Initial Attack Fire Training Held

The recent Grays Fire in Mesa gave residents quite a scare, but was quickly contained, thanks to the quick work not only of local fire crews, but also of many private residents and landowners who quickly jumped into action to put out the blaze. Capitalizing on the awareness raised by the fire, Council Valley Fire Department and partners decided to host an Initial Attack Fire Training for local equipment operators and interested members of the public. The training, which took place at the Council Fire Hall on Thursday, June 23, was well attended, and everyone there had a shared goal of helping their community.

The class was a crash course in initial attack for equipment operators. Council Valley Fire Chief Shawn Stanford along with Greg Vergari and Dave Vining led the training. Attendees learned about terminology, the Incident Command System, risk management, fire behavior, suppression tactics, and more. Local fire personnel said the conditions for fire this year were some of the worst they have ever seen.

It was a great evening for education and public outreach. Attendees were encouraged to join the Council Valley Fire Department, which is a volunteer department and holds training on the first and third Thursdays of every month. With more local volunteers and better community education and coordination, everyone hopes to be better prepared to respond to future fire incidents.