County government has many functions, and we don’t normally expect our public officials to care equally about all of them. But then there’s Joan Hartmann.
As a board member of the nonprofit Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council and a former wildland firefighter, I have been amazed that Supervisor Hartmann has found time to sit on our board and contribute her enthusiasm and energy to addressing one of the biggest problems many county residents face each summer, i.e., the threat of wildfires. This is a problem that cannot be solved simply by waiting for fire engines to show up and save homes. It takes responsible government planning, focusing necessary fire department resources on wildfire defense and prevention, and citizens taking responsibility for making their own homes and neighborhoods defensible.
Joan has been uniquely able to serve as a bridge between interested citizens and County Fire and Planning personnel. During Joan’s tenure we have seen significant increases in county funds for wildfire protection, including two wildland fire crews, a brush crew, and a state-of-the-art fire-equipped Blackhawk helicopter. Joan has also helped us get state and federal funding and staffing for Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council programs such as neighborhood chipping, controlled grazing, and developing Fire Wise communities.