Community Resources Available to West End Residents
Residential wildfire risk assessment and mitigation.
The city of San Rafael Fire Department (vegetation wildfire prevention division) has two free services available to residents to prepare for wildfires. The first is a wildfire safety evaluation of your property with recommendations to create defensible space. The second is a direct assistance fuel reduction program for low income, disabled and elderly. Elderly is defined by need rather than age. (No age limit per SRFD) Fuel reduction crews will remove pyrogenic “gasoline trees” including Juniper, Italian cypress, Bamboo, Acacia up to 8 inch diameter and other fire prone vegetation.
To schedule inspection: cityofsanrafael.org go to adapting to wildfire located upper left.
To schedule direct assistance vegetation removal: srfd.dspace@cityofsanrafael or call 415 485 3054.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
In the event of a community wide disaster including fires and earthquakes first responders will be overwhelmed. CERT training is free and open to all and teaches how to take care of yourself, your family and neighbors until relieved by first responders. You will learn first aid and preparing a basic medical kit and application, search and rescue techniques, suppressing a variety of fire scenarios, extrication and stabilizing the injured until transfer. Due to Covid the class is currently hybrid on line. Those who have taken the course recommend the full hands on course that will resume this year.
Sign up at readymarin.org
San Rafael Sidewalk Repair Program
The city of San Rafael has a sidewalk repair program to fix sidewalks (which are the responsibility of the homeowner) and curbs damaged by street trees. If a tree is determined to be necessary to remove, they will remove the tree, allow the homeowner to choose a replacement from a list of acceptable trees, and replace the tree at no cost to the homeowner. In addition, they pay up to $1000 for the sidewalk repair and the full cost up to $4000 of curb replacement for a total maximum of $5000. The homeowner must get a bid from a contractor and submit it and pay the contractor the full amount and then the city reimburses for the amount agreed.
The link to the program at the SR site is: https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/sidewalks/