By Dianne Jacob

Our beautiful backcountry: My fellow county supervisors recently joined me in voting to add 175 acres of wilderness to the Santa Ysabel preserve, opening up more land to the public and linking key parts of the preserve.

The acquisition may also allow us to expand the San Dieguito River Park’s Coast to Crest Trail. The 175 acres is west of state Route 79 and north of the intersection of routes 79 and 78.

This is great news for hikers, horse enthusiasts and others who enjoy our gorgeous backcountry.

Beefing up fire protection: The county Fire Authority recently opened a new fire station in Boulevard, our latest effort to improve fire protection and emergency medical services in rural East County.

It’s the first station to house Fire Authority reserves, Cal Fire firefighters and a paramedic unit under one roof.

The facility is the latest sign of how far we’ve come since the disastrous firestorms of 2003 and 2007. In 2003, our efforts to fight the Cedar Fire and other catastrophic wildfires were hampered by poor communication and coordination among agencies, along with a lack of resources.

Since then, the county has invested more than $320 million on fire protection improvements.

Care for our elderly: I had the privilege of speaking to hundreds of local seniors at the Vital Aging conference hosted by the county on June 16.

The theme, “Boosting Your Brainpower,” grew out of the work of The Alzheimer’s Project, the county-led initiative launched last year to address the toll of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia on families and communities.

Many speakers and exhibits at the conference focused on how exercise, good nutrition and activities can help seniors keep their mind, memory and mood in good shape.

—Diane Jacob is the county supervisor for District 2, which includes La Mesa. For more news, visit diannejacob.com or follow Jacob on Facebook and Twitter. Call Jacob’s office at 619-531-5522 or email [email protected]