Volunteer firefighters vow to walk unless Utah city beefs up department - East Idaho News
Utah

Volunteer firefighters vow to walk unless Utah city beefs up department

  Published at

SOUTH WEBER, Utah (KUTV) — Frustration for volunteer firefighters in South Weber may be near a flash point.

Firefighters have given the city an ultimatum — either strengthen the fire department, or they will walk off their jobs.

“That’s what we want, is a guarantee for the city that it’s going to support us from here on out,” said Captain Derek Tolman. “We need the support of the city for the fire department.”

Tolman said with the recent dismissals of two fire department leaders — the chief and the deputy chief — only nine volunteer firefighters remain, and three of them are in training.

“It’s not nearly enough. It’s less than half of what we’d like to have,” he said.

Tolman said the city could pay firefighters to be on call 24/7, or hire a couple of firefighters part-time, and add to volunteer ranks.

“As of right now, they are severely understaffed,” said City Manager Tom Smith, but he maintained it’s not always been that way.

Smith said he supports the idea of part-time firefighters, but also said the city wants to keep its volunteer force.

“We do have a plan to improve the department and keep it intact,” Smith said.

He called the decision to dismiss two leaders of the department, “very difficult.”

The deputy chief, Frank Patrick, was reportedly terminated for filing questionable reports to pay some firefighters, concerns the ousted chief, Tom Graydon, brought to city leaders.

Tolman said, should fire break out now, there’s no guarantee any South Weber firefighters will be in town. If his own house were on fire, he said he would worry.

“Is anybody from South Weber going to come?”

The city manager said mutual aid agreements with nearby communities would assure a response, and insisted the city is safe.
Firefighters have given the city until the end of the year to set what they view as an acceptable course to make improvements, or they’ll walk.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION