Members of a Disaster Animal Relocation Team crew from Apple Valley were part of the six-team effort to transport animals in the path of the Pilot Fire to temporary digs at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville on Monday night.Photo courtesy DART
By Peter Day
Staff Writer
LUCERNE VALLEY — On Sunday, Lucerne Valley resident Kevin Baroni saw the ominous cloud of smoke from the fast-moving Pilot Fire as a signal.
The next day, Baroni, who is a highly involved member of the Lucerne Valley's Citizens Emergency Response Team, got word that his Disaster Animal Relocation Team was needed.
"On Monday night when the fire was blowing up one of the fire captains called me and said, "Hey, do you have a crew that can help me?"
After answering in the affirmative, Baroni got into action: He activated six DART teams to help move domesticated animals in the path of the Silverwood Lake-area conflagration that by mid-week had scorched more than 7,800 acres.
The teams first loaded up 19 horses and one goat from ranches in the Deep Creek Road and Rock Springs Road area, which was less than two miles away from the fire, and dropped them off at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville. After the livestock was situated, the teams went back and got more horses.
"Altogether we got 39 horses and one goat in one day," Baroni said.
Baroni formed DART after leaders of the Lucerne Valley-Johnson Valley Municipal Advisory Council and Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association put out a call for such a service. He research and discovered that similar teams exist in Australia, the Bay Area and other regions.
His first order of business was to organize teams of volunteers who owned horse trailers and ranches where livestock could be housed temporarily. Baroni was successful in finding volunteers from Twentynine Palms to Wrightwood, and from Barstow to San Bernardino. But the growth of the organization grew exponentially when he started a Facebook page.
"I took it under my own wing and it's just blown up since then," he said.
The area's DART was first officially used last year when the devastating Lake Fire hit the Big Bear area.
"This would be the perfect time to try it out," he thought.
It was a success. Late last month, when the huge Sand Fire broke out in Santa Clarita Valley, Baroni sent three teams to help evacuate horses and the like.
Even though the Pilot Fire seems to be under control — on Wednesday the fire was about 65 contained, according to fire officials — there was more to be done. On Wednesday DART teams were getting ready to help the animal owners transport their horses (and one goat) back to their homes.
Baroni couldn't be more pleased with the response from his volunteers and gives kudos to his Alpha Team leader Ty Nitti of Apple Valley and Beta Team leader John Buchanan of Lucerne Valley. And two local veterinarians have said they can volunteer their time in an emergency.
"I can't thank my team enough."
And the local DART team has admirers from afar.
"A woman in Tehachapi wants to start one," Baroni said. "It's exploded."
Baroni has even coined a motto for the team: "My motto for the crew is, 'You call we haul.'"
For more information, or to contact Baroni, visit the team's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DART-Disaster-Animal-Relocation-Team-4817031319...