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Fireworks and Fire Safety

Published: June 28, 2023

You Really Need to Read This!

The Resort HOA Board wanted to remind longer-term Homeowners and educate newer Resort Homeowners about Fire Safety and our precarious position.

Here are a few facts:

- A House Fire will DOUBLE in size approximately every 30 seconds.
- The Resort is covered by the Eagle Mountain Fire Department (EMFD). Their station is probably a 10-12 minute drive TO THE FRONT GATE. Allow a minimum of 4-5 more minutes to reach deeper inside The Resort and you have a 14-17 minute response time (your house WILL be fully engulfed)
- Currently, EMFD is vastly under-funded by the Tarrant County Emergency Services District. EMFD gets funding for 1 fulltime fire fighter. EMFD is currently raiding funds from their Ambulance Services to artificially fund a second fire fighter during high risk times (drought, 4th of July, etc.).
- The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standards are for a MINIMUM of 4 firefighters to be present
- So, IF EMFD isn’t on another call AND IF there are 2 off duty firefighters who are willing to leave their families’ Fourth of July Celebration to come help fight your house fire, you’re looking at 14-17 minutes before they start attacking your house fire.
- In reality, they’ll probably be trying to prevent your neighbors’ house from burning because yours would probably be lost by the time they get here.

In a recent Emergency Services District meeting, a retired firefighter was talking to HOA Reps for our area. Someone asked what advice he would give Homeowners if their house catches fire. His response was chilling “Get your loved ones and animals out of the house, grab your insurance papers and RUN….because your house IS going to burn down”.

For this (and many, many other) reasons, we have a firm no tolerance policy against Fireworks in The Resort. If you are caught having or allowing fireworks on Resort Property, there WILL BE a $1000 fine. Yes, even if your crazy cousin brings them and is the person using fireworks, the HOMEOWNER will get fined.

Inevitably, the question will come up “Then why is the HOA putting on a Fireworks Show”. Our response is that we do want Homeowners to celebrate and have fun…but in a safe manner. Our Fireworks Display is put on by professionals who have liability insurance AND a plan that has been reviewed onsite by both EMFD and The Tarrant County Fire Marshall. The display will follow the restrictions and guidelines contained in the Permit we have obtained from the Fire Marshall.

In closing, The HOA Board is working with OCH Leadership, EMFD, the Emergency Services District, and Manny Ramirez (our County Commissioner) to improve the Fire Protection situation. There is nothing funded and approved but, we are all working very hard to improve our posture relative to Fire Protection.

The Resort at Eagle Mountain Lake HOA