Unified Fire Authority representatives briefed the council on staffing, training and public‑safety topics on May 7 and urged drivers to avoid distraction after statewide enforcement revealed high contact numbers.

UFA officials said they are completing recruit school and will add roughly 33 new firefighters as graduates enter service; staffing increases will support opening or staffing new stations in Eagle Mountain and Kearns. UFA also reported promotions and leadership changes in administration and fire prevention: a new assistant chief for administration and planning and a new fire marshal were named.

UFA’s wildland team is preparing to be designated a hotshot team after additional evaluations; the status would enable more complex incident assignments and training opportunities. Officials said the change will increase the organization’s capability and the experience of firefighters assigned to wildland responses.

Public safety note: Council members were told a recent statewide distracted‑driving enforcement initiative resulted in about 650 contacts during a single enforcement period; UFA and law enforcement partners emphasized that distracted driving causes roughly 3,000 fatalities nationwide annually and that 20% of those fatalities are pedestrians or road users not in vehicles. UFA asked residents to be mindful of distraction and noted that education and enforcement can reduce incident counts.

Why it matters: Staffing and training changes affect emergency response capacity and community risk reduction; distracted‑driving trends have direct implications for traffic safety, first‑responder workloads and community outreach priorities.