The Garfield County Sheriff's Office serves as a key agency for residents within the jurisdiction of Tropic. According to an undated webpage from the Town of Tropic, the agency plays a role in local fire safety protocols. Specifically, the town's documentation advises that residents should notify the Garfield County Sheriff's Office of their activity when conducting a controlled burn. This notification process is intended to help authorities avoid false fire reports.
In the broader context of regional safety, the Tropic Town Volunteer Fire Department acts as the primary fire fighting response for the Bryce Valley area. This service area encompasses the towns of Tropic, Cannonville, and Henrieville. According to the town's undated website, the department also provides assistance to Bryce Canyon City and Bryce Canyon National Park when the need arises. The fire department provides motor vehicle accident and extrication services along several major routes, including State Highway 63, Highway 22, and Scenic Byway 12. These specific routes are traveled by thousands of visitors annually as they travel throughout Garfield County.
According to an undated document from the town, the fire department includes several designated roles and personnel. Ron Harris was listed as Fire Chief, and Kerry Alvey was listed as Assistant Fire Chief. The department also included Captains Travis LeFevre and Moyle Johnson. The list of firefighters provided by the town included Gayle Pollock, Mike Ahlstrom, Brad Cowan, Sydney Syrett, Brandon Baugh, Brook Wiseman, Tadas Rauba, Trevan Harris, Joe McGee, Marius Barna, Mabry Word, Jeremy Brislin, Holden Westerman, Hayden Roberts, Wyatt Mecham, and Madison Syrett.
Beyond fire services, various community groups meet to handle emergency preparedness and search efforts. The Local Emergency Preparedness Committee, or LEPC, meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. The Community Emergency Response Team, known as CERT, meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. For search and rescue operations, the Bryce Valley Search & Rescue meets on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The Tropic Town Volunteer Fire Department also has meetings scheduled for the 2nd and last Wednesday of the month.
Regarding local vegetation management, the town's undated website states that the burning of vegetation on personal property is allowed until June 1. Residents are encouraged to follow the Residential Fire Prevention and Safety Guide to understand fire prevention and safety. The town notes that a few seconds of neglect may lead to a lifetime of regret and that the usual cause of residential fire occurs when people become too complacent on the safety of their homes. For emergencies, the town directs residents to call 911.
What this means for Tropic
For Tropic residents, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office is a necessary contact for reporting controlled burns to ensure emergency services are not diverted by false alarms. Understanding the schedules for the LEPC and CERT helps residents stay engaged with local emergency preparedness and community safety efforts throughout the year.
