THATCHER — The Thatcher Volunteer Fire Department has a new chief — but only the first name is changing.
During Monday’s meeting, the Thatcher Town Council ratified the vote of Fire Department members to name Josh Curtis the new chief, taking over from Steve Curtis.
Assistant Chief is Jay Larson; while captains are Raul Alaniz, Ryan Allen, Ryan Curtis and Mike Nagy.
Josh Curtis said the department is need of a number of equipment upgrades.
“We’re going to see if we can replace a couple of our engines, along with our tanker, in the next two to three years,” Josh Curtis said.
He added that the department’s oldest engine is 36 years old, and the vehicles should be rotated out after 25 years.
He’s also prioritized obtaining a second set of turnouts for the firefighters. That would allow one set to be cleaned while the other is in use, reducing firefighters’ risk of cancer. Cost of turnouts is about $6,000 per firefighter.
“I’m asking for both at the same time,” Josh Curtis said. “To me, they’re both just as important.”
He added he is seeking grants to help fund the purchases.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Glen Orr said his department is seeking grants to upgrade radios to 800 mhz, which would allow the Police Department to pass its existing radios on to the Fire Department.
