County fire chiefs set temporary $100,000 distribution plan and prepare for state-funded live-burn training

County official Mr. Black told the Jefferson County commissioners on April 16 that county fire chiefs and engineers held an inaugural meeting and agreed to allocate $100,000 for county fire departments, with the group planning to allow flexible disbursements (examples discussed: awarding a single company $100,000 or dividing sums such as $50,000 and $25,000 subject to the internal board vote).

Mr. Black said the group has not yet adopted formal rules for handling the funds and the allocation method used at the meeting is temporary until a rules list is established. He described typical equipment needs for departments, noted rising costs for radios and specialized headset/battery systems, and said the chiefs are weighing priorities such as radios, chargers and vehicle safety inserts.

The official also reported the state is providing about $30,000 for firefighter training in the county — the first time the state has funded such training locally, he said — and that the exercise will include a live burn at an old vacant house after asbestos and regulatory checks. He said training will comply with NFPA 403 and will require multiple tankers, backup pumps, EMS presence and site safety measures; local fire instructors will lead much of the instruction.

Why it matters: The county’s approach moves limited funding into local control while training funds from the state may expand hands‑on readiness. Commissioners and staff indicated they will formalize distribution rules and coordinate logistics for the live burn.

What comes next: The chiefs plan to adopt rules for fund distribution and schedule additional training sessions; county staff will oversee the compliance steps for the live burn site.