Chief's Monthly Report
West Valley Fire Department
Yakima County Fire District 12
For the Meeting September 8, 2026
Agenda Topic: Department Monthly Progress Report
Prepared By: Chief Nathan Craig
Date Prepared: September 2, 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: Department staffing 96 personnel, including 84 on-call members: 61 operations members, 10 support members, 9 recruits, 12 staff/board, one member on light duty, one-member medical leave and three members on leave. One Station 53 member was dropped for inactivity, two recruits were no shows, and one recruit determined this wasn’t for him and resigned.
- Duty Crew Firefighter Testing: We are currently accepting applications internally to establish an eligibility list for Duty Crew Firefighter.
Department Training and Safety Preparedby Cpt Nickolaus
August drill topics included tours of Valley Fire’s new dispatch facility, monthly equipment checks, budget requests, physical ability testing, rope-assisted search, forcible entry practice, aerial placement training, and ventilation training with the new electric saw.
September drill topics will consist of monthly equipment checks, gear inspections, patient extrication training at Poor Boys Auto Wrecking, multi company operations, an OTEP workshop, Denver Drill training, a knots and ropes overview, an SCBA air management challenge, and hose evolutions.
There are opportunities to participate in an Airlift Northwest trauma and burn seminar in September and multiple opportunities to participate in live fire training with neighboring agencies at our live fire facility. It will be the time of year for live fire training soon, so our members will be refreshed on the risks inherent to our facility and to the job at that time.
Recruitment / Retention Preparedby Cpt Nickolaus
Our Recruit Academy is going strong, and updated numbers for the academy are 18 firefighters from West Valley, 4 from Highland, 2 from Naches, and 1 from Gleed. We also have two new firefighters with prior experience assisting as instructors, and one West Valley Support Services member being trained alongside the fire recruits. All recruits have been issued gear; most have been issued pagers. We will have instructors from Highland, Naches, and Gleed supplying apparatus, operators, and assisting during our Saturday practical evolutions.
Dates have been set for our upcoming November 30th hiring with an anticipated start date of February 1st. We have already received 2 applications and have another 3 with potential members as of September 1st.
Operations Prepared by DC Johnston
In August there were a total of 91 alarms in the district, 27 were ambulance calls.
Incidents: YTD Incidents by Zone YTD Zone
Station 51 5 53 16 172 (23.7%)
Station 52 15 125 43 310 (42.7%)
Station 53 11 90 20 178 (24.5%)
Station 54 5 32 12 66 (9.1%)
Station 50 26 212 726
Yakima 2 5
Ambulance Only 22 176
Ambulance Lift 5 33
Total 726
Incident Type: Month Type YTD
Fire 14 3 bldg(3-M/AA), 8 Veg (4-M/AA), 3 MV 106
EMS 57 4 MVC, 5 AMA 472
Service Call 11 5 Lift, 4 AFA, 2 Service 100
No Emergency 9 9 outdoor burning 48
Action Taken: Month Type YTD
Canceled enroute 6 4 EMS, 1 M/AA, 1 AFA 62
Extinguishment 14 3 bldg(3-M/AA), 8 veg (4 M/AA), 3 veh 85
Provide BLS 48 412
Assist Invalid 5 59
Investigate 17 8 burn, 4 AMA, 3 AFA, 2 pwr 95
Other 1 Standby 9
Automatic Aid Received (both agencies respond) Automatic Aid Given
From Highland 0 To Highland 1
From Yakima 1 To Yakima 0
From Gleed 0 To Union Gap 1
From Union Gap 1 To BIA 0
YTD 14 YTD 42
Mutual Aid Received 1 Mutual Aid Given 4 (2 YFD, 1 Dist 6, 1 Dist 5)
YTD 4 YTD 17
One structure fire was caused by a vegetation fire with numerous secondary items, one car versus house, powerline (tree versus service entry), chicken coop fire that spread to a stock trailer, and two vehicle fires resulted in $711,000 losses. 7.5 acres of wildland burned.
August
51- 1/5- 20% 52- 6/13- 46% 53- 1/10 10% 54- 2/5 20%
August Total 10 out of 33- 30%
On-Going Total- 174 of 260- 67%
On-Duty Turnout Time: 80 seconds non fire, 100 second117 of 162- 63%
NFPA 1720Responses for rural areas (6 FFs on scene within 14 minutes, 80% of the time). Incidents: 0 mo., 9 yr, target met mo. 0 (0%), yr 7 (78%), target not met: mo. 0 (0%) yr. 2 (29%).
Logistics:
- Apparatus Updates:
- Tender 52: In service at Station 52, project complete.
- New Engines: Final inspection completed at the factory, our crew created a punch list for each engine, and the factory completed that work and shipped them out September 1st to Burbank where Hughes fire will finalize testing and preparation for delivery.
- Tender 53: New tank installed, they are finishing plumbing and wiring.
- Engine 253: Purchase agreement with YFD, transfer ownership this month.
- Pump Testing: Scheduled for September 10th.
- Surplus Expedition: Listed for sale with Brinlee Mountain.
· Facilities and Equipment Updates.
o Station 52 & 54 Generators: The Station 52 generator is complete and in service. The Station 54 generator is still delayed awaiting a few cabinets parts before shipping.
o Station 52 Asphalt: Scope of work sent to 7 contractors August 24th with quotes due September 11th.
o Projects in Progress: Carpet Administration-area, started and delayed for correct carpet. The Station 53 HVAC replacement has been awarded equipment ordered.
Grants:
· L&I FIIRES: Awarded 7 sets of bunker gear.
· Ecology: Awarded 5 EV fire blankets.
· NVFC PPE: Applied for 5 sets of wildland PPE.
Community Engagement and Events:
· WVHS Football Standby: Officers have agreed to staff apparatus for standby at the four varsity games.
· Association: The car wash and bake sale fundraiser is raised about $1200. The Family BBQ is scheduled for September 23rd. The Homespun Crafters Bazaar is scheduled for Nov. 14, 2026.
· Blood Drive: The next drive is scheduled for September 14.
· Officer Dinner Meeting: September 28th 18:00.
Respectfully,
Nathan Craig
Nathan Craig
Fire Chief