VIDEO: In the North Bay, wildfire season is fast approaching, and firefighters in Napa County are preparing with a new tool designed to guide them to the right roads and water sources during a fire emergency. It’s called a Beacon Box.
“There’s two ways of opening these with a code or breakaway lock,” said Erick Hernandez from Cal Fire. Hernandez showed what’s inside a big red locker off Sage Canyon Road in St. Helena. Its contents could save homes and lives. “This map will give us some numbers. We know we have the location of 78 structures and commercial wineries,” Hernandez said.
A Beacon Box contains vital maps, flash drives and information to help guide first responders to the right roads, gates and water sources — especially mutual aid crews arriving from out of town and unfamiliar with the area.
“Typically, when we send engines up without this information they’re running blind. They’re not familiar with the area. It’s going to take them a minute to identify ‘do we have proper turnaround or hydrant systems?’” Hernandez said.
