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After recent house fire, council discusses on-call EMTs, a paid fire chief and exploring grants
Summary
Following a recent house fire affecting a council member, Emery officials discussed possible options to ensure an incident commander is available in town, including hiring on-call or full-time staff and pursuing grants to support staffing.
Emery Town council members discussed emergency-response staffing and the potential to employ a paid fire chief or an on-call firefighter after a house fire affecting a council member highlighted gaps in local incident-command coverage.
Speakers said that on the day of the fire no single on-site incident commander (IC) was available in town because local responders were dispersed, and that while the outcome in this case would not have changed, an IC could make a difference in incidents involving people. Council members discussed options ranging from an on-call IC to a full-time chief. They noted that having a dedicated chief could make the town eligible for additional grants and funding opportunities.
A council member said the town is considering staffing options to keep an IC available most of the time and discussed exploring grants that can support a paid chief or other staffing models. The council also said the case highlighted broader volunteer and training issues for local EMS and fire services and that the town should review staffing and certification availability.
The speaker who experienced the house fire described personal losses and urged the council to consider solutions to better protect residents, including exploring different staffing and funding models. Council members asked staff to research grant opportunities and staffing models and to report back on feasibility and costs.
