Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

RE: 'Furious over delay in lifting evacuation order' - [Village News, Opinion, 11/1/07]

When you mention that you could not re-enter Fallbrook on Tuesday, there was a reason for this. There were still many fires going strong and people were still being asked to evacuate with police going on each street and knocking on individual’s doors. Wednesday was not any better. The evacuation order was for our safety, not our convenience.

We all know it was a pain, but that is why no one in Fallbrook died or was harmed because we were not supposed to be here. I evacuated Monday and Tuesday night, coming home both days and leaving in the evening and then returned for good, against recommendation, on Wednesday morning and I can promise you that there were still huge fires burning! That was the day the helicopters were finally here and my husband and I watched them work their butts off making trips to reservoirs and back to fires getting them out. Fallbrook was in no way safe for return and can you even imagine what it would be like with 40,000-plus people hanging out by the fires trying to be lookie-loos?

The firemen would have had a tough time trying to save our homes with people in the way it would not be very efficient. It was no party; town was fully shut down with maybe one grocery store and one gas station going.

The people that chose to evacuate us did so with our safety in mind. You should be thankful you still have your home and think about all the others that do not. They are thankful that they were not in their homes like they were told not to be and that they are still here.

It takes organization to get 40,000 people back into a town and since this is not a job someone typically and thankfully has practice doing, the people had to think and plan a smart and safe way to let people back in.

Rachael McSheehy

 

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