Tusayan’s Fire Department Seeks Volunteers
March 7, 2017
The Tusayan Fire Department is looking for a few good men and women. Specifically, the department is seeking volunteers. Currently, there are only six. Chief Greg Brush is hoping to recruit some volunteers with experience or a willingness to be trained.
Call volume in 2016 increased by 14% according the Chief Brush. He attributes some of that increase to an increase in visitation at the Grand Canyon National Park.
Right now the Department has eight full time employees. Combined with volunteers he is able to have three people on per shift, with the exception of Sunday nights. In 2015, the norm was two per shift.
The majority of calls were medical. There were 209 out of 319 total calls for 2016. 39 calls were for motor vehicle accidents, 19 for assault, seven for fires, 10 wildland calls, and 20 calls concerning fire alarms or sprinklers.
Brush credits the Tusayan Town Council for his ability to keep up with the volume. He said, “Payroll support from Tusayan makes everything we do possible.”
Brush also credited grants such as those from the Rotary Club and the National Parks Service.