Chief's Monthly Report

West Valley Fire Department

Yakima County Fire District 12

For the Meeting June 9^th, 2026

Agenda Topic:             Department Monthly Progress Report

Prepared By:              Chief Nathan Craig

Date Prepared:           June 4, 2026

The purpose of this report is to update the Board of Fire Commissioners, Officers Management Team, and fire personnel on recent department activities and progress on strategic objectives.

Personnel

• Current Staffing: Total personnel 88, with 77 on-call members (63 operations, 10 support, 1 light duty, and 3 on leave).  One Support Member was asked to resign due to inactivity.
• Promotion: Drew Butler was promoted last month to Lieutenant and assigned to Station 53.

Interlocal

• County Residential Burn Restrictions:Annually June 1-September 1.
• Designated Crisis Responder:Another meeting was held last month, Comprehensive is putting a proposal together to add more DCR’s to the program for BOCC consideration.

Department Training and Safety Preparedby DC Johnston

May Drills included: Equipment Check / Station Drill, OTEP Workshop B (Behavioral Emergencies), Team Building (cancelled due to Members being out late on a wildland incident) and Drafting

Developed the June Drill Schedule: Equipment Check / Station Drill, Strategic Planning, EVIP Road Course, Safety Stand Down, and EVIP Rodeo / Fit Test.

On May 9^th I worked as an Evaluator for an IFSAC Firefighter 1 skills testing at East Valley, two of our Members tested that day.

On May 13^th the Safety & Training Committee met for the 2^nd quarter meeting.

On May 16^th the Recruits finished their Wildland training with a joint field day with several of our partner agencies.

On May 27^th I attended a meeting at District 5 the focus was on Mental Health of First Responders and Dispatchers, in attendance were several Chief Officers from Fire and Law representing many jurisdictions. An alternative form of treatment is being offered free to all responders and dispatchers.  I am waiting for more information to come available at which time I will pass it on to our Members.

Recruitment / Retention: by DC Jim Johnston

The application period for the Fall Recruit Academy closed on May 29^th, we received a total of 16 applications - Station 51: Six Firefighters and One Cadet; Station 52: Two Firefighters; Station 53: Three Firefighters and One Cadet; and Station 54: Two Firefighters and One Cadet. There is a “Meet & Greet” scheduled for June 3^rd and Recruit Testing / Interviews on June 20^th.

Operations 

In May there were a total of 92 alarms in the district, 19 were ambulance calls.

Incidents:                                                 YTD                   Incidents by Zone       YTD Zone               

Station 51                   4                     28                                14                    100 (24%)

Station 52                   18                   70                                40                    174 (43%)

Station 53                   16                   41                                29                    94 (23%)

Station 54                   4                     20                                9                      40 (10%)

Station 50                   31                      128                                                       408

Yakima                        0                     1                                 

Ambulance Only         17                   101                             

Ambulance Lift           2                     19

Total                                                 408

Incident Type:                         Month            Type                                                                            YTD

            Fire                              16                    1 bldg(M/AA), 13 Veg (7M/AA), 1 veh, 1 dumpster          47

            EMS                             58                    5 MVC, 4 AMA                                                           290

            Service Call                   14                    4 Lift, 5 AFA, 1 burning, 1 CO, 3 electrical                         50

            No Emergency               4                      4 outdoor burning                                                       21

Action Taken:                    Month            Type                                                                            YTD

            Canceled enroute       9                      4 EMS, 2 AFA, 2 M/AA. 1 Burning                                35

            Extinguishment          14                    1 bldg(M/AA), 11 veg (5M/AA), 2 dump,1 vehicle            36

            Provide BLS                 50                                                                                                         258

            Assist Invalid               4                                                                                                           29

            Investigate                  14                    4 burn, 2 AMA, 1 CO, 3 AFA, 2 pwr, 1 mvc, 1 other      46

            Other                          1                      power line                                                                    4

Automatic Aid Received (both agencies respond)    Automatic Aid Given                                    

From Highland             0                                  To Highland                5

From Yakima               1                                  To Yakima                   0

From Gleed                 0                                  To Union Gap              0

From Union Gap         2                                  To BIA                         0

YTD                 6                                              YTD                 19       

Mutual Aid Received             0                                  Mutual Aid Given       0

            YTD                             0                                              YTD                 3         

A tractor and baler fire last month resulted in $90k lost.

On-Call Turnout Time: 360 seconds

May

51- 3/3- 100%             52 15/17 88%                          53 8/13- 62%              54 4/4- 100%

May Total 30 out of 37- 81%   On-Going Total- 105 of 146- 72%

On-Duty Turnout Time: 80 seconds non fire, 100 seconds fire response.

May  16 out of 28 – 57%                     On-Going Total- 82 of 117- 70%

NFPA 1720Responses for rural areas (6 FFs on scene within 14 minutes, 80% of the time). Incidents: 0 mo., 5 yr, target met mo. 0 (-%), yr 4 (80%), target not met: mo. 0 (-%) yr. 1 (20%).

During our most recent PROQA meeting we adjusted the response on several call types to ensure an ALS ambulance response for patient pain management.  AMR is working on including nitrous for pain management on BLS ambulances and plans to increase training for EMT’s to deliver intravenous pain medications.  Once BLS ambulances can manage pain several of these call types will be switched back to preserve ALS ambulances in service.

Fire Prevention/Public Education Prepared by Officer Boisselle

·       Two EMT’s did medical stand by both days at the Wiley City Rodeo on May 16^th & 17^th.

·       West Valley FFA held their annual Farm Days at the Station 51 on May 19^th & 20^th. We had an engine out and handed out materials and stickers.

·       We had one preschool class of 20 come to the station for a tour and presentation on May 26^th. We also involved AMR and YSO with “safety talks”.

·       On May 29^th we attended WV’s Play N Learn programs end of the year celebration with an engine and stickers.

Budget/Finance Prepared by Officer Boisselle

The 2025 State Auditor report was submitted on May 28^th. This is an agenda item for review.

Logistics Updates

• Apparatus Updates:
• Tender 52: General Fire has been in contact with me, they advise they are close to finishing the project.
• Engines: Both chassis have been painted and are on schedule for end of July completion.  Equipment to outfit the engines is on order.
• Tender 53: New tank currently being welded, truck is still in District.

·       In Progress: Landscaping, asphalt crack sealing, job scope for Station 52 parking lot, admin carpet, and St 53 HVAC replacement.

·       Station 52 & 54 Generators: Ready to go when contractor has permits and generators.

Grants:

·       AFG: Equipment, SAFER, and Prevention grants open until June 22^nd.

·       52 Parking lot: Approved in supplemental budget waiting for documents.  Scope of work ready to go out.

Community Engagement and Events

·        Strategic Planning: Community listening sessions June 3, 10, 24 and July 1.  Community surveys are open through July 5^th 20 responses thus far.

·        Chip it, Don’t Burn it: May 30^th was our second event filling 30 yards of debris and 20 yards of chipped material.  Events are planned for June 27^th, and July 18^th. 

·        Association: June 13^th annual flea market at Station 51.

·        WFC Conference: I attended and presented at the WA Fire Chiefs conference in Wenatchee last month.

Respectfully,

Nathan Craig

Fire Chief