Events – Page 3

Idaho Falls – Wildfire Workshop

February 14, 2019 by Sarah

IS YOUR COMMUNITY PREPARED?

Join this FREE four-hour workshop to learn about what communities
can do to be prepared for wildfire.

WHO should attend?

Whether you’re a homeowner, city planner, business owner, rancher, county commissioner, public works engineer, city police or fire, this workshop is for you.

Wildfire has no boundaries, the season is longer and fires are bigger. With these changes the importance for interdisciplinary planning for wildfire at the edges of development is growing. It will take all of us to make sure our communities are truly prepared to respond to a wildfire for best possible outcomes.

FEB 22 10AM – 2PM

Idaho Falls Fire Station

343 “E” Street Idaho Falls, ID 83402

LUNCH PROVIDED – RSVP by Wednesday, Feb 20 so we have enough food.

Program:

You’ll hear from experts in this field who will share their experience and talk about the various roles we each have to play to help you understand what YOU can do to make your community more resilient to wildfires. You will also receive some resources to take away.

Presenters:

Tyre Holfeltz – ID Dept of Lands
Fire Prevention and Risk Mitigation Program Manager
Jaap Vos – University of Idaho
Bioregional Planning and Community Design Program Head

Panelists:

Liz Davy, USFS Caribou Targhee- South Zone District Ranger
Kevin Conran, BLM – Idaho Falls District- Fire Management Specialist
Hannah Sanger, City of Pocatello- Science and Environment Administrator

Additional Upcoming Workshops:

March 15 in Lewiston
April (date TBD) in Coeur d’Alene

Youth Lobby Day

February 12, 2019 by Sarah

Idaho Smart Growth joined American Heart Association, Idaho Walk Bike Alliance and Treasure Valley YMCA Safe Routes to School at the Statehouse on Jan 31 with youth from around the valley for Youth Lobby Day.

On January 31, twenty local high school students met at the Idaho State Capitol for Youth Lobby Day. Coordinated by the American Heart Association, Youth Lobby Day is an opportunity for students to learn more about the Idaho State Legislature, meet with representatives, engage in issue advocacy, and see firsthand how our political system operates.

This year, students met with legislators to ask for continued funding for Safe Routes to School. They shared personal stories, and encouraged legislators to continue funding the program. Currently the Children Pedestrian Safety Program, which provides funding for projects that serve Safe Routes to School, is in the Surplus Eliminator bill which is set to sunset in May 2019, after which dollars would no longer be available.

With the state’s revenues currently below original projections, students were told that the fate of the Surplus Eliminator extension is uncertain. However, the students were well received by the legislators and showed great poise and leadership.

A group of students met with Representative Wood, the House Health & Welfare Chairman.

As for February 8th, Senator Den Hartog introduced legislation(S. 1063) that would extend the sunset on the Strategic Initiatives Program, where Safe Routes gets its current state funding. We’ll see where it goes from here! If you are interested in updates on this possible change in state funding, be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter.