Crest honors Khandy Franklin for years of service to the Crest community
By Diana Griffin, Chair, Crest Firesafe Council
December 31, 2025 (Crest) – The Crest Fire Safe Council and Crest Community Association are honoring Khandy Franklin for her decades of dedication, leadership, and commitment to making the community safer, stronger, and more connected.
She will be recognized at an upcoming meeting of the Crest/Dehesa/Granite Hills/Harbison Canyon Subregional Planning Group and was recently acknowledged in the CCA newsletter.
Since moving to Crest in 1979, Franklin has been a driving force for positive change. In the aftermath of the devastating 2003 Cedar Fire, she founded the Crest Fire Safe Council, securing numerous grants for essential fuels-reduction projects—including the innovative use of goats to clear hazardous vegetation—and working tirelessly to protect the open spaces she cherishes as an avid horsewoman.
She also established a vital wildfire notification system that has undoubtedly saved lives and property. Her leadership extended far beyond fire safety: she served as Secretary for the Crest Community Association (CCA) and chaired/supported other CCA committees; coordinated many of the annual Crest 4th of July Parades and Celebrations, and revived the E-Crest-Rians, strengthening community bonds through events and gatherings.
Her commitment reached beyond Crest as well. She represented the Crest community on the ad hoc committee for the Crest/Dehesa/Harbison Canyon/Granite Hills Subregional Planning Group, where she helped craft resolutions that integrated wildfire resilience into local planning efforts and advised the County of San Diego on strategies to improve wildfire safety throughout the region.
“Khandy’s vision, ingenuity, and deep care for Crest have left an enduring legacy,” an article in the CCA newsletter. ”On behalf of the Crest Community Association, the Crest Fire Safe Council, and all residents of Crest, we extend our deepest gratitude to Khandy Franklin and wish her every happiness in the years ahead.”