Rural fire departments are typically the first at the scene whenever there is a wildfire. Some don’t always have the tools they’d like to fight such fires.
In Tooele County — specifically, the Terra Fire Department — that is about to change.
As a result of applying and being approved to the federal Bureau of Land Management’s Rural Fire Readiness Program, Tooele County received a Type 6 wildland fire engine, the type of fire truck that can hold and emit more water, allowing firefighters to battle brush fires and wildfires with a strength needed to prevent it from spreading.
“We do get a lot of wildfires out here,” said Dan Walton, the Tooele County fire warden. “With wildfires, it’s all about a quick response. That’s the major step toward the prevention of it spreading. With this truck, a fire department can fight a fire more successfully.”
Last year, there were 180 different brush fires in Tooele County, according to Walton. The key is to keep these fires under 10 acres, Walton said, so they are easier to contain and eventually extinguish.
The Type 6 truck is better equipped to assist in this process, as it can hold up to 400 gallons of water. As a result of its smaller physical size, they typically have an easier time getting closer to a wildfire, allowing the water to be more effective, according to information about the truck from Ford Motor Company, its manufacturer.
The Rural Fire Readiness Program provides fire departments with more than trucks, although these vehicles were deemed more necessary by Walton when he applied for the program. Radios, pumps, protective equipment, chainsaws, firefighter training, and more are available for applicants, depending on the criteria that departments must meet to receive them.
These items, including the firetrucks, are free to the fire departments. The 2011 truck the Terra Fire Department will receive has been transferred from Richfield and has accumulated 90,000 miles. Walton is not concerned about the mileage or its status as a used vehicle, however.
“We won’t put nearly as many miles on it as they did in Richfield,” he said. “For Richfield, this truck was at the end of life for them, but not for us. This will work great for us.”
Michael Gates, the BLM West Desert district manager, spoke at a small gathering on Monday about the importance of smaller communities having these resources so they can protect communities and “strengthen regional response.”
While smaller rural communities may be the first to arrive on the scene during a fire, fire departments from other communities may soon follow to provide assistance. With comparable equipment, these groups can work together more effectively to fight a fire, said firefighters from throughout Tooele County.
The Rural Fire Readiness program administrators hope this is the case for all communities. The purpose of the program is to provide firefighters, including those from volunteer departments, with the necessary resources to prevent wildfires from spreading. Given the heat, the winds and the dry environment, firefighters in Tooele County are finding this work more common than ever.
“This drought isn’t playing any games,” Walton said. “Last year, we had 10 fires more than 10 acres. It doesn’t take long for that to spread out of control. So, we’re grateful for this truck.”