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Draper Fire chief outlines fuels crew mitigation across about 2,500 acres and the heavy gear crews carry
Summary
Cody Jolley, battalion chief for Draper Fire, described the city's seasonal fuels crew mitigation across roughly 2,500 acres of open space next to homes, the tools they use, and the physical demands of carrying saws and safety equipment.
Cody Jolley, battalion chief for Draper Fire, said the city has "about 2,500 acres of open space that's intermingled with homes," and described how a seasonal fuels crew works to reduce wildfire risk by cutting back overgrown vegetation.
Jolley said the city hires a seasonal crew each year to perform mitigation work across Draper. "So the way, fuels crew will mitigate is they'll go in with saws and in areas where it's become overgrown and needs to be managed," he said, describing crews removing "some of the fuel" to make areas a lower fire threat.
He described typical crew patterns and gear: crews often work in pairs when "working up on the mountain," and "one of them will carry a saw, which can weigh anywhere between 25 to 45 pounds." He added that crews also carry a line pack and a fire shelter, and that "average is about an extra 45 to 60 pounds" of additional gear.
Jolley emphasized the physical demands of the work and the need for fitness: "All firefighters are supposed to be in top shape. We gotta be able to hike quickly up the hill...when we're out mitigating, we wanna be able to be effective and not get too tired." He said crews maintain readiness through running, hiking with weight and strength training.
Jolley did not specify a mitigation schedule or funding details in these remarks. No formal actions, votes or policy changes were recorded in this segment; his comments were a description of current operations and personnel practices.
