Blog by-the-Sea

I'm almost home

Here's another video post set up on a timer ahead of time as part of blogging my trip to the Walk for Life.  This is another video about the Carlsbad airport's new state-of-the-art local facility, built last year for north San Diego County.

A video about the BART "Air Train" from the San Francisco Airport

About the time this posts, I ought to be getting on the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) "Air Train" at the San Francisco airport and heading toward the Financial District station to go to Justin Herman Plaza for the Walk for Life.  Here's a video about the BART station for the San Francisco Airport, which is also fairly new.  I'm meeting a friend of mine at another station on the way, so nobody has to park near the walk.

Here's a video of our little airport

By the time this posts, I should be on my short commuter flight from Carlsbad to L.A., where I will catch another short flight to San Francisco for the Walk for Life.  As part of blogging my one-day trip for the Walk for Life, I thought I would post this nice video about our local airport.

The Palomar Airport in Carlsbad accommodates commuter jets and other small planes.  A new airport building opened a year ago.  For people who live in north San Diego County, the small added cost of this extra short commuter flight is often less expensive than paying for parking at the San Diego or L.A. airport, and much more convenient.

San Diego County Pet Safety

Last week, a friend's small dog picked up a small rattlesnake during its daily walk down a long driveway.  Our weather has been hot, and we have more snakes than usual.

This is coyote country too.  A little over a week ago, I learned that someone else I know recently lost a cat that managed to get out, never came back, and probably encountered a coyote.  Just yesterday, there was a little cat on my patio with no collar and no identifying tag, and I had to decide whether to do anything.  There was another cat that used to come around a year or so ago, probably owned by someone who erroneously thought that the iron fence around the complex would keep out coyotes.  It won't.

And we are in wildfire season, when pets become lost outdoors when their owners evacuate a fire area.

So I thought I would do a post about pet safety with a particular emphasis on the pet hazards here in San Diego County.  Most of the information is also applicable to pets in other locations.

24-HOUR VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CARE:

California Veterinary Specialists

Veterinary Specialty Hospital 

VCA Emergency Animal Hospital 

Animal Urgent Care Specialty Group

South County Emergency Pet Clinic

Guidelines in case of emergency

SHELTERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES:

County Animal Shelters

Other Shelters

County Animal Control Patrol Services

EVERYDAY RISKS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

Coyotes: We live in coyote country.  As with much of southern California, San Diego County has a coyote population that is a threat to pets and sometimes to humans in residential areas.  Boundary fences are often insufficient to protect pets from coyotes.  Coyotes hunt by sending a small female or youngster inside a fenced area to lure a cat or other small animal into a chase, then lead the small animal outside the fence where the pack of coyotes will be waiting to attack. 

Snakes: Rattlesnakes are more commonly seen in this area in the warmest times of the year.  There have been recent incidents of rattlesnake bites to pets in San Diego County, who may even pick up a small rattlesnake that they may see before you do.  A dog may not understand that a small snake is a dangerous animal instead of a stick or toy, and a cat may stalk and attack any small prey.

Lizards: The small lizards common to San Diego County are not toxic to pets.  However, any cat or dog that catches and swallows one could have major internal damage from the lizard’s scales becoming stuck in the pet’s digestive tract.

Spiders: There are few poisonous spiders in San Diego County, although we occasionally have black widow spiders.  Further east, where there is more of a desert-like environment, a pet could also encounter desert recluse spiders, which are poisonous but not the same as the brown recluse seen elsewhere.  The few spiders that are poisonous are often at ground level, where the pets are.  A cat or dog could step on one or play with it without realizing the danger.  A spider that might ignore a human, because the human may not notice it or bother it, might well bite a cat or dog that tries to play with it.  Also, the desert recluse is nocturnal, so that they could be around someone's home at night while the animals are awake and the humans are sleeping, unaware of the extent of the infestation.

Poisons: Any cat or dog that swallows a mouse, lizard, insect, spider or other “pest” could run the risk of swallowing poison if that wild animal or insect has swallowed poison meant to control pests.  Poisons meant to kill pests -- such as some forms of snail bait -- may kill a pet within 24 hours if not treated immediately by a veterinarian (Always buy child and pet safe snail bait, which usually contains iron phosphate as its active ingredient).  There are also many chemicals in an average home, as well as common plants, that may be poisonous to cats or dogs while safe for humans.   There is an ASPCA Poison Control Center web page with information about everyday items toxic to pets.  If your pet is poisoned, call the ASPCA Poison Control Center and seek help from one of the veterinary emergency hospitals mentioned above.

Cars:  Pets are often hit by cars outdoors, especially in urban areas.

Crime:  As in any major urban area, there are occasional reports of purebred cats and dogs being stolen.

WILDFIRE AND EARTHQUAKE COUNTRY

 Wildfire season in California runs from mid-summer through late October or early November.  In the event of a major wildfire, rescuers will make an effort to rescue pets seen roaming in the fire area.  Look for announcements of special pet shelters that may be set up for animals found in fire areas if this happens here.

It is a good idea to be ready to go if a wildfire or severe earthquake ever strikes, or if a house fire occurs in your home.  The ASPCA website has a disaster preparedness page.  In addition to the emergency supplies and traveling kits recommended by the ASPCA, I  have the following suggestions:

1. In fire season months, or even year round, keep your pet traveling kit in your car.  If you have to evacuate, that is one less thing you will have to look for.  You aren't likely to need it unless you evacuate, so there is no reason to keep it in your home.

2. For a cat's travel bag, consider a disposable Wonder Box and a small bag of light weight, scoopable World's Best Cat Litter (the corn formula weighs much less than clay), and a small scoop.  The Wonder Boxes are sold in 3-packs, and will fit easily inside carry-on size luggage.  It is helpful to be a bit discrete when carrying a litter box into a nice hotel where you may want to stay for a day or two while evacuated.  If you show up at a friend's or relative's home with your animals in an emergency, it will help if you don't have to immediately rush out to buy a litter box, which can wait a day or two if you have a disposable one already packed.

3. Remember in choosing a phone number for your pets’ tags that you may have your mobile phone with you when evacuated, and that your home phone voicemail or answering machine may not work properly if the electricity in the area is turned off due to a major fire or earthquake.   The best number for your pet’s tag may be your mobile phone.

4. Check out the pet friendly hotels where you think you would want to go if evacuated due to fire, earthquake or other disaster.  Homeowners and renters insurance will usually pay your hotel bill during an evacuation, so you should not have to go to a shelter or a friend's house if you have insurance.  Check with your carrier ahead of time to make sure you have the protection you would need.  Keep information in your car, or programmed into your car's bluetooth hands free phone system, to make it easy to check room availability at those pet friendly hotels while you are evacuating.

BASIC PRECAUTIONS

Preparing for and preventing emergencies

All cats and dogs should wear a collar and tag that has the owners current phone number.  If you have recently moved in, please replace your pets’ tags with your current address and phone number as soon as possible in case they get outside unattended.  Pet stores may have temporary tags with paper address labels hidden inside a plastic or metal compartment on your pet's collar, which will last at least until you can order a permanent tag through the mail.

All cats and dogs should be microchipped.  If you have recently moved, please report your new address and phone number to your microchip registration company as soon as possible so that they can find you if your cat or dog gets out of doors.

Remember that even an indoors-only pet may get outside in a fire, earthquake, or other unexpected emergency.  Animals frightened by a fire or earthquake may live outside for days or weeks before they return home, and a collar could be lost.  Retrieval will be much more likely if the pet has been microchipped.

IF YOU SEE SOMEONE ELSE'S PET UNATTENDED OUTDOORS

If someone you know lets their pets roam outdoors in this area, speak to them about the dangers.   Apartment and condominium rules, and homeowners associations, often require cats to be kept indoors and dogs to be kept on leashes.  Contact the management or board of directors if you know of a resident who does not comply with those rules.

It is difficult to decide whether to intervene to protect someone else's pet from a risk if you don't know whether the pet's owner intentionally lets their pets go outdoors.  If the owner does not come to pick up their pet quickly, or if the phone number on the tag is no longer good -- or if there is no tag -- you may be left to decide whether to put the animal back outside to see if it will go home, or whether to take it to a shelter.  However, if the pet has escaped, the owner may thank you for making the extra effort to protect their pet.

As for any new pet brought into your home, it is best to quarantine the animal away from your own pets for the short time that it is in your care.  How careful you are might depend on how much you actually know about the rescued animal.

A bathroom could be the best location for its short stay with you because you can easily disinfect it later, after the owner retrieves the pet or after you take it to a shelter.  If you transport the pet to a shelter in your own pet's carrier, in your car, and if you don't know if the animal was healthy, either throw that carrier away and buy a new one, or at least, carefully disinfect it before using it for your own pet in the future.  Clean affected carpets and upholstery in your home and car.

Wash your hands carefully after handling any unfamiliar animal and before handling your own pet so as to minimize the risk of spreading illness.  If the rescued pet has signs of illness, change into clean clothes before picking up your own pet.  Be careful about shoes too, because even a few cells of some parasites, picked up from the unfamiliar animal's fecal matter and tracked across your carpet, could contaminate your home if the animal is sick. 

FIRST AID

Consider creating a first aid kit for your pet. 

Online first aid information

PET INSURANCE

It is highly advisable to keep pet insurance on your pets if you live in this area.  Emergency veterinary care can cost as much as $500 for an injury up to several thousand dollars for a snake bite or serious infection.

Pets Best Insurance: Get a Pet Insurance Quote

PET AUTO SAFETY

Bark Buckle-Up  is an organization that provides pet emergency information for your car glove compartment and decals for your car windows so that emergency personnel will know what to do with your pet if you are ever in a car accident and unable to help your pet yourself.  The information cards have your pet's photo and name, information about any medications and special diets, the veterinarian's name, and emergency contact information to let authorities know who should take care of your pet if you are not able to tell them.

That organization also tests pet safety equipment such as dog car seats and pet carriers, and there is information on those products on its website.

Dog car seats, seta belts, cat carriers that can be buckled in, and other pet safety equipment can be helpful for any car trip.  Keep in mind that a pet could be injured by an air bag if sitting in the front seat of your car while you drive.

HOME PET SAFETY DECALS

The ASPCA offers free window decals to alert fire department and other rescue personnel that pets are inside your home.

Father Cantalamessa in Los Angeles this Weekend

I just learned that Father Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., the Preacher of the Pontifical Household, will be speaking and saying Mass in Los Angeles this Sunday.  With apologies for not mentioning it earlier, here are the details:

Southern California Renewal Communities ("SCRC Charismatic Renewal") is presenting Father Cantalamessa's visit at Alemany High School Auditorium in Mission Hills this Sunday, January 6, from 11:30 to 4:00 p.m.  The cost is $39.  However, for young adults who cannot afford that can attend for $20 if they make arrangements in advance to be added to the list for that price.  Father Cantalamessa will be making two presentations and saying Mass.

The Weight of Glory has a summary of the event, the address, the e-mail address to request the reduced fee, and a link to download the flyer for complete information.  You can also download the flyer from the SCRC website.

The Holy Father's Letter About the California Wildfires

The following was posted today on the website of the Diocese of San Bernardino.  It is also in this Sunday's bulletin for our parish in the Diocese of San Diego, and I would guess it is also in other parishes' bulletins in the dioceses affected by the fires:

In correspondence received from the Vatican Thursday afternoon, Pope Benedict XVI offered words of encouragement and prayer for victims of last week's wildfires and for those who fought the fires.

The message, relayed by his Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, reads as follows,

HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI WAS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE AND DAMAGE TO HOMES AND OTHER PROPERTIES CAUSED BY EXTENSIVE FIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND WISHES TO EXPRESS HIS SYMPATHY AND CLOSENESS IN PRAYER TO THOSE AFFECTED. HE ALSO OFFERS HIS PRAYERFUL ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FIRE-FIGHTERS, RESCUE WORKERS AND ALL INVOLVED IN BRINGING RELIEF AND SUPPORT TO THE VICTIMS OF THIS DISASTER. COMMENDING THE DECEASED TO THE LOVING MERCY OF ALMIGHTY GOD, HIS HOLINESS INVOKES UPON THEIR GRIEVING FAMILIES AND ALL THOSE INJURED, ABUNDANT DIVINE GRACES OF STRENGTH AND COMFORT.

Hat tip The American Papist

Thank you, all who prayed and all who fought the fires

It was wonderful to be at Mass on Saturday evening to watch the vigil light be re-lit at the first Mass held at a parish previously evacuated for the Witch Creek Fire.   Following tradition, the blessed host had been taken from the sanctuary at the time of the evacuation and moved to another parish.  Thus, when we entered the church for Saturday's Mass, the light was out and the sanctuary was open and empty. 

I do not yet know the extent of any losses of people I may know personally.  So far, all I have heard from were either evacuated and have returned home to find things normal, or else were not evacuated at all.  Some other parishioners who live further east almost surely lost their homes, and some had property stolen during the evacuation.

We must all be surely grateful that the losses were much lower than those in 2003 although the fire conditions were far worse than before.  The Union-Tribune's Fire Blog today posted the latest figures showing 1588 homes burned, 320 damaged, 7 civilian fatalities and 23 civilians injured.  Another post shows that there are no fire-related missing people in San Diego County. 

That is far lighter damage than the 2003 fires although the 2003 fires burned a much smaller geographic area.  That is partly because this year's fires arose during the day while the 2003 fires began during the night.  However, the organization of the evacuation and firefighting effort this year was remarkable and impressively executed, and that organization and communication surely deserves much of the credit.

The latest figures, linked above, also show that 93 firefighters were injured in these San Diego County fires.  They surely deserve our gratitude, as do all of the other people who worked tirelessly to protect people, animals and property during these fires.

Thanks, too, to all who have prayed and who continue their efforts to help those who have had losses of varying degrees as a result of the fires.

Smoky Moon

Well, it is good to be back at home and to know that many others are also back at home and that things are beginning to return to normal.  Tonight's full moon was a little bit orange from the smoke that still lingers.  The photo here, taken with a mobile phone camera, doesn't quite catch the color.  The smoke is gradually clearing with a very mild ocean breeze. 

I felt reassured this evening, while driving through a neighborhood that was still under mandatory evacuation this morning.  Everything seemed so normal, almost as if it hadn't happened except for a number of dry trees in one place where it seemed the fire must have come very close, the heat leaving trees very dry without actually catching them on fire.  There was a little more traffic than usual, and I thought some other people wanted to drive around and see that things were all right, or to drive further and see where the damage was.  The only really burned area that I have seen yet is the Marine Corps base along the freeway, miles from here, where there was a fire yesterday.

By this afternoon, only about 2,500 people were still evacuated at Qualcomm Stadium.  The remaining evacuees will be moved tomorrow to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and the Chargers may play at Qualcomm on Sunday.  That seems increasingly likely as a way of reassuring people that San Diego has pulled through the worst of the past week's problems.

There is still fire in many places in southern California.  There may be more dry weather as soon as next week, although winds as strong as last week's winds seem unlikely to happen again soon.

Fire Information Update and Advice

Updated 7:17 p.m.: The advisory evacuation of Carlsbad was lifted late this afternoon, and evacuations have also been lifted in some other North San Diego County locations that no longer face fire danger.  Much of the rest of the coastal area also appears to have survived the fires with little damage, with tree branches blown into the area and a covering of ash, but few or no lost homes near the coast.  The air quality may still be a problem.  Fires are getting worse in the Lake Arrowhead area and probably in some other locations at a greater distance from where I live.  The wind seems to be dying down sooner than expected, but winds from the ocean are still not expected until Thursday, which will help the air quality.

_____________

Judging by Sitemeter and the radio and blog coverage, there are still people unsure of whether Carlsbad is under a voluntary evacuation and whether they should leave.  I am going to do a quick post for those searchers with links to other sources of information and advice based on my experience of Carlsbad 4 years ago.  Also, from my Oakland Hills Fire experience, I will give some information from experience that may help people who may have had homes damaged or lost elsewhere in the county.

San Diego Union-Tribune and its Latest Fire News Blog are good sources for general updates such as evacuation area status.  Sign-On Forums have people posting information on specific neighborhoods, including Carlsbad.  Sign-On Radio is broadcasting online, and there is a link from the Union-Tribune main page (top right). 

A San Diego County Emergency page has updated fire information from the County, including information on new evacuations.  The latest to change from voluntary to mandatory is all of Fairbanks Ranch not already under mandatory evacuation.  As of 9:30 this morning, it posted the following information about air quality in areas not under mandatory evacuation:

"All areas west of the active fires in San Diego County will be impacted by the smoke. Air quality will be the worst in and around the fires and will also be very poor downwind of the fires. The air quality levels of particulate pollution in these areas will be in the unhealthy to hazardous range. In areas that are not directly downwind of the fires, air quality levels will range from moderate to unhealthy. People living or working in these areas should take caution and attempt to protect themselves as much as possible. Air quality will be significantly better in areas east of the fires, with levels ranging from good to moderate."

The area from Highway 56 (which is several miles south of Carlsbad) north to Highway 78 (around the northern boundary of Carlsbad) and from I-5 on the west all the way to I-15 on the East were under a voluntary evacuation beginning mid-afternoon Monday.  I received a reverse 911 call and left quickly.  I heard later that it had changed to a mandatory evacuation, but the map last night still showed it as a voluntary evacuation, and I think that is correct.

Four years ago, the air quality in Carlsbad became so bad that it was entirely unbreathable, and it seemed particularly bad around I-5.  It may not be that bad this year because there seems to be more of an ocean breeze near the coast keeping the air from getting that bad around the beaches.  If the air quality is still good near the coast, you may want to evacuate today if you have not yet done so.  If the air quality is unbreathable outside, and the evacuation is only voluntary, and if your home is recently constructed and pretty airtight, then you might think of simply keeping all doors and windows closed, make sure your fireplace flu is shut, and just stay put.  The last I heard, the air was not expected to improve until Thursday, and it could get worse.  My own choice was to take the voluntary evacuation seriously and move north.

If you are in a home or hotel on the beach (west of I-5), you may not be evacuated at all. 

Orange County probably still has some hotel availability.  Check websites.  As of last night, for example, the hotels around Disneyland had room.  It is likely that those hotels will have cancellations because of people not wanting to go to Disneyland while it is smokey from fires.  The air quality in Orange County is not great because there is a fire burning in a canyon in east Orange County, although it is not as threatening as the ones in San Diego and it is partially contained.  There are also fires burning north of here in Los Angeles County, and people from there are also evacuating to Orange County. 

If you are evacuating from the fire, want a hotel room, and cannot find availability, try phoning the hotel you want directly.  They may let you have a room even if websites shows no availability.  Due to the fires, southern California hotels will probably have a number of no-shows from people coming in from out of town, and they may let you overbook or put you on a list and call you if there is a cancellation.

For anyone who has lost a home, or who knows that their home has been badly damaged:  If you are staying with friends and relatives, start checking for hotel availability for Thursday or Friday, as you will want your own space quickly.  Homeowners policies will usually pay for your reasonable added costs of living for 1 year from the date of a disaster,  so check your policy.  Some renters' policies pay for two weeks of added living expenses.  Also phone your insurance carrier, get the claim started, and expect that it will take a few days before a busy adjuster gets back to you.

Ideally, if you have lost your home, you will want a room with a kitchenette that is in the same school district or near friends who have shared losses in the same fire.  Then, this week-end or next, you should look for an apartment or rental home that you can move into while your home is being rebuilt or repaired.  You may eventually work out a deal to sell your property to your insurance carrier and use the money to buy a new home.  But even if you do that rather than rebuild, you will want to take several months to find a new home that you really want and to buy furniture and other replacement items. 

Giving yourself 6 months or so on a lease will give you the time you need to do that.  Keep in mind that the apartment or rental home that you want may not be available for several weeks, so find a hotel room where you will be comfortable for that amount of time.  Ask your insurance adjuster to advance living expenses for the first month or two, and the adjuster may write you out a check on the spot, advancing some living expenses. 

Be careful not to sign a release until all of your losses owed under your policy, including living expenses, have been paid.   Keep in mind that some insurance carriers that suffered big losses in Katrina claims may be watching their budgets more carefully than usual now, which may mean that you have to be more careful to protect your rights than may have been the case several years ago.  Hopefully, all will go well, as we will not likely have nearly that many losses.  If you have a problem, contact the State Insurance Commisioner's office or call your lawyer.  Read what you sign.

Lastly, even if you do not regularly attend church, you may want to plan for it this week-end.  It will give you a chance to be with other people who have shared a similar fire experience and who are experiencing many of the same feelings that you are feeling.  There is a link in the sidebar to the Diocese of San Diego page with information about Mass times for various parishes.  There is a map on that website showing San Diego County parishes by location to help you find one near wherever you may be this week-end.  By Sunday, churches now evacuated should be back to a regular schedule, and the pastors will surely expect that the fire will be on people's minds.

The Feast Day of "San Luis Rey de Francia"

Today is the memorial of St. Louis IX, the only canonized king of France.  Mission San Luis Rey here in San Diego County is named for St. Louis IX.  The mission's name, "San Luis Rey de Francia," is the Spanish for "St. Louis King of France."

Tonight, the mission will have its 24th annual Heritage Ball, with all proceeds going to the preservation of the mission.

The nineteenth century Fiesta de San Luis Rey near the mission, which was then in ruins, is mentioned in an earlier post about local church history.

A Penitent Blogger has a post about the saint and his impact on 13th century France, including this:

"Most importantly, for the young king, religion was not a tool – quite the contrary, everything should be in service to faith."