South Ogden, Riverdale officials laud joint firefighting arrangement
The South Ogden Fire Department is seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Officials in South Ogden and Riverdale inked an agreement in 2019 to increase cooperative coverage efforts and they are happy with results thus far.
The South Ogden Fire Department is seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Officials in South Ogden and Riverdale inked an agreement in 2019 to increase cooperative coverage efforts and they are happy with results thus far.
The South Ogden Fire Department is seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Officials in South Ogden and Riverdale inked an agreement in 2019 to increase cooperative coverage efforts and they are happy with results thus far.
The Riverdale Fire Department is seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Officials in South Ogden and Riverdale inked an agreement in 2019 to increase cooperative coverage efforts and they are happy with results thus far.
The Riverdale Fire Department is seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Officials in South Ogden and Riverdale inked an agreement in 2019 to increase cooperative coverage efforts and they are happy with results thus far.
SOUTH OGDEN — Nine months after inking an accord to join forces in fire protection, officials in South Ogden and Riverdale say the deal is working out as hoped.
“The system works. It works well,” South Ogden Fire Chief Cameron West told South Ogden leaders recently.
Ambulances are more strategically placed between the two cities, allowing for improved coverage. What’s more, staffing of fire trucks has increased due to more efficient distribution of personnel between the two departments. “In order to put a fire out, we need a lot of people. It’s just labor intensive. There’s a lot that needs to be done and it’s got to be done quick,” West said.
The increased staffing per fire truck allows crews to potentially get started more quickly on fighting fires, and that made the difference during a recent South Ogden structure fire. “If we didn’t have five people … on that engine, we probably would’ve lost that house,” West said, because the team would’ve been required to wait for backup, per safety protocols.
The improved use of ambulances, with one principle ambulance serving the two cities and two others in reserve, has minimized reliance on help from the Roy and Ogden fire departments, said Riverdale Fire Chief Jared Sholly. That allows the Roy and Ogden crews to stick closer to their cities. It’s also allowed the two reserve ambulances in South Ogden and Riverdale to handle 90 calls between them that otherwise would have been handled by outside agencies, capturing an estimated $23,300 in revenue for the two cities.
“Basically we are doing exactly what we thought we would do,” Sholly said. Other aspects of the arrangement include joint training and the ability to have two chief officers on hand at major events instead of just one, aiding in management.
The city councils in the two cities approved an interlocal agreement last year spelling out terms for increased cooperation between the cities’ two fire departments. It went in effect last August for a year-long trial period, and now, satisfied with the results so far, leaders from the two cities are working on a contract to continue the arrangement. Nine fire departments currently operate across Weber County, and with periodic debate here about consolidation to improve coverage and speed response times, the move by Riverdale and South Ogden officials is a baby step in that direction.
Earlier talks between officials in South Ogden, Riverdale and Washington Terrace, which bump up against each other in southern Weber County, had contemplated creation of a brand-new fire district serving the three cities. It would have been akin to the North View Fire District, which serves North Ogden, Pleasant View and Harrisville, or the Weber Fire District, serving Farr West, Hooper, Huntsville, Marriott-Slaterville, West Haven and unincorporated Weber County.
Washington Terrace ultimately backed out of the talks, though. Riverdale and South Ogden, meantime, eventually settled on the scaled-back interlocal agreement, increasing cooperation but keeping their two respective fire departments intact.
Given the preliminary results of the accord between South Ogden and Riverdale, though, South Ogden Mayor Russell Porter holds out hope that Washington Terrace officials will join in.
“We really thought it’d be good. But it’s been even better than we had hoped,” Porter said, also noting a boost in firefighter morale given the beefed up coverage that’s possible. “Eventually, we would love to have Washington Terrace join us. Maybe over time they’ll be able to.”
Though both Sholly and West say they are better able to provide services, the financial impact of the arrangement at this point isn’t crystal clear. But future changes being contemplated, like making bulk purchases for the two departments and merging billing and administrative functions, could trim costs.
