Photo courtesy of Taylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical DepartmentTaylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical Department recently conducted wildland fire training at the Town of Snowflake Municipal Golf Course. Every year fire crews burn the dried reeds around the waterways. Burning the reeds helps the golf course clear the area by removing the dead and dried vegetation and keeps the cattails from becoming overgrown. The exercise also provides a training opportunity in preparing for wildland firefighting.
Photo courtesy of Taylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical DepartmentTaylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical Department recently conducted wildland fire training at the Town of Snowflake Municipal Golf Course. Every year fire crews burn the dried reeds around the waterways. Burning the reeds helps the golf course clear the area by removing the dead and dried vegetation and keeps the cattails from becoming overgrown. The exercise also provides a training opportunity in preparing for wildland firefighting.

The Taylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical Department (TSFMD) recently conducted controlled burns at the Town of Snowflake Municipal Golf Course. This was a multi-agency effort that also included the Heber-Overgaard Fire District and the Vernon Fire District. This controlled burn served two purposes of helping the golf course clear the areas near the waterways to keep them from becoming overgrown and it helps firefighters with needed certifications.

The burn was planned and organized by TSFMD Captain Delton Woodside. Captain Woodside used the event to meet one of the final requirements needed to complete his Wildland Engine Boss certification. The benefit to having Captain Woodside certified will help both in firefighting ability but also by providing the means to bring additional funds to the department. Reserve Captain Bill Solomon is also an engine boss with TSFMD, however, his full time job is a fire science instructor with Northland Pioneer College and he has limited availability.

TSFMD has a Type 3 engine, Type 6 brush truck and two support tenders. Wildland fire assignments help create revenue for the department. In order to participate in those assignments TSFMD must have a certified Wildland Fire Engine Boss.

“Last year TSFMD missed out on several engine response opportunities because they did not have an engine boss available,” said TSFMD Chief William Nelson. In 2017, TSFMD responded to 10 wildland assignments in Arizona, California, and Oregon. Five of those assignments included providing an ambulance and crew for medical support.