A firefighter injured while battling the human-caused East Ute Plaza Fire last month is making progress in his recovery. Kyle Allred was among the crews on the front line, working to keep the fire from spreading to homes in the area, when he sustained significant burns during response efforts, said Lapoint-Tridell Fire Chief Tyler McKee.
Allred was taken to the University of Utah Health Burn Center for treatment. “Kyle had second- and third-degree burns that required a few surgeries to get those taken care of,” McKee said. Allred was recently released from the burn center and is home, where his recovery continues with support from home health care.
“The entire (Lapoint-Tridell Fire Department) family is grateful for the continued support from our community and fellow first responders,” the department posted to Facebook on Thursday. Allred is the department’s training officer, and his absence has been felt over the past month, according to McKee. “Some people (it) affected mentally just a little bit; and definitely it’s affected all of us,” he said.
The incident has helped the department reemphasize the importance of keeping crews safe. “Sometimes, when things happen like this. We reevaluate and reassure that our safety practices are put into place all the time,” the chief said.
