Crystal Lakes VFD launches web site

By Linda Bell
Correspondent

At the new year, Crystal Lakes Fire Protection District launched its own web site at www.clvfd.org.

The volunteer fire department used to be represented on the Crystal Lakes Association site, according to Mary Duncan, president of the fire district board, but problems with updating it convinced the department to create its own.

The easily navigated site created and maintained by assistant fire chief Marian Kelly includes a place to "ask the fire chief" in addition to specifics on fire permits, campfire rings, current fire bans and the local FireWise program.

Following the link to FireWise, for example, provides residents with information on how to create defensible space around homes, the department's specific evacuation plan for Crystal Lakes and an evacuation checklist--"The Seven Ps and a Pillow."

Duncan said the site helps the department coordinate with volunteers through a separate link only for CLVFD personnel. For instance, Duncan explained, if a volunteer is going to be out of the area awhile, he or she posts the dates and it saves the department calling them for deployment. "This way we always know where everyone is at any given time," Duncan said.

The site includes recent incident reports, information on the Crystal Lakes community near Red Feather Lakes, how to volunteer, members of the district board, the firefighting team and the equipment available to the department. A calendar of events, pictures from past events and links to the Crystal Lakes homeowners' association and the national FireWise program are also available.