Fire officials urge prevention, roll out low-acuity unit trial and battery-safety outreach

At the Oct. 23 work session, Holladay's fire representatives briefed the council on two operational priorities: public education on lithium-ion battery risks and a pilot low-acuity response unit.

Captain Bradford presented quarterly data showing rising call volumes and described a new community risk-reduction program focused on prevention and education. Staff warned about recent lithium-ion battery fires nationwide and locally, linking many incidents to non-OEM/knockoff replacement batteries and misused e-bikes, scooters and power tools. The department plans to publish a condensed educational handout and web link for residents and to work through liaisons to spread information.

The session also covered a pilot "Lower Acuity Unit 101," based in Mill Creek with an approximately 11-minute dispatch radius covering most of Holladay. The unit, staffed with two EMTs and operating Monday'Thursday, 9 a.m.'7 p.m., responds to low-acuity medical calls so heavy apparatus can remain available for serious incidents. Staff reported ~25 responses to Holladay in the early weeks of the pilot and said the trial is planned for a year; they set a target of 500 deployments to assess success and consider budgetary changes for the next cycle.

Council members asked about dispatch protocols, paramedic staffing and responder safety; staff said all ambulances now carry a paramedic, and low-acuity runs still connect to ALS resources if needed. The presenters emphasized prevention as the highest return on investment and proposed targeted quarterly community topics, with CPR and other training to be prioritized.