Rockville council hears fire district report: call volume up, new station and critical-care training planned

Rockvilles council on Jan. 14 received an operational update from Hurricane Valley Spire Special Service District Chief Tyler Ames, who said the district recorded just over 6,300 responses last year, a roughly 7to 8% increase from 2024.

"We ended just a little over 6,300 calls, total for the whole district, which is about 7 to 8% call volume increase from last year," Ames told the council. He said about 70% of call volume across the district is emergency medical service work and that in the Rockville area roughly 70% of patients came from outside the district.

Ames described several operational priorities. The district is working through architectural design for a Sand Hollow station that would house administrative offices, with a hoped-for groundbreaking in April. He also said the district recently started training 10 people in a critical-care paramedic program to support interfacility transfers and higher-acuity transports.

Ames highlighted a statewide pilot on ambulances carrying whole blood being run by West Valley City Fire Department with the Utah Bureau of EMS. "They're doing a trial run with the Utah Bureau of EMS ... that's gonna end in February," he said, adding that the district hopes to begin carrying cold whole blood on its ambulances afterward to better respond to hemorrhagic shock and trauma.

Council members asked about timelines for new hospital and ER projects referenced by Ames; he said site plans are routed through local and state fire marshal offices and that some projects are still working through permitting.

The council did not take action; Ames said he would provide updates as the Sand Hollow design and training programs proceed.