Two local firefighters’ unions today assured northern Nevada that they’re well-staffed and able to respond to emergencies in the area. The statements, issued both to the news media and on social media, are in response to the Washoe County School District’s Monday evening press release canceling the first day of school due to the Loyalton Fire.
“As emergency services continue to focus their efforts on battling the fire, it means that their support of the school district in the event of an emergency is compromised,” WCSD’s press release stated.
The Truckee Meadows Firefighters Association (TMFA) IAFF Local 2487 and Sparks Fire Department Local 1265 both said that despite having members of their crews assisting with the Loyalton Fire, their services within the community are not impacted.
“While we do have firefighters at local fires, we are still and always have been staffed as normal and ready to respond to any emergency that may come up in our city,” said a post from Local 1265 Sparks Firefighters.
The TMFA noted that all 11 of its stations are staffed with “full time all risk personnel that are completely capable of being able to respond to any emergency that may arise despite the claims made by the WCSD.”
“The claim that our support of the WCSD would be compromised in the event of an emergency is completely unfounded,” TMFA concluded.
WCSD, in a communication to local media about the potential return to school on Tuesday, said that it’s monitoring air quality before making a decision.