[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6064163,"mediaKeyId","3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68","parentId",3256801,"title","Elko County fire staff detail high school wildland training and seasonal hiring; fire season outlook tabled","audioSeconds",184,"startMs",608125,"endMs",792440,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68&start=608&end=792","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68/thumbnail_608125.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6064163/Elko-County/Nevada/Elko-County-fire-staff-detail-high-school-wildland-training-and-seasonal-hiring-fire-season-outlook-tabled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6064163-b467ff8ce2ea1c70e605f5126dc67553/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437997&Signature=AMh61zLuBrsrVOeX5UqDy5cPK7HMw~iZMydCkV0pV~lXN1N7R3bisNWaeYT2vt7FQIzK8H1qiX7NpegXS3kReEBZvaXpwvjWSdoVby26D4lhav8KxbwCENFJFS1XCXXMGoe99QYnaJpEg5ge1iHVdE2xtwHoHDegKKniMK99y8EA252VMU4TBZpN~uCrPC1-ifKK6WlLFTLGMkCSjx2psd65OnPqpJB2MZRXzkEe7qoZD~RF6I-aYcA9hwaGN1nX3636jGCNePtedL74iw8-5zC0XSXlca-QBCo9OQ-vCLZjB~ROgDKPc3aG~AU8pcVs~Rodux0oYVqaxLy50j33ZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Elko County, NV","date","2025-05-07T00:00:00Z","article","District staff reported the fire district is well into pre-season training and said the district’s high school wildland program has become a source of seasonal hires.

Curtis, operations staff, said the district is three-quarters through preseason wildland refresher training and has held coordination meetings with the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service to align resources and communications. “We’ve had our preseason meetings with BLM, NDF and the Forest Service just to get a game plan together of what everybody has available and our preseason radio communications meetings and that’s all going well so far,” Curtis said.

Curtis clarified questions from commissioners about the high school program: the district provides about 45 minutes to an hour per day of instructor time under a grant arrangement rather than a full-day firefighter assigned to the school; other instruction is provided by EMS organizations and federal/state cooperators. He said the program has led to hires: “Last year we hired about eight of them as seasonals…and BLM hired some and NDF hired some,” Curtis said, adding students leave high school with certifications that make them competitive for seasonal firefighting positions.

The board tabled the scheduled fire season outlook presentation because the meteorologist and a Great Basin Coordination Center representative had a scheduling conflict; staff said that briefing will be rescheduled for the end of the month. Separately, Matt, Fire Chief, said outlooks indicate higher grass growth this year and that areas north of Interstate 80 show elevated fire potential. “This year the outlook is showing everything north of I–80 is going to be in high fire potential with the grass growth and the crop that’s out there,” Matt said.

Commissioners thanked staff for station tours and for on-the-ground familiarization with funded projects. No formal action was taken on the training items; the fire season outlook was postponed for a later briefing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Elko County Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting May 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Fire district staff reported on pre-season training, a high school wildland program that produced seasonal hires, and a higher grass-fire potential north of Interstate 80; the meteorologist presentation was postponed to the end of the month.","taxTitle","Elko County , Nevada","taxId",69782,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6064168,"Fire commissioners approve purchase of three skid units funded by federal wildland grant",168,409345,577735,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68&start=409&end=577","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68/thumbnail_409345.jpg","/articles/6064168/Elko-County/Nevada/Fire-commissioners-approve-purchase-of-three-skid-units-funded-by-federal-wildland-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6064168-954d93a16e7e4ac0d49ef415b673cd9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437997&Signature=UFSbS~q2LpsQhfHHwJbPhpkvMQywMdws-C0-R22HCQx0FDl0KavEMM3ILUGtLqQ6dDYPevB1X4QCWKVR85X7aqhhebCZ5eKoxXuZaz~5b1fj4~CsLxB2wDPIyXYBmL7koTECQ5kuvmTWe-sHNO7gZvq7u3NJ0vAboS3TjgjXBGftdN9r~HIWkqwI~6dyHcPxAiHb2Ue~KZwJsy33tdpG4CWaTVYIQC9Rx3nLvdfYHMYz4Lwddi6hqUhiDXwWbjmQz7Omoik8NpBoQYLQEQYLyCX9J-aYjp6JRAnzshAK1I7HDH7Yjd11z6SajHniSq8wX-m0DLOH3YnAESVIY8qVYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Fire Commissioners approved the purchase and mounting of three wildland firefighting skid units funded through a federal Office of Wildland Fire grant.

Matt, Fire Chief, explained the district applied for and received the federal wildland fire grant and the purchase before the board is the final step to expend those funds. He said the skid units will be mounted on existing district vehicles. “We applied, approved and we received the grant. This is the final purchase for those. We’re using a purchase program and they’ll go on existing vehicles that we have,” Matt said.

Commissioners asked technical questions about capacity. A commissioner asked whether the 300-gallon and 500-gallon skids corresponded to particular vehicle classes; Matt replied that the 200- and 500-gallon units provide a type 3 capability while the 100-gallon units fit on 1-ton pickup-size trucks. A commissioner also asked whether the skids can draft water; Matt confirmed, “All of them you can draft with them, yes.”

The board noted the grant is zero-match; the district will reuse trucks already in its fleet rather than purchasing new chassis. A motion to approve the purchase and installation of the three skid units was moved, seconded and carried on an aye vote.

The purchase duplicates a grant item listed on the county commission agenda, but staff clarified this is a fire-district action and will be handled by the fire district.","The board approved the final purchase and installation of three firefighting skid units to be mounted on existing district vehicles, funded by an Office of Wildland Fire grant; commissioners confirmed the units can draft and that there is no local match requirement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6064172,"Elko County Fire Commissioners adopt 2025–26 operating budget with roughly 12% reserve",274,92980,367009,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68&start=92&end=367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3256801-661fd0a9d48cb2ee6cba017745619e68/thumbnail_92980.jpg","/articles/6064172/Elko-County/Nevada/Elko-County-Fire-Commissioners-adopt-202526-operating-budget-with-roughly-12-reserve","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6064172-b9f9d44cc44628558e4f99f2d1a098de/orig.mp4?Expires=1775437997&Signature=ckzbdkNFbJ5qpjuK2wzHaPfK2POgLOf48TbvLQC4f4~6cULESYFt75w5dEsaJIm4wDpuI7~j1wntdOUdA2cTvMLvEmLullhvNDOUcASKzsWEOPMj78tx7SYKRmnV0Z0RGmK2CgYEHJMUtbJMdGAu4Gug2VTCuQDF3zn8R10o8mtLRr8wWJZ9D9dK6WC0jyu~3MD0hH~Y-i3GhVL6TemSN3MrVriFZksgrd5i5gNpoDv-iWASPnVza9DxRWYXy1zO~vUbUlgMgcgjGgd0jGih6zTcV0VegEQespEgbc2~FWZotdUgneAylEVyY5BnrhZMv24wlsvAL7~U12BvikIZ4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Fire Commissioners approved the fire district’s fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget during a regular meeting, adopting $6.1 million in expenditures and an estimated $738,000 ending fund balance, about 12% of expenditures.

Susan, finance staff for the fire district, told the board the budget shows a beginning fund balance of $1.3 million, revenues of $5.5 million and expenditures of $6.1 million, leaving the $738,000 ending balance. She said the final budget differs from the tentative budget mainly because of a potential agreement with the city of Wells that, if adopted, would change both revenues and expenditures. “We are anticipating a beginning fund balance of 1,300,000, revenues of 5,500,000, expenditures of 6,100,000, leaving an ending fund balance of 738,000, which is about 12% of expenditures,” Susan said.

The board discussed the reserve level and policy. A commissioner asked whether the district was intentionally reducing fund balance year over year, noting the 2023–24 balance had been about $2.2 million. Susan explained the district typically does not budget for grants or net proceeds because those revenues are not guaranteed; when grants arrive, they inflate the fund balance but are recorded as automatic augmentations during the year. She said the county’s internal goal is to maintain an ending fund balance between 8% and 12% of general fund expenditures to ensure at least one month of operating reserves. “8.3 is about one month of operation so that’s where we try to keep right around between 8–12% for our ending fund balance, which would ensure at least a month of operations in a catastrophic event,” Susan said.

A motion to approve the 2025–26 budget as presented was moved and seconded and carried on an aye vote. The record did not list a roll-call tally by name in the transcript.

The finance staff also noted the fire district maintains a separate emergency fund funded to a $1,000,000 maximum; that fund is budgeted each year as available for spending in emergencies rather than being counted as an ending general fund balance. Susan said the budget does not assume grant revenues or net proceeds; if the district receives such funds during the year, they will increase the fund balance through mid-year augmentations.

Board members had no further comment and moved on to other agenda items.","The Board of Fire Commissioners approved a $6.1 million operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26 that leaves an estimated $738,000 ending fund balance (about 12% of expenditures); the final figures may change if an agreement with the city of Wells is adopted and if grant revenues materialize.","actionData","errors"]

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Elko County fire staff detail high school wildland training and seasonal hiring; fire season outlook tabled

Fire commissioners approve purchase of three skid units funded by federal wildland grant

Elko County Fire Commissioners adopt 2025–26 operating budget with roughly 12% reserve