Utah Town Gets First New Fire Truck

A small town in Tooele County, Utah, just got an upgrade to its fire department.

For decades, Terra, a town near Salt Lake City with around 30 families residing, only got pre-owned fire trucks. But now, it just received its first new fire truck — a converted Brush 81.

According to Fire Warden Dan Walton in a KSL story, he helped get the truck under the new Utah Cooperative Wildfire System. The new fire policy became effective on January 1, 2017.

The System outlines, “the state will pay the costs of large and extended attack wildland fire (catastrophic fires) in exchange for local government providing initial attack and implementing prevention, preparedness and mitigation actions that are proven to reduce the risk and costs of wildland fire in the long run.”

According to Tooele Wildfire, wildfires are common occurrences throughout the mountainous desert landscape. Terra’s fire department plays an active role in helping control and put out wildfires throughout Toole County.

Because of this, Terra’s fire department was able to get a grant for almost $100,000 from Toole County, according to Walton. He said the grant went toward the new truck, firefighting equipment, and medical gear.

With the new fire truck, Terra’s fire department can continue helping put out fires in the overall area in Tooele County.