Shorthanded
Navajo Fire and Rescue down to 8 people

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Firefighters face life-threatening dangers, but on the Navajo Nation, those dangers are even more pronounced for those that take the job.

Simply put, the Navajo Nation Department of Fire & Rescue Services only has eight paid firefighters covering an area the size of West Virginia.

“We’re in a critical crisis management situation,“ Fire Chief Larry Chee said.

While the public often sees the new fire trucks and new equipment that the department was able to obtain, what it lacks is the manpower to safely operate that equipment and to minimize danger to themselves while responding to calls.

Most fire stations follow the two-in, two-out rule, Lt. John Williams said. But the tribal fire fighters are lucky if there are at least two able to show up.

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