On July 28, the Millcreek City Council adopted a Commitment to Volunteerism Proclamation.

The proclamation was proposed by Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, who said being involved in the community and extending a hand to neighbors in need of help creates a profound impact. He said volunteering fosters connection between people of all backgrounds, and with the proclamation Millcreek would recognize that the "values of compassion, empathy and community support are the foundation of a united harmonious society that foster connections that transcend differences."  

Silvestrini added that the council would pledge to collaborate with the organization Just Serve. Just Serve works to provide residents with greater access to volunteer opportunities and encourages community members to get involved. The mayor acknowledged that initiating this proclamation was a recent decision, but after a wildfire displaced 40 residents across two apartment buildings, it seems a very fitting decision.

On July 25, Captain Jon Wilde of the Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority acted as the initial incident commander on the scene of the fire. He was present and spoke to the council about his experience, saying that upon his arrival, the fire was approximately a quarter acre. It was on both sides of the road and moving at a moderate pace towards the south. Fueled by dry grass and brush, there was not yet a significant amount of wind, and evacuations of the apartment buildings to the south were called in by the UFA.

The blaze threatening those buildings was cleared, but on the north side of the access road, the wind picked up, which moved the flames forward rapidly. Unfortunately, the fire burned 24 units across two buildings and permanently displaced some residents from their units. 

The inability to contain the flames was certainly not due to a lack of effort from the UFA and Unified Police Department. As Wilde put it, it "would be easier to mention the agencies that weren't involved." Within 10 minutes of his arrival, there were three Type Six fire engines, a Tactical Water Feeder, and three Type One fire engines. There was support from every fire department in the valley, Wilde said. Additionally, Millcreek Unified Police Department Precinct Chief Kirstin Petit Brown was present and spoke about the UPD's successful evacuation efforts at the Willow Glen Apartments during this incident. 

Wilde said "as firefighters, we never like to see buildings catch on fire and us not be able to put out the fires, but we really were happy that we got everybody out." There were no injuries to residents of the apartment buildings and the responding firefighters reported four individuals with minor injuries that were treated on site. Residents were able to access shelter, food and medical aid from the Red Cross at a nearby church during the firefighting efforts.

This tragedy exemplifies the need for volunteerism and support for residents of Millcreek and surrounding areas, and the commitment to volunteerism codifies this. Councilwoman Cheri Jackson initiated a motion to accept the proclamation, which was seconded by Councilwoman Bev Uipi. The vote to accept was unanimous, and after voting to accept the proclamation, Paul Wood, an Area Administrator for Just Serve, spoke to the council about how excited the organization is to partner with Millcreek. Wood applauded the council and people of Millcreek for their successful volunteer efforts in the past, and he added that Millcreek is the sixth Utah city to join Just Serve.

Brown provided a link to support the individuals and families impacted by the fire. If you want to donate, visit bit.ly/millcreekfirehelp. All of the money donated through this platform will go directly to the victims of the fire.