Summary:

Created on October 6, 1958, the Moab Valley Fire Protection District (MVFPD) protects lives and property from fire, flood, man-made, and natural disasters in a 29.66 square-mile district that encompasses the entire destination resort city of Moab, Utah and adjacent lands in Grand County outside of the city limits. The permanent population of the District is 7,723 people (2000 Census) and another 209 people live in the District’s contract response areas. The District has agreed, through Memorandums of Understanding for fire suppression & rescue aid, to protect another 1,277 people living in unincorporated areas of Grand County. MVFPD is also responsible for life safety inspection of new and remodeled commercial and public agency occupancy construction in the District. The District is proud of its rich heritage of volunteerism. There are currently 37 Volunteer Firefighters protecting the community. These firefighters are based in two fire stations and operate a fleet of 16 vehicles. The District maintains three full-time employees. Staff and Members annually reach approximately 600 school children with their fire safety and injury prevention programs. MVFPD is also the Regional Community Training Center for American Heart Association and National Safety Council programs delivering CPR and First Aid training to an average 500 participants per year (includes training sites in San Juan County and National Park Service, Southeast Utah Group).

The population has increased 27% in the District and 42% in the contract areas since the 1990 Census and a 66% increase has been realized in the agreed upon response areas of Grand County. The District is contracted by Arches National Park to provide structure and vehicle fire suppression services in the park and by neighboring San Juan County to provide fire suppression services for structures in its northern reaches as far south as a wildland / urban interface residential subdivision known as the Pack Creek Ranch. The District is a party to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Grand County that pledges resources for fire and rescue services in the unincorporated areas of the county and that assures aid to both the Castle Valley and Thompson Fire Departments (also in Grand County). Another MOU between MVFPD and the United States Bureau Of Land Management sets forth an initial response aid agreement for wildland fires in Grand and northern San Juan Counties.