Trending Topics

Wyo. fire board fires 10 firefighters, 12 on leave

Officials said the reason for the removals is because firefighters who live outside the district were driving at dangerous speeds to get to scenes

Casper Star Tribune

YODER, Wyo. — Firefighting services are in flux in the eastern Wyoming community of Yoder, after the fire district board removed 10 members of the volunteer department and 12 other members responded in solidarity by announcing their leave of absence.

Meantime, Mike Ridenour, board president of the Yoder Fire Protection District 5A, which is a taxing authority, said Thursday eight new people have signed up for the Yoder Volunteer Fire Department. He said it’s a start and that fire departments are always recruiting new volunteers.

Ridenour said services to the town of Yoder, population 151, and surrounding areas will remain intact, a claim former Fire Chief Justin Burkart, one of the 10 removed, said is doubtful, since the new people need to be trained.

Full story: With shakeup, questions remain whether Yoder has fire department