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United Fire Authority reports stable call volumes, describes California EMAC deployment
Summary
Unified Fire Authority Captain Rich told the Taylorsville City Council on Feb. 5 that call volumes remain stable, summarized recruitment and training activity, and described the agency's recent EMAC deployment to California wildfires where crews conducted hotspot mitigation and recovery work.
At the Feb. 5 Taylorsville City Council meeting, Captain Rich of the Unified Fire Authority reported that call volumes across the city remained stable for the quarter ending Dec. 31 and summarized staffing and mutual-aid activity, including a recent Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) deployment to California.
Captain Rich said the department's four-year call-volume comparison shows no unusual spikes and that units assigned to Taylorsville generally match expected workload patterns: Station 117 averaged roughly 600 calls, the campus-area station about 400, and the Kearns-area station lower call volumes. He added that slight ambulance variations on the report often reflect vehicle location and temporary repositioning.
On staffing, Rich reported that 15 probationary firefighters graduated Jan. 16 and began street duty; five of those are completing EMT school. A larger training class that began Feb. 3 includes 36 recruits open to regionwide applicants. The department is also moving CPR classes around the region to increase access.
Describing the EMAC deployment to California, Rich said 65 personnel responded overall, with eight from the Unified Fire organization. UFA provided the agency representative for the state's overhead team and sent a task-force leader, 15 engines (including one Type 3 wildland/structure-combination engine), four support trucks and one mechanic. Crews performed hotspot mitigation, assisted returning homeowners by searching burned structures for valuables and supported recovery operations.
Council members praised the crews for the work and for public information efforts documenting the deployment. Rich noted that one goal of sending a mechanic and a public-information officer with deployments is to keep teams operational and to document recovery work for families and the public.
Rich closed with winter-safety recommendations: check that space heaters are used safely and kept away from combustibles; run generators outdoors; and test smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors monthly. He said detectors generally have a life of about 10 years (older CO detectors were noted as having shorter useful lives), recommended using the same brand across a home so alarm tones match, and advised homeowners to check dates on detector housings.
No formal council action followed the report; the council thanked Captain Rich and staff for the presentation.
