The Town of Diamond Valley is in need of a new Fire Service Master Plan, and they are asking for those who are qualified to create one to send them a proposal to develop that plan.

Prior to amalgamation, both Turner Valley and Black Diamond had their own independent fire departments, but now that the two towns have joined together, they need to create a new foundational document that will be used to make informed decisions moving forward.

This document is essential while Diamond Valley Fire Rescues works towards accreditation.

The Diamond Valley Fire Rescue (DVFR) is responsible for maintaining a minimum service level, and in order to do so, they have to adapt to the changes in the community, such as population growth, community growth, and fire industry standards.

Their main measures of service levels are staffing levels, response time, and completed safety inspections.

Because of those changes, the DFVR will have to assess several aspects of their department, such as the training and skill levels of their personnel, the capabilities of the equipment, and the use of technology.

The DFVR services the Town of Diamond Valley and the surrounding Foothills County, and they currently have two stations, 13 apparatus (which are firefighting vehicles), a roster of 40 paid-on-call personnel, a full-time Fire Chief, and two full-time Deputy Chiefs.

In 2023, they responded to 477 requests for service, which included structural, wildland, hazardous materials, vehicle extrication, and medical aid requests.

Whoever is creating the new master plan will be required to evaluate the existing service delivery model, as well as the future service delivery model, and the projected needs based on the current and predicted community growth.

During the development of the master plan, they will look at the parts of the community that are currently experiencing accelerated growth and areas that will have future growth that will impact fire and rescue services.

This audit will compare industry standard best practices to the processes used for the new master plan.

A second part of the master plan will be an assessment of the DVFR capital facility, apparatus, equipment needs, and strategies for addressing needs while considering the Diamond Valley Strategic Plan, the Diamond Valley Strategic Plan, future growth and development models, and the Diamond Valley Community Vision.

As part of the plan, it will acknowledge the locations and growth of current and future fire requirements, such as staffing needs, along with recommendations that include the industry best practices and response standards, insurance and fire/building code implications on top of the community expectations.

The Fire Master Plan will be a 10-year plan that will have an assessment and analysis of the current and forecasted fire protection, prevention, response, public education, and service support needs, with clear recommendations supported by an implementation strategy.

The final plan will also consider strategies that will plan for and respond to the growth of Diamond Valley and the areas the fire department services.

The Town of Diamond Valley will be accepting proposals to complete their Fire Master Plan until 2 p.m. on April 24th.

To learn more about what they are expecting from the Fire Master Plan or how to send in a proposal, head over to the Town's website.