Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Fire topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Duchesne County fire officials report minimal apparatus damage after California deployment, outline foam purchases and tender plans
Summary
County fire personnel returned from an extended California deployment with minimal apparatus damage; officials described purchases of foam, a $14,000 donation, planned training and a review of pricing for new tenders (350k–955k).
Duchesne County fire officials reported Feb. 3 that county personnel who deployed to California for mutual-aid missions returned healthy and with minimal apparatus damage, and outlined steps to improve foam capability, training and wildland tender capacity.
Fire personnel said four county members and apparatus were deployed on extended missions; staff reported only minor damage to a heavy fire truck. The county purchased 500 gallons of foam and received a $14,000 donation from an oil-field contractor (identified in the meeting as a private-sector donor) to restock foam supplies used in recent wildfire response. Staff said the county has placed foam into a regional Emergency Logistics Cache (ELC) and will maintain a 500-gallon buffer, buying additional pallets when thresholds drop.
Why it matters: Foam and tender capability affect the county’s wildland firefighting and initial-attack capacity. Officials said having foam adapters, standard stingers and spare equipment will reduce response time and the need to pause operations to refill.
Details and next steps: The department is exploring new tender purchases to improve off-road and wildland response. Staff provided an estimated price range for tenders of roughly $350,000 to $955,500 depending on configuration. They described interest in a 200-gallon “foam-capable” tender built on a chassis that also carries a larger water supply (roughly 3,000 gallons), which would allow immediate foam application plus a water supply for extended operations.
Training and logistics: Fire staff reported training with foam equipment will be scheduled in April and May; the county plans hands-on drills involving Duchesne and neighboring agencies to calibrate foam settings and operational procedures. County staff also flagged a need for spare adapters and stingers to replace older or damaged units used during the recent incident.
No formal commission action was recorded on these items during the Feb. 3 session; the discussion was an informational update and planning briefing.
