Lafayette Fire Department's Specialized Incident Management Expertise Called Upon for Colorado Flood Response
LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT’S SPECIALIZED INCIDENT MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE CALLED UPON FOR COLORADO FLOOD RESPONSE
LFD District Chief joins Louisiana Incident Management Team as Lafayette’s renewed investment in training and preparedness strengthens capabilities at home and beyond
Lafayette, LA – Specialized training and preparedness within the Lafayette Fire Department will support disaster operations more than 1,000 miles from home as District Chief Brandon Finfrock deploys to Archuleta County, Colorado, as part of a Louisiana Incident Management Team assisting communities impacted by devastating flooding.
The deployment is being coordinated through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), the nation’s interstate mutual-aid system for sharing emergency resources during disasters. Finfrock will deploy alongside specialized emergency management and fire service personnel from across Louisiana to support response, stabilization, and recovery operations in the Pagosa Springs area. The mission is expected to last approximately 14 days.
Finfrock has extensive training and experience in logistics and incident management and is qualified as a Logistics Section Chief within the Incident Command System. The specialized position focuses on coordinating the personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, communications, transportation, and other resources necessary to sustain complex emergency operations.
The deployment comes as Lafayette Consolidated Government and the Lafayette Fire Department have placed a renewed emphasis on training and preparedness. Increased training funding, along with an expanded focus on incident management, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), and other specialized capabilities, is part of a broader effort to prepare Lafayette firefighters for increasingly complex emergencies.
“Our goal is to build capabilities that make Lafayette better prepared for whatever comes our way,” Lafayette Fire Chief Earl Borden said. “That requires investing in our people and giving them opportunities to develop specialized skills beyond their everyday assignments. Chief Finfrock’s selection demonstrates the value of that expertise. He can take those skills to Colorado and help a community in need, while the experience gained during a complex, multi-agency disaster comes back home and strengthens our department.”
Lafayette’s investment in advanced training is designed first to improve the department’s ability to protect its own community. It also develops personnel capable of supporting regional, statewide, and national emergency response when specialized resources are requested.
“We have made a deliberate investment in training because a well-trained and prepared fire department is essential to a resilient community,” Mayor-President Monique Boulet said. “This deployment is a great example of how that investment benefits Lafayette while also positioning our people to help others when they need it most. We are proud to have Lafayette represented on this mission and wish Chief Finfrock and the entire Louisiana team a safe and successful deployment.”
The Louisiana Incident Management Team will work alongside Colorado officials to support ongoing operations and help affected communities transition from emergency response into stabilization and recovery.
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