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Officials back adding a training/wildland-coordination position as wildfire risk rises
Summary
County staff proposed a division chief for training and wildland fire (1.0 FTE), budgeted at about $196,925 in salary/benefits plus one-time equipment; commissioners emphasized the position's role in retention, training quality and interagency wildland coordination and moved to track it in the FY27 budget.
County staff presented a proposal for a combined training and wildland-coordination position aimed at improving firefighter training, retention and interagency wildfire response. Jody Pond described the recurring cost for the division chief position as roughly $196,925 (salary and benefits) plus a one-time vehicle and computer; staff estimated net revenue offsets from deployments and training partners but said the county recommends the position while the town had not recommended it.
Deputy Fire Chief Brian Coe, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, told the joint boards that the position would dedicate about 75% of its time to training and roughly 25% to wildland coordination, but that the balance would shift as the fire season intensifies. "This position is something that we've asked for... the training position basically is to make sure that we have 115 individuals who have very specific training needs," Coe said, adding that early green-up and recent brush fires have increased complexity and urgency around wildland readiness.
Several commissioners stressed safety and retention concerns as reasons to fund the position. Commissioner Gardner called it “one of the most important positions…in the next decade,” emphasizing training's role in public safety and personnel retention. Boards used a straw poll to indicate support for tracking the position in the FY27 budget; county commissioners signaled joint support and the town said it would consider funding and alignment with its operational revenue philosophy.
What’s next: staff will track the position in the proposed FY27 budget and return with funding details and options for joint cost-sharing; no final binding appropriation was voted at the joint meeting.
