Ramona Water Board Hears Reports on Cedar Creek Trail and Ramona Air Center

Ramona firefighters have provided emergency rescue services along the Cedar Creek Trail for many years, but increased usage of the trail is having a greater impact on the local fire department.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Robert McLaughlin made a report to governing board at its May 24 meeting. Officially, the trail is under the auspices of United States Forest Service. However, several jurisdictions, including RMWD, are involved with responding to emergencies on the Cedar Creek Trail. McLaughlin said which jurisdiction responds depends on the location of the hiker when an emergency occurs.

The newly renovated trail, located at the end of Thornbush Road in San Diego Country Estates, leads to a popular recreational area for hiking and swimming. In the past year, Ramona emergency medical technicians responded to 31 emergency calls, four of which required transporting patients to hospitals.

The trail going down is not as steep and less hazardous since reconfigurations and improvements were made, McLaughlin said. The steepness of the trail on the return trip is where hikers are experiencing difficulties, mainly with dehydration and heat-related problems.

“The trail used to go straight down,” McLaughlin explained. “It’s now zigzag. It’s very easy to go up and down.”

The trail cannot be accessed by fire engines or ambulances. The impact on the local fire department involves the hours spent on standby time and waiting while patients are brought out of the area by emergency medical teams.

McLaughlin said USFS has plans for more improvements in the area of Cedar Creek Trail. These include making water available for hikers and having a host at the trailhead to inform hikers of what lies ahead before they begin the hike down the trail. New signage also is expected to be erected soon.

RMWD will continue to study the effectiveness of the additional improvements made by USFS.

In other business before the RMWD board, developers of Ramona Air Center had requested a letter of availability from the fire department at the May 10 board meeting; however, it was tabled until more information could be made available from the water district’s legal counsel.

The developers were asked to deposit $5,000 with RMWD to cover the costs of the district’s legal fees. A full evaluation of the impact the project will have on the fire department is being compiled by Battalion Chief Saul Villagomez.

Plans are for Ramona Air Center to be located on Montecito Road, across from the airport. There will be hangars to house an additional 251 planes.

Karl Higgins, a partner in Ramona Air Center the development, said they want to form a Community Facilities District that would cover fire services and other necessary improvements. Before they can proceed with the county, a letter of intent for fire services is required, he said.

More information on the project is expected to be heard at the June 14 meeting of the RMWD board.