Fire needs assessment unique to county’s capital planning

When the Jefferson County Capital Improvements Plan is completed by early 2020, it will include an item some officials believe will be unique: a fire protection needs assessment.

“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think this type of fire needs assessment has been done before at the county level anywhere in Montana, let alone within Jefferson County itself,” Doug Dodge, the county’s Disaster and Emergency Services coordinator, said by email. “What we are doing isn’t, as far as I know, a common component of a county-level CIP.”

The capital improvements plan will let the commission prioritize maintenance, repair and improvements of infrastructure and equipment and to identify funding for such projects. It will also help ensure that consistent decisions are made as staff and elected officials change and is meant to be reviewed annually and revised as needed.