BCVFD - CERT - Ventura County Fire Department
Mike Klein - HOA Resolving issues
The behavior displayed in this meeting damages the very spirit and value of the Bell Canyon community. If we are to thrive, we must face our challenges together — with respect, not division. This mob-like conduct by some recall supporters doesn’t just target individuals; it undermines the integrity of our entire community.
Bill Napier HOA
Kevin Keegan HOA - Insurance
HOA - Shareholders
Very concerned residents, as the HOA has asked the BCVFD multiple times for a copy of their insurance, and they have refused to provide it. This requirement is outlined in the BCVFD lease with the HOA, and they have failed to comply or meet with the HOA to discuss it. Multiple attempts have been made by the HOA to meet with the BCVFD, but they continue to refuse to resolve the insurance issue. They were also asked to provide certifications, and they have refused to provide those as well.
Ventura County Fire Department
The Fire Department clarified that BCVFD is not a recognized fire department. They recommended that Bell Canyon let the professionals handle fires and allow them to do their job. We have support from L.A. City, Ventura County, and L.A. County Fire Departments.
Please watch the statement in the video above and read Chief Gardner’s letter to Bell Canyon.
If a person decides to help with a fire as a volunteer, they are doing so at their own risk—for example, using a garden hose on a fire.
Where Facts Meet Fiction
Bell Canyon is a community built on the spirit of volunteerism.
We thrive because of selfless individuals who dedicate their time and energy—not for recognition, but out of a deep love for this canyon and its people. True volunteers put Bell Canyon’s best interests above all else, and they deserve our full support and protection.
As a community, we must ensure our volunteers are shielded from liability and kept out of harm’s way. That begins with clarity, planning, and unity—not confusion or fear. We must follow the guidance of the Ventura County Fire Department, which strongly recommends strengthening a Bell Canyon Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. During major wildfires, Ventura County—along with its partnerships with local fire departments—serves as our frontline defense.
Unfortunately, some have used this issue as a political tool in a bid for power. The signs placed around the community have little to do with protecting our fire department and everything to do with advancing a narrative. These signs do not represent the views of the fire department as a whole—only those of a few individuals in its leadership, the same leadership that previously left our community with over $11 million in debt.
Let’s rise above the noise. Let’s focus on facts, safety, and unity. Let’s protect the volunteers who protect us—and make decisions based on expert advice, not political gamesmanship.
CERT - Community Emergency Response Team
In our opinion, Bell Canyon should prioritize the creation of a new CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) to better protect the community and prepare for emergencies.
CERT was originally a BCA-sponsored program and, in our view, should operate independently from the BCVFD. We believe the current group running the BCVFD has caused significant harm to the community, and for that reason, we do not support any CERT effort connected to them.
We recommend that the BCA establish a new, independent CERT group — one that reflects the values, transparency, and trust our community deserves. We have spoken to many firefighters, and they have given us numerous reasons why the BCVFD is operating in an unsafe manner — both for local agencies and for themselves.
We need a way to protect the canyon without endangering our greatest asset: the volunteers we care about so deeply.
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