting they are lightweight, have many pockets, and are less bulky and cumbersome.

"They're so popular, I think they are going to become part of the regular budget," she said.

With no paid employees, no infrastructure and largely underwritten fundraising events, the alliance can dedicate all of its donated funds to purchasing equipment, Emory noted.

Donations can be made online at a newly revamped Web site, www.sbfirefightersalliance.org, or by mail to P.O. Box 3776, Santa Barbara, CA 93130.

Both Emory and Sadecki also addressed recent phone calls received by some residents that solicited donations for firefighters, saying the SBFA and local fire departments would never ask for donations by phone.

"Every time there's a fire, these people call," Emory said. "It's a scam. We're the only fire department-approved organization doing this kind of thing."