New Fire Department Set To Start On Sunday In Reno Area

This doesn't happen very often, but a brand new fire department is starting up in Washoe County.  The Truckee Meadows and Sierra Fire Protection District starts running calls at 8:00 AM on Sunday.
From the Reno Gazette Journal: On Thursday afternoon, about half of the firefighters that will make up the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District were nearing the end of a two-week academy before their new department became operational Sunday at 8 a.m.
Two firefighters sprayed a water canon from the top of a fire engine as dozens of their colleagues watched the demonstration at the regional training facility just north of town. Inside of a nearby classroom, maps of the region were pinned to walls as officers prepared to start work.
For months now, Washoe County officials have toiled to start its independent fire department after county commissioners decided a year ago to end a 12-year-old merged fire department with Reno. And despite the political acrimony that has come to define the fire divorce between the city and the county, the firefighters who will be responding to calls starting Sunday say what matters now is they are ready to help the community.In all, about 600 people applied for positions with Truckee Meadows Fire, which will include a consolidation with the Sierra Fire Protection District. There are 105 career firefighters, with plans of adding another 10 in the coming months, Truckee Meadows Fire Chief Charles Moore said....
 Schum will be stationed in one of 11 career fire stations in the county’s fire district, which surrounds Reno and Sparks and stretches from Washoe Valley into the North Valleys. The professional firefighters will be supported by another 13 volunteer stations with 120 volunteers.....
 http://www.rgj.com/article/20120630/NEWS/307010051/Washoe-County-firefighters-say-Sunday-just-business-usual?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
The reason why there is a new fire department is that the Reno Fire Department, which previously had the contract, was firm in it's demand that Washoe County pay for 4 firefighters on each fire apparatus (truck, engine, rescue) and the County wanted 3 firefighters on each piece of equipment..  Also, Washoe County thought that they could do the job better, so they started a new fire department.
So, good luck to the Truckee Meadows Fire Department and you know that they are having a pool to see who will get the first run of the new department