Sandoval’s budget cut: Mount Charleston station could close

In an effort to take an axe to Nevada’s budget, Gov. Brian Sandoval is proposing changing the state’s role at the Mount Charleston Fire District, which would likely mean the closure of Nevada Division of Forestry Station 1.

This is an extremely shortsighted idea that not only would endanger residents and visitors, but undoubtedly would lead to Clark County being forced to add a fulltime fire station staffed with paid firefighters and paramedics. (A volunteer station currently works in tandem with Station 1.)

(Disclosure: I live in Kyle Canyon and am a volunteer firefighter, and have first-hand knowledge of the importance of Station 1 to the safety of the community.)

Here’s just one of many challenges: County firefighters aren’t trained, or under contract, to fight wildland fires. They simply don’t travel far off the road. NDF Station 1 personnel do double duty in the neighborhoods and in the forest.

Taxpayers need to ask if it makes sense to spend millions to build and staff a county firehouse in the mountains in order to save a relative pittance by closing a state fire station.

Then they need to remind the Governor that he’s in office to make sound decisions and not merely expedient ones.

A Kyle Canyon Town Board meeting is set for tonight to discuss that and other issues.