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South Jordan City Fire Department Leaders Honored

Sep 14, 2015 02:09PM ● By Bryan Scott

With strong and steady leadership, South Jordan Fire Department expands to serve the needs of a growing city, with a third fire station coming in 2016.

By James Luke

South Jordan Fire Chief Andy Butler took a few moments at the start of the July 21 city council meeting to recognize the work of Battalion Chief Wayne Edginton. Chief Butler explained that the Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, at their recent awards banquet, honored Edginton with the Bureau’s 2015 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of the achievements and accomplishments of a career spanning five decades. 

Edginton has been a South Jordan Fire Department battalion chief since 2007. His firefighting career began some 32 years before, though, with the Salt Lake City Fire Department in 1974, just after Edginton had completed four years of honorable service in the Air Force.

Within five years of beginning his career with SLCFD, Edginton received certification in the nascent field of paramedic service in Utah. Throughout nearly half the years of his career with SLCFD, Edginton also served as chief flight medic for AirMed at the University of Utah, with a total of 15 years in that service.

 Butler noted, in his statement introducing the award, that during the eight years that Edginton has been with the department, “I have certainly had the opportunity to learn from Wayne, and still rely heavily on him as we continue to navigate a variety of fire department issues.” Not only has Edginton been a mentor to others in the department throughout his time in South Jordan, but he also continues to serve among the key leadership for South Jordan Fire Department as it grows. 

In a surprise to Butler, after he completed his remarks honoring Edginton, Mayor David Alvord stepped up and presented a separate honor to the chief. Butler recently completed the training and received his certification from the four-year long Executive Fire Officer Program of the National Fire Academy. Under the capable and strong leadership that the fire department currently enjoys, the city prepares to add a third fire station in the coming year