News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Emergency Personnel Respond to Smoke

Emergency Personnel Respond to Smoke

BBQ for Summit Club Dinner

By Michael P. Neufeld
Monday, August 25, 2008

View Alert

Lake Arrowhead, CA – The initial call from a concerned citizen about 4:35 p.m. was "definite little white smoke somewhere between San Bernardino County Fire Station 91 and Blue Jay."

Helicopter 534 from Heaps Peak and several engine companies from the US Forest Service and San Bernardino County Fire were dispatched to check out the smoke from a possible fire. The chopper reported the smoke as it departed the Heaps Peak Heliport.

"We do have smoke showing," a scanner transmission from the helicopter pilot stated at 4:47 p.m.

The US Forest Service Helibase at Heaps Peak. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Two minutes later, the pilot stated, "it looks like we have some sort of party going on and have a large BBQ putting up a large amount of smoke."

Smoke from a BBQ at the annual Mountains Community Hospital Summit Club Dinner brought a full response from fire officials. Agencies had been notified in advance of the BBQ but the smoke was reported by a concerned citizen. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

The annual Mountains Community Hospital Summit Club Dinner honoring hospital volunteers and contributors was just getting underway and a catering company was at Pine Mountain Camp preparing chicken, ribs and beef for several hundred attendees.

At 4:51 p.m., the rest of incoming units were cancelled. "We have no fire."

The Summit Club Dinner proceeded without further ado and the helicopter and fire apparatus made their way back to their respective stations and helipad to be ready for additional reports of a possible fire in the mountain communities.