An Oma Tours Initiative · In Partnership with the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council
Resilience
Force
Ojai's community emergency e-bike response team — trained, equipped, and ready to protect the valley we call home when it needs us most.
Oma Tours has pledged
$100,000 in business assetsto the service and defense of Ojai
"The same bikes that carry visitors through our mountains are ready to protect our community."
Our Story
Why We Built
R-Force
We witnessed firsthand the devastating power of the Thomas Fire. In its aftermath, we were confronted with something deeply personal — the real possibility of losing our own home, and the heartbreak of friends who fought to save theirs, and in some cases, lost everything. That experience changed us.
We believe that well-trained, equipped citizens can meaningfully assist emergency services when it matters most. We saw how quickly small, smoldering spot fires spread when left unattended — fires that a trained civilian patrol could have extinguished before they became uncontrollable. The gap between what professional emergency services can cover and what our community actually needs is real, and R-Force exists to fill it.
The aftermath of the Thomas Fire brought its own wave of hardship. Dangerously poor air quality kept residents indoors and isolated for weeks. Vulnerable community members — the elderly, those with medical conditions, families without transportation — struggled to access food, medicine, and basic supplies. A trained, mobile response team could have reached those people when traditional vehicles and infrastructure could not.
Wildfire is not our only threat. Ojai sits in a valley that floods, shakes, and burns. Every natural disaster leaves behind the same reality — there are people who need help, areas that can't be reached, and a community that must find ways to take care of its own.
Ojai gave us everything. R-Force is how we give back.
The Mission
What R-Force Does
Three pillars of service — emergency response, food security, and year-round community readiness. The same team, the same bikes, the same commitment to Ojai.
Emergency Response
When wildfires, floods, or earthquakes strike, R-Force deploys 25 trained riders on electric bikes — reaching terrain and trails no emergency vehicle can access. Supply delivery, evacuation support, welfare checks, and spot fire suppression in the critical early hours when response time matters most. Our riders know Ojai's trails, fire roads, and back routes intimately because they ride them every week.
The Gleaning Program
Every week, R-Force harvests surplus produce from Ojai's farms, orchards, and farmers markets — food that would otherwise go to waste — and delivers it to local food banks, pantries, and families facing food insecurity across Ventura County. The same trailers and volunteer team that respond to disasters serve the community every single week. This keeps our team active, trained, and cohesive year-round — not only when disaster strikes.
Community Readiness
R-Force is not a reactive program — it is a permanent, active part of Ojai's emergency preparedness infrastructure. Monthly training drills, quarterly equipment reviews, CERT certification, wilderness first aid training, and deep local terrain knowledge ensure that when the call comes, our team doesn't scramble. We are already prepared, already together, and already committed to this valley.
Many structures could have been saved if trained citizens had been on patrol — putting out small, smoldering spot fires before they became something no one could stop.
Aidan & Jules Pasco — Co-Founders, Oma Tours & R-Force
Equipment
Built for the Field
Professional-grade gear selected specifically for Ojai's terrain, air quality conditions, and emergency response requirements. Every piece of equipment serves both our emergency response mission and our weekly gleaning program operations.
The same e-bikes that power Oma Tours' guided adventures are the backbone of R-Force emergency deployment. Confident on gravel, fire roads, and mixed terrain. Pedal-assist to 20mph, hydraulic brakes, integrated lights, fenders, and rear rack for equipment and supply transport. Maintained by Oma Tours and stored at the Ojai Resilience Center.
Purpose-built burly trailers capable of transporting emergency supplies, water, medical equipment, food, and communications gear across terrain inaccessible to standard vehicles. The same trailers used for weekly gleaning operations — hauling produce from farms to food banks — are deployable within hours for full emergency response support.
Professional full-face respirator protection for wildfire smoke, toxic air conditions, and hazardous materials exposure. The North® 5400 series provides complete face and respiratory protection for riders operating in active fire zones, smoke-filled corridors, and post-disaster environments with compromised air quality. One per active R-Force rider.
Backpack-mounted forestry pump and water systems enabling each R-Force rider to independently suppress spot fires and smoldering embers — exactly the early-stage intervention that can stop a small fire from becoming a catastrophic one. Lightweight, field-deployable, and designed for the rugged terrain of Ojai's mountain environment.
Two-way field radios enabling real-time coordination between R-Force teams and integration with official incident command structures during active emergency deployments. Critical for maintaining situational awareness when mobile networks are overloaded or disabled during major disaster events — a documented issue during the Thomas Fire and subsequent Ventura County emergencies.
Professional field-grade first aid kits carried on every deployed R-Force bike, enabling immediate medical response for injuries sustained during emergency operations. Each kit is stocked for wilderness and disaster conditions, complementing the Wilderness First Aid certification held by all active R-Force team members.
Training Program
What Every Member Completes
All R-Force volunteers complete a structured training program developed in coordination with the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council. Training is directed by the Council to ensure full alignment with official emergency protocols. All certifications are maintained annually.
Year-Round Mission
The Gleaning
Program
A gleaning program is a community initiative where volunteers harvest excess and leftover produce from farms, orchards, gardens, and farmers markets that would otherwise go to waste. This rescued, fresh food is then donated to food banks, pantries, and shelters feeding individuals and families facing food insecurity.
R-Force runs this program every week. The same trailers that transport emergency equipment during a wildfire carry fresh produce to Ventura County food banks every Saturday. The same riders who respond to floods check in on isolated farms every week during gleaning operations — building the local knowledge and community relationships that make our emergency response more effective.
This is not a separate program bolted onto our emergency mission. It is the same mission. Serving Ojai in good times and hard times, with the same people, the same equipment, and the same commitment.
By maintaining weekly gleaning operations, R-Force keeps its full team trained, physically capable, logistically practiced, and deeply connected to the community they protect. When an emergency strikes, we are not scrambling to assemble — we are already together.
Our Home Base
The Ojai
Resilience Center
The Ojai Resilience Center is a new $10 million community emergency preparedness facility currently under development in Ojai, California — the most significant investment in Ojai's disaster readiness infrastructure in the city's history.
R-Force has been formally offered dedicated storage space at the Resilience Center by the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council — at no cost — in exchange for assembling, training, and maintaining a community emergency response team. This partnership places R-Force at the heart of Ojai's long-term resilience strategy and ensures our program is built into the city's emergency infrastructure from day one.
R-Force Academy
E-Bike Classes:
Ride Smarter, Safer, and Freer
A practical, confidence-building class series designed to make riders more capable, more visible, and more at ease on the road. The focus is clear instruction, real-world riding, and genuine enjoyment of the bike.
The Joy of Riding
Feel the sheer pleasure of cruising on two wheels: the freedom, the movement, the quiet power of an e-bike. We talk about how riding can improve your health, save you money, and bring back that childlike sense of freedom.
Communication on the Road
Master safe riding etiquette through hand signals, group communication, responsible earbud and phone use, and the importance of staying visible with daytime lights.
What Makes a Great E-Bike
Not all e-bikes are created equal. Learn what really matters: motor types, battery range, comfort, and fit, plus how to choose and maintain a bike that works for you.
Rules of the Road
We cover the traffic laws that apply to cyclists, right-of-way basics, and how to ride confidently and predictably in traffic.
The ABC Safety Check
Before every ride: Air, Brakes, Chain. We show riders how to make sure a bike is safe and road-ready in under two minutes.
Skill & Style (Without the Scolding)
There is a time and place for tricks, bunny hops, and fast corners. We show riders how to practice safely and responsibly, with good judgment and respect for the road.
Riding in Groups
Learn formation riding, spacing, and how to flow as one, whether you are cruising Ojai backroads with friends or commuting downtown.
Built for Real Riders
The goal is not to lecture. It is to build real comfort, better habits, stronger awareness, and the kind of confidence that makes people want to keep riding.
How It Works
We cover the key lessons at the start, then reinforce them during the ride with real-life examples, stories, and quick skill demos. Riders leave more confident, more capable, and more stoked to keep exploring on two wheels.
Get Involved
Ready to Serve
Your Community?
R-Force is built by Ojai locals, for Ojai locals. We are assembling our founding team of 50 volunteers now. If you know this valley, care about this community, and are ready to train and serve — we want to hear from you.
Resilience Force is a program of the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council, a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization