KEARNS - A pair of fire stations in Riverton and Kearns will close in a move that local officials say will actually speed 911 response times in those communities. The Riverton station currently is underused, answering an average of less than one call per day.
Starting July 1, firefighters, engines and other resources from those stations will go to other nearby stations as part of a larger Unified fire overhaul designed to cut costs and speed up service, the agency announced Wednesday.
Elected officials in the two cities are cheering the move.
"This is actually a very smart move for us to do this," said Kearns Metro Township Councilwoman Kelly Bush, who also is on the Unified Fire Authority board.
Bush said she was skeptical at first. But the change will bring more firefighters with different expertise, along with more engines, to a neighboring Kearns fire station, she said. She believes the bigger crew will help the station respond to several calls at one time, requiring less frequent help from other agencies.