Residents of Dammeron Valley,
We are writing to provide information regarding the letter that was delivered to Dammeron Valley residents over the weekend containing a number of accusations, what-ifs, and speculations about the Dammeron Valley Fire Special Service District and Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue. We have confirmed that the author of the letter is Mr. Frank Orlando, who served as a member of the department in late 2020 and early 2021. DVFSSD paid for Mr. Orlando to obtain his Advanced EMT license; however, he separated from the Department approximately 11 months ago and now works for Gold Cross Ambulance.
The DVFSSD Board considers Mr. Orlando’s letter to be specious and it appears to be intended to do harm to the District and the fire department. The SSD Board is taking all necessary steps to protect the ongoing operations of the District and fire department to provide timely emergency response by trained and certified personnel, including but not limited to consulting with legal counsel to ensure the District, the Department, and our members are protected from unfounded, untrue, and harmful accusations
Chief Barnes has maintained an open-door policy at Station 13 since his first day on the job. Residents with questions or concerns are always welcome to stop by to meet with Chief Barnes. The District has offered a Zoom meeting option for our residents since the beginning of the pandemic and continues to offer both Zoom and in-person attendance at the district’s monthly and special meetings. Meeting agendas and notices are posted monthly in accordance with Utah state law, as are meeting minutes and recordings. Additionally, the District has a volunteer Communications Director who regularly updates the community on matters relevant to fire department operations and public safety via the Department’s website (www.dvfirerescue.org) and on social media, including Facebook, Nextdoor, and Twitter. Board members can easily be contacted via the Department’s website or by stopping by the department.
Collectively, approximately 60 volunteers (first responders, committee members, board members, etc.) are making a very real difference in the lives of those we serve. The mass casualty event in Veyo a few days ago is one of many examples in 2021 of the need for reliable, competent emergency response and the difference such responses can make to outcomes. We greatly appreciate the support of Dammeron Valley’s residents in achieving the District’s mission.
Sincerely,
Mack Sorensen, Larry Carlon, Curt Shelley, Ryan Andersen, Rick Johnson
Dammeron Valley Fire Special Service District Administrative Control Board
Our Mission is to provide the community of Dammeron Valley and the District’s designated response area effective, competent, timely, and reliable fire and emergency medical services.