March 5, 2024 |
Photo – Fire District logo – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Carbon County Fire Protection District is moving closer to responding to emergencies.
In November of 2022, Carbon County voters chose to establish a county-wide fire protection district. The goal of the fire protection district is to consolidate county and municipal owned equipment to better respond to emergencies in unincorporated areas of the county.
Since 2022, County Fire Warden John Rutherford has been working with municipalities to secure mutual aid agreements. Having the agreements in place sets up how towns will assist the fire protection district in the event of an out-of-town emergency.
Fire Warden Rutherford and other members of the fire protection district have been visiting with town officials to discuss the terms of the proposed mutual aid agreements.
As reported by Bigfoot99, Carbon County Fire Protection District Board Vice President Jim Piche met with the Elk Mountain town council on January 24th. Piche explained to Mayor Morgan Irene and the other council members how, in the event of an emergency, the fire district will have the power to call municipal fire fighters and equipment to anywhere in the county. However, Piche said towns may refuse if they don’t have the manpower to cover their own territory.
By the end of the meeting, the Elk Mountain town council expressed its approval for the fire protection district’s agreement.
On February 20th, Fire Warden Rutherford told the Carbon County Commissioners that the fire protection district is close to having a finalized mutual aid agreement for all the municipalities in the service area. The fire warden also said the Sinclair Oil Refinery was interested in joining the fire protect district. In the past, the refinery has refused to join any official county fire fighting agreement, said Rutherford.
Fire Warden Rutherford said attorneys for the refinery are reviewing the agreement. Rutherford said the fact that the refinery has expressed interest is a good sign they may join the fire protection district.
Once all the municipalities sign the agreement, Rutherford said the Carbon County Fire Protection District should begin responding to out-of-town emergencies this summer.
