By Mimi Darley Dutton | [email protected]

Draper Fire Department stepped up to help with the fires that have ravaged the western states by sending personnel to fight fires in California and Oregon.  

The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) allows states to request resources from surrounding states in their time of need. 

The first crew from Draper, made up of paramedic Ryan Russon, firefighter Rod Schultz, engineer Tee Hover and Battalion Chief Cody Jolly were deployed to California and assigned to help with the Elkhorn Fire just outside of Red Bluff. That fire had grown to approximately 40,000 acres in size. They were gone for two weeks and safely returned Sept. 7.

Two days later, Draper deployed a crew of five to Oregon to help contain the explosive and devastating fires in that state. That crew included Captain Bryan Jensen, Firefighter Connor Carpenter, Engineer Scott Wilson and Paramedic Anders Pritchard along with Draper’s Deputy Chief Bart Vawdrey, who was deployed as a Task Force Leader. The crew safely arrived for their anticipated 16-day assignment in Jackson County, located in southern Oregon near Medford.