“The police are trying to change their culture, with the merger in the fire department, we’re trying to develop one,” said Assistant Fire Chief Willie Nelson of the Taylor-Snowflake Fire and Medical Department (TSFMD) in a year-end report to the Snowflake Town Council.
With two weeks left in December, TSFMD had had 288 fire calls in 2016 that included grass fires, auto lockouts, fires and accidents, chimney fires, garbage fires, and structure alarms and fires.
“There have been 989 EMS (emergency medical services) calls to date as well,” said Chief Clint Burden.
The newly organized TSFMD began with four fulltime employees, so scheduling was difficult and continuity was a challenge, Nelson explained.
“In the past year we’ve been able to put three staff captains in place,” said the assistant chief, noting that this gives them A, B and C shifts. They have also hired three fulltime firefighters at Station 2 in Snowflake.
“One goal (of the combined department) was to decrease response time,” Nelson said. By having 24-hour staff in Snowflake, they have been able to accomplish that.
Nelson noted that there have been some arson fires in the community recently, and one of those fires was started at a home in Highland Park. He said that when they got the call early in the morning, the home was fully involved and the neighbor’s home was getting ready to ignite. “In another 5 to 10 minutes it surely would have cost the neighbors their home as well,” he said, but with the 24-hour coverage, they were able to get a hose on the neighboring house and saved it.
One of the requirements for a firefighter to go on fire calls is passing a pack test twice a year, which is a three-mile, fast paced walk with a 45-lb. pack. He explained that the number one killer of firefighters is heart attack because of the very rigorous and tedious work.
Nelson said that TSFMD has joined with Timber Mesa Fire and Medical and Pinetop to take advantage of their full-time training officers. The training is shared with TSFMD, Heber and White Mountain Lakes.
“Timber Mesa Fire & Medical has graciously allowed us to piggyback on their program, along with the Heber-Overgaard and Pinetop fire departments. It’s really not an agreement, but an online program with classroom training and hands-on fire or EMS themes for each month with accountability, said Chief Burden. The chiefs/captains sign off on each skill for all firefighters that complete the training for the month.
This adds consistency throughout the region, and TSFMD is able to operate more safely as it meshes with those units, Nelson explained.
TSFMD works with other departments on an arson task force and shares information in that capacity, according to Nelson.
TSFMD was called out on nine wildland fires in 2016, which brings money into the department. With that money they were able to purchase air packs. Nelson explained that previously they had air packs from two different companies, including two styles from one company, making it confusing for the firefighters. Now all of the department’s air packs are the same.
Wildland fire money was also used to repair the pumper, the support truck, purchase a new command truck that is coming from Calif, and order new turnouts (fire suits). A turnout’s life span is 10 years, and what they had were 10 to 20 years old.
During Fire Prevention Week TSFMD personnel visited eight schools in the community and made more than 20 presentations to students. They also hosted an open house at Station 2, which offered kids an opportunity to do many of the things that firefighters do.
“If you include staff personnel, we’re less than a half firefighter for 1,000 (residents),” Nelson said, referring to a recent study by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns that recommended the minimum firefighter staffing level per 1,000 people.
“Moving forward we’d like to add more personnel to improve the safety,” he said, adding that they would like to finish the second story of Station 2 because people are now sleeping in what should be offices.
“With that, we appreciate all the support we get from you, and we’ll work to continue to build the department,” said Assistant Chief Nelson.
“I appreciate what you’ve done,” said Vice Mayor Kerry Ballard, noting that he had been on the committee to combine fire departments. “One of the main things we wanted to have happen was 24-hour service in Snowflake, and that’s what you’re doing.”
When asked by Mayor Lynn Johnson what the ratio was between firefighters from Snowflake and Taylor, Nelson responded, “I don’t have a number of where they’re from. We encourage people to come out and keep them involved. We really don’t have any boundaries in the fire department that I’m aware of, we’re all one big family.”
