The newly organized Sanpete Fire District has adopted a 1992 budget that proposes spending $322,000 mainly for additional fire control facilities and a sophisticated 911 program.
An estimated $100,000 would be spent on enhanced 911 equipment that will provide improved emergency communication service to county residents. Ephraim and Mt. Pleasant presently do not have direct 911 dialing at their exchanges and other locations will have the 911 service upgraded.The district also plans to spend $60,000 on fire stations at Wales and Sterling and $120,000 on new pumper trucks for Manti and Fountain Green.
The district expects to receive the money from the Community Development Block Grant, the Community Impact Board, Sanpete County and a number of cities.
And looking beyond 1992, the Sanpete Fire District plans to spend $90,000 as the down payment for a ladder truck for the Ephraim Fire department and conclude that purchase with a final payment of $130,000 in 1993.
The ladder truck is considered a high priority item as a way of providing better fire protection for Snow College buildings and student housing throughout the city.
The Sanpete Fire District has been organized to make efficient use of available funds, take the needs of the entire county into consideration in the allocation of funds by a priority listing, and organize a cooperative fire training program.
Its nine member governing committee included County Commissioner Leonard Blackham, four city fire chiefs and four mayors or city council members.
In the past, Commissioner Blackham said, Sanpete County towns have competed with each other for the available funds. The new program is expected to provide for cooperation rather than competition, enhance fire training activities and upgrade fire protection facilities.