The word is out! The Pinewood Lake Wildfire Action Group (PLWAG) was heavily featured in the Reporter-Herald for our recent neighborhood emergency evacuation drill. It is incredible to see our community's hard work and dedication to wildfire safety recognized on a larger stage. The article highlights how our neighborhood works together to stay prepared: Emergency Communications: Pete and Angie Robbins demonstrated our community GMRS radio network, showing how neighbors can st

It's hard to believe our GMRS repeater is about to turn 2! It all started 5 years ago with an idea of neighbors being able to talk to each other during a blizzard, fire, flood, or other incident where power or phones would be out. While there are a few Ham Radio operators in the area, we recognize not everyone wants to take a test to use a radio. GMRS was the answer: just pay $35 for your 10-year license that covers your whole household and get a radio, which range in price f

On this past weeks GMRS community Net, Angie R., WSDI574, discussed the recent news about a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship has brought renewed attention to this serious disease. Thank you to all those who contributed to a great conversation. While the strain involved in that outbreak on the cruise ship differs from the one found in the United States, it serves as an important reminder that hantavirus remains a concern closer to home, especially here in Colorado.

At our recent Evacuation Exercise, Pete and Angie R. shared their journey from an isolated neighborhood in Los Angeles to finding our beautiful Pinewood Lake / Pole Hill community. The breakout session detailed the tools our neighborhood has available to ensure that every resident stays informed, prepared, and safe when it matters most. When we moved to Pinewood Lake five years ago, we fell in love with this beautiful area and the incredible people who live here. Coming from

In Pinewood Lake, Pole Hill neighborhoods we know that when it comes to mountain living, information is our best defense. To keep our community safe and informed, we rely on two primary pillars of communication: our GMRS Radio network and our neighborhood Slack workspace. While our GMRS radios are our lifeline for voice communication and backup during power outages, Slack serves as our digital hub for real-time data, resource sharing, and automated safety alerts. 1. The Perf

As many of us know, living in the beautiful landscape of Larimer County comes with a shared responsibility: being prepared for wildfire. Recent data from the U.S. Forest Service highlights just how critical this is—Larimer County faces a higher wildfire likelihood than 92% of counties nationwide . In response, Larimer County is currently updating its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) , and they want to hear from us. Why Does This Plan Matter to Our Neighborhood? The C

It was 6:41 PM, September 2nd. Angie and I were just about ready to sit down for dinner, when a random photo of mountains shows up on my phone. Looking closer I could see a plume of smoke. I reply, “Where is that?” The response sent chills. Stone Mountain Fire - 6:41PM “Coming home just now, at the end of Pinewood dam, looking NorthWest.” It was just over a year ago, July 18, 2024, several neighborhood Hams, led by Eric R. and Dennis B., installed a GMRS Repeater just North o

GMRS Repeater & Antenna Installation July 18, 2024 On July 18, 2024 , the Pinewood Lake community took a significant step toward enhancing our emergency preparedness. With invaluable assistance from several neighborhood HAM radio operators, we successfully installed a GMRS repeater right here in our neighborhood. GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) is a licensed radio service in the US, offering more power and range than typical FRS radios, making it ideal for robust communi

On Thursday, April 3 at 1PM, neighbors took to the airwaves for a coordinated emergency communications exercise with the Colorado ARES and Larimer County's Office of Emergency Management . Ham Radio operators were positioned at the Larimer County Emergency Operations Center in Johnstown, Loveland Library, Big Elk Meadows, Berthoud, Estes Park and several other neighborhoods, including our Pinewood Lake. During a Zoom Call introduction the following emergency scenerio was pre

The Pinewood radio group got mentioned in a national radio periodical, thanks to resident Eric Richards. From the February 2025 National Association for Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Emergency Service Newsletter: "The Boulder County, Colorado, ARES (BCARES) group held its annual meeting on January 27, 2025, in the county Sheriff's office meeting room. Fifteen members were present, plus a representative from the Sheriff's department, along with three others from the Of