The new chief of the North Summit Fire District laid out his vision for the future of the department on Thursday but admitted that it may take some time to rebuild its ranks. Until then, the Park City Fire District will continue providing fire services in North Summit.
Ben Nielson, who was appointed as the chief on March 17, discussed his goals with the Administrative Control Board and said he’s already started meeting with firefighters who may be interested in rejoining the North Summit Fire District.
Early last month, county officials accused firefighters of “boycotting” shifts and dismissed the entire volunteer squad from duty. The department maintained a roster of around 30 people, though eight of them kept their credentials up-to-date and pulled the bulk of the shifts.
But Nielson says the North Summit Fire District needs more firefighters than that.
To properly cover its share of the county, the North Summit Fire District may need at least 40 firefighters. Nielsen said he knows of roughly four volunteers who want to return to work, but it’s unlikely that all of the former firefighters will be willing to come back.
“It’s not as bad as I thought, it’s not World War III,” Nielson said. “We all need to have an open-minded attitude.”
In the future, the district may need additional personnel depending on the staffing model that’s chosen moving forward. The Administrative Control Board previously discussed if it would continue with volunteers or a system in which firefighters are paid a stipend for when they’re on call and then an hourly wage if they are dispatched. They could also switch to a part-time framework, or a hybrid model combining the two methods.
The number of firefighters needed also depends on how many stations the North Summit Fire District will staff. Nielson said he had a few ideas but told the board they’d discuss them at a later date.
Nielson believes the department will be able to find minimal staffing quickly but that it’s almost certain the county will need to consider other recruitment methods. Members of the Administrative Control Board agreed that the Fire District needs to focus on short-term progress as it moves toward bigger decisions in the future.
The board decided that until the department can secure volunteers, the Park City Fire District will maintain control in North Summit. They voted to temporarily extend the interlocal agreement currently in place for at least the next two weeks, with the possibility of continuing it for another 30 days. Nielson said that Chief Bob Zanetti told him that’s as long as his department could support services in North Summit as their busy season is approaching.
Roger Armstrong, a member of Summit County Council and one of the latest appointments to the board, agreed that the North Summit Fire District be fully staffed before it resumes control of services. He welcomed it as an opportunity for the county to recraft the entire department.
“Volunteers that have worked for the fire department have a dedication for working for this fire department — I believe that’s true,” he said. “For whatever reason, that wobbled at some point, and I can come up with probably 12 different factors that contributed, but we have an opportunity now.”
Armstrong continued that county officials have a duty to ensure the well-being of people living in the community and providing adequate fire and emergency medical services is a critical part of that. He said they should consider this the starting point of the North Summit Fire District, and take a moment to look at the entire department’s structure as they plan for the future with development on the East Side’s horizon.
Chris Robinson, Summit County Council chair and another recent appointment to the panel, wanted a formal approach to be taken. He said firefighters, new and returning, should fill out an application to join the district so that the process is fair to all.
Although some board members feared this would create animosity among returning volunteers, others felt it would help reset the culture of the group and provide firefighters the chance to discuss their needs and limitations. Nielson said he also wants to ask volunteers where they want to see the North Summit Fire District in three to six months and what would encourage them to participate more.
The Administrative Control Board also discussed the possibility of creating a subcommittee to develop policies, procedures and the strategic plan for the district. The group said they also need to discuss how it will pay for costly, aging equipment like self-contained breathing apparatus and the firefighters’ helmets, coats, pants, boots and gloves — known as turnouts.