Picture

Three years after Mill Valley filmmaker Gary Yost made a viral video time lapse from the Mount Tamalpais fire lookout, he’s turned his lens onto another aspect of firefight: the critical need for our first responders to always be ready. The 13-minute Always Prepared documentary looks at the Marin County Firefighters at the Throckmorton Ridge Fire Station at in the Marin Headlands, as well as Southern Marin Fire District’s station in Strawberry.

“We’re in the business of readiness,” Marin County Fire Senior Captain Chris Martinelli says in the short film. “Many people produce a product. Our product is being ready. It’s being ready to go into action at the drop of a hat, any time of the day, no matter what the situation.”

The film chronicles a number of firefighters’ day-to-day duties to maintain that high level of readiness, from meticulous examinations of their equipment and fire trucks to drills like cliff rescues and creating roof ventilations.

“Although we all conceptually know that this is what first responders are supposed to do, here is a visual document honoring the men and women who are ready to help us, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Yost says. 

Watch Yost’s film below:


Want to know what’s happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!