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Pictured from left are Chuck Smet, Director of Emergency Management for Pinal County, Supervisor Pete Rios, Oracle CERT Doug Johnson, Oracle CERT David Harris, Oracle Fire Chief Larry Southard, Oracle Assistant Fire Chief Robert Jennings and Oracle Administration Chief Tina Acosta.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, the Oracle Fire District CERT team was presented with the keys to a utility trailer that will be used to support firefighting efforts and other emergency operations in the district.
Pinal County District Supervisor Pete Rios presented the keys to Doug Johnson, Co-Chair for the Community Emergency Response Team. Chuck Smet, Director of Emergency Management for Pinal County, and Art Carlton, Emergency Planner, drove the trailer to Oracle. The trailer was donated through the efforts of Smet and Pinal County Emergency Management.
Rios thanked Pinal County Emergency Management, Oracle CERT, Oracle Firewise and the Oracle Fire District for all the hard work they do in making our communities safer.
Besides the trailer, the County provided an abundance of equipment. The equipment included gloves, flashlights, utility rope, fire extinguishers, a portable air conditioning unit, 2 – 10’ by 10’ pop up tents, tables, chairs, ice chests, pick axes, shovels, bolt cutters, chain saw, reciprocating saw, medical kits, a generator, and a Flir One thermal imaging camera attachment for a smart phone or tablet. The Fir One will allow firefighters to see smoldering fires that are buried in the dark and aid in nighttime search and rescue. The total value of the trailer and equipment was a little over $18,000, said Chuck Kmet.
Thank you, Pinal County, for helping make our communities safer.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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