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Chief reports equipment upgrades, CAD challenges, wildfire responses and volunteer contributions
Summary
Fire Chief Rick Edwards updated the board on new PPE‑washroom installation, Station 37 apparatus bay nearing completion, Hexagon CAD implementation challenges, green‑waste recycling dates, and recent fires including the Peabine (119 acres) and Rancho (1,482 acres) incidents; no injuries reported on those fires.
Fire Chief Rick Edwards told the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District board on Oct. 7, 2025 that staff continue several operational projects and have responded to multiple wildland incidents over the last month.
Key operational updates: Edwards said a new PPE safety‑washroom at headquarters is complete and will let trained staff clean contaminated turnout gear to reduce carcinogen exposure. Station 37’s apparatus‑bay renovation is nearing completion and a ribbon cutting is planned for early November. New apparatus arriving include a Type 3 brush engine (being outfitted) and two smaller Type 5 brush engines expected in mid‑November.
Dispatch/CAD: Edwards reported ongoing challenges with the new Hexagon computer‑aided dispatch (CAD) system. Development has required weekly meetings with Hexagon executives and software developers; progress is slow with “some small wins,” he said.
Wildland and response statistics: August data showed 2,727 responses to 1,935 incidents (reporting corrected July data). Notable fires were the Peabine Fire (119 acres) and the Rancho Fire (1,482 acres). Edwards said no homes were lost and there were no injuries on those incidents; the chief thanked Red Rock volunteers for assistance at the Rancho Fire. The district also responded to two structure fires during the month; seven people were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross.
Turnout cleaning: Division Chief Jay Swiak described the new cleaning workflow: firefighters typically have two sets of turnout gear, bag contaminated gear, and battalion chiefs transport it to headquarters. Turnout cleaning and inspection follow NFPA 1850 procedures; turnaround can be as short as same day or about 24 hours depending on volume.
Community outreach: Edwards promoted green‑waste to recycling days starting Oct. 11–12 at the East Lake facility in Washoe Valley (9 a.m.–4 p.m.) and said additional dates are posted on tmfpd.us. Commissioner Mike Clark said Waste Management will accept six extra bags for the full month of November at no charge to help residents create defensible space.
Ending: The chief asked residents not to let their guard down despite reduced seasonal risk and emphasized continued home hardening and vegetation management.
