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Tag: Neighborhood Area

  • Neighborhood ‘Meet & Greet’ BBQ Brings Community Together

    Neighborhood ‘Meet & Greet’ BBQ Brings Community Together

    A weekend neighborhood association barbecue in Citrus Heights drew about two dozen neighbors together for burgers, brats and a question and answer time with Vice Mayor Sue Frost.

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    Residents of the Sunrise Ranch Neighborhood enjoy some food and discussion during a weekend barbecue.

    Held at the corner of Twin Oaks and Mariposa Avenue on the Twin Oaks Baptist Church lawn, organizer Doyle Champlain said Saturday’s event was designed as a way for residents to “meet and greet” their neighbors, with guests invited to bring their families — and a side dish.

    Blending in amidst a table of residents, the Vice Mayor was invited to share an update with group towards the end of the event, mentioning an upcoming candidate forum on October 16 for the five people running for three seats on the Citrus Heights city council. She also answered questions about the effort to build a new city hall as well as problems with homelessness in the city, although she questioned whether solving homelessness lies within the proper role of government rather than being an issue handled best by private charity.

    The community social was hosted by the Sunrise Ranch Neighborhood Area 6, one of 11 different neighborhood areas that make up Citrus Heights. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month to discuss and resolve neighborhood issues, grab some coffee and sweets, and invite various City officials to speak on a variety of topics affecting the community. During the meetings, monthly crime reports and updates are also provided by a Problem Oriented Policing officer with the Citrus Heights Police Department.

    The Sunrise Ranch Neighborhood covers the area of Citrus Heights from Old Auburn Road to the Roseville border, and is bounded by Sunrise Boulevard on the East and Auburn Boulevard on the West.  The Area represents about 1600 homes, as well as some apartments, trailer parks and businesses, according to the Neighborhood’s blog.

    Neighborhood Association mapCitrus Heights’ Neighborhood Associations were designed to help encourage local involvement, improve the quality of life, and give residents a way to make their voice heard. Unlike a homeowner’s association those involved do not have to pay any dues or own a home, and anyone living, working, or owning property in Citrus Heights can get involved.

    Those interested in connecting with any of the various Neighborhood Associations can find out more on the City’s website.

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    On the Net:

    Find your local neighborhood group: http://citrusheights.net/450/Neighborhood-Associations

  • Firemen Reach Out with Kid-Friendly Truck Tour, Safety Tips

    Firemen from Citrus Heights-based Station 21 were out offering safety tips and a kid-friendly tour of their fire engine at the monthly Birdcage Heights Neighborhood Association meeting, Wednesday night.

    Fire Truck from Citrus Heights' Engine 21. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    Firemen from Station 21 show off their truck to residents outside of Skycrest Elementary, Wednesday night.

    Inside the cafeteria of Skycrest Elementary, Captain Brian Gonsalves was joined by two others from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District to answer questions from the audience and share about their role in the community, before moving outside for a fire truck tour.

    Kids enjoyed a hands-on tour of the truck, some taking a seat inside for a photo, and others watching Firefighter Paramedic Tyler Craft “gear up” — a head-to-toe task that takes about a minute in the station, according to Craft.

    “Any emergency you have, we can help you with,” said Gonsalves, sharing that Metro Fire is proud to be an “all-risk” equipped District. With helicopters, HazMat teams, bulldozers, ladder trucks, tactical medics, rescue gear and even boats, the Captain said there’s “a myriad of things” the District’s 500 employees can assist with.

    The team also shared about a Fire Camp program offered by the District each summer for kids 11 to 13-years-old. According to Craft, the camp runs about $100, and includes a day at Sunsplash, hands-on extinguishing of live fires and two meals a day.

    Answering a common question, Craft shared the reason for why an ambulance as well as a fire truck show up to each emergency call — even when there’s no fire.

    “Two people is just not gonna work,” said the firefighter paramedic, citing situations where a phone call description of an emergency was inadequate. “We’ve decided you gotta have a minimum of five — six is even better.” He said Metro Fire dispatches a “captain-engineer-firefighter team” on each truck, with a paramedic guaranteed at every emergency — ensuring adequate equipment and trained personnel are present for each situation.

    Providing some safety tips, the team recommended a fire extinguisher in both the kitchen and garage, and also passed out an “Emergency Medical Information Sheet” — a one-page form listing a person’s medical history, medications, allergies, hospital preference and emergency contact numbers. Gonsalves encouraged residents to post the sheets on home refrigerators so first responders can have quick access to useful background information in case of an emergency.

    Station 21 is located on Greenback Lane near Mariposa Avenue, and is one of four Metro Fire stations located in Citrus Heights. The District is the 7th largest fire agency in California, serving an area of over 400 square miles in the Sacramento region.

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    On the Net:

    Fire Camp info: http://metrofire.ca.gov/index.php/serving-you/community-services/18-operations/community-services/3-fire-camp

    Fire Camp Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqwMc3vZImk

    Emergency Medical Info Sheet: http://metrofire.ca.gov/phocadownloadpap/emergency%20medical%20information%20sheet%202012.pdf

    Birdcage Heights Neighborhood Association, Area 11: http://www.citrusheights.net/home/index.asp?page=888