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Bonneville County Emergency Communications |
My father was a fireman, he drove a big red truck,
And when he'd go to work each night, he'd say "Mother, wish me luck".
Then Dad would not come home again, 'till sometime the next day,
But the thing that bothered me the most was
the things some folks would say.
"A fireman's life is easy, he eats and sleeps and plays,
and sometimes he don't fight a fire for days and days and days".
When I first heard these comments, I was too young to understand
cause I knew, when people had trouble Dad was there to lend a hand.
Then my father went to work one day and he kissed us all good-bye,
but little did I realize, that night, we all would cry.
My father gave his life that night, when the floor gave way below,
and I wondered why he'd risk his life, for someone he didn't know.
But now I realize, the greatest gift a man can give,
is to lay his life upon the line, so that someone else might live.
So as we go from day to day, and we pray to God above,
say a prayer for your local fireman, he may save the ones you love.
By: Jim Martinez
The Idaho Falls Fire Department serves an Emergency Fire Service population
of approximately 75,000 residents occupying approximately 400 square miles.
The area includes the City of Idaho Falls and the Bonneville County Fire
Protection District.
The Idaho Falls Fire Department serves an Emergency Medical Services
population of approximately 112,000 residents occupying approximately 1500
square miles. The area includes Bonneville County and portions of Bingham
and Jefferson counties.
Emergency
Response Vehicles
The Idaho Falls Fire Department currently has 29 Emergency Response
Vehicles including:
Emergency
Response Personnel
All IFFD personnel are well trained and very versatile in their abilities to perform many different functions. All emergency response personnel are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians and there are currently 31 personnel trained as Intensive Care Paramedics.
The Idaho Falls Fire Department currently employs:
The Idaho Falls Fire Department has several teams with members requiring
special training:
| The mission of the Idaho Falls Fire Department is to
protect the lives and property of the citizens and visitors of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County by providing the highest possible levels of service through fire prevention, public education, fire suppression, emergency medical services, and mitigation of the effects of natural and man-made disasters consistent with the resources provided as desired and dictated by the citizens and elected officials of the City of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County. |
| 2002- | Dean Ellis |
| 1998-2002 | Bob Drake |
| 1997-1998 | Don Gosswiller |
| 1996-1996 | Dennis Johnson |
| 1989-1996 | Dick Hahn |
| 1977-1989 | Doug Call |
| 1965-1977 | Les Corcoran |
| 1964-1965 | Carl Poulter |
| 1961-1964 | Parley Gillan |
| 1949-1961 | Bert Brown |
| 1938-1949 | L. G. Jackson |
| 1910-1938 | Julius Marker |
| 1909-1910 | Walley Sheriff |
| 1905-1909 | J. W. Galey |
| 1902-1905 | A. D. Wright |
| 1885-1902 | Ed Winn |
| 1885 | The first fire department was organized in the Brewery Saloon after
a fire wiped out nearly all the frame shacks along Eagle Rock Street.
The fire department consisted of 20 volunteers. A New Year's Eve dance was held and raised $140.00 to purchase a hand hose cart with 300' of hose. The railroad company installed 3 hose plugs to supply water for fire protection (the City of Idaho Falls currently has over 1400 hydrants.) |
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| 1889 | Village of Eagle Rock was incorporated. |
| 1902 | The fire station moved from Eagle Rock Street to Broadway and Park Avenue. |
| 1907 | Purchased a horse-drawn wagon at a cost of $1950.00. Julius Marker
was the first driver of the horse-drawn equipment.
The fire station moved to a frame building on Park Avenue where Harris Publishing is located. Julius Marker and Lew Tolley were the first firemen to receive pay, they were both drivers of the horse-drawn equipment. |
| 1909 | Volunteers were notified of calls by the ringing of a large bell. The bell is now on display at the Bonneville County Museum. |
| 1910 | The fire station moved to larger quarters in a single story building in the 500 block of Park Avenue (Kress/Bonanza building). |
| 1916 | Purchased the first motorized fire equipment, it was a 1916 American
La France pumper.
At this time the chief and two fire fighters were paid by the city. |
| 1920 | Purchased the second motorized fire truck, it was a 1919 Brockway.
The department was increased to 6 paid fire fighters plus the chief. |
| 1930 | A new city hall building was constructed on Shoup Avenue with room
for a fire station (currently Station 1).
The fire bell was replaced by a siren on top of the building.
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| 1930 | A large combination ladder and hose engine (1928 American La France)
was purchased at a cost of $13,850. This truck was on display at the 1929
Worlds Fair as state of the art fire apparatus, it is still used today
for parades and other public relations events.
Increased payroll to include eight fire fighters and a chief. The department operated 2 shifts of 4 fire fighters each. Call personnel were available by phone and siren. |
| 1932 | Fire loss per capita for the year was $5.99 primarily due to the Lambrecht Building fire which was the worst of the year. |
| 1933 | Fire loss per capita for the year was $.79. |
| 1937 | A Seagrave pumper was purchased. |
| 1945 | 12 paid fire fighters were added to the department which was operating 3 engines. |
| 1947 | American La France (403) open cab pumper was purchased. |
| 1950 | Department increased to 18 paid personnel. |
| 1953 | A second fire station was built on the 500 block of 8th Street. The
lot cost $5,000 and the building cost $76,500. It was a single engine company
station as well as the department maintenance shop.
A 1953 Seagrave pumper (404) was purchased. |
| 1959 | A new American La France pumper (405) was purchased. |
| 1960 | Department increased to 40 paid personnel. |
| 1963 | Department increased to 44 paid personnel. |
| 1964 | A $587,000 General Obligation Improvement Bond was approved. |
| 1965 | A third fire station was built at Skyline and Grandview. The cost of
the land was $10,450 and the building was $102,979.
21 additional personnel were hired. |
| 1966 | A bond election to purchase 2 new Seagrave pumpers at a cost of $34,814
each and to install an alarm box system throughout the city.
A Fire District was formed to provide fire protection to an area outside the city limits that covered approximately 390 square miles. |
| 1970 | The fire department began providing ambulance service.
Intensive training for emergency care began for fire and police department personnel. |
| 1971 | 17 fire fighters received an 81 hour Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. |
| 1972 | Pilot paramedic program given for 4 fire fighters. (Program was not implemented.) |
| 1973 | 10 fire fighters trained and certified as trauma paramedics.
9 of 10 fire fighters trained as trauma paramedics completed cardiac intensive care paramedic training. |
| 1974 | All paramedics received certification through the State of Idaho.
911 service became operational at City Hall. |
| 1975 | The city purchased a new Walters Crash Truck for airport coverage. |
| 1977 | The current Station 2 was constructed at Lincoln and Woodruff which replaced the old Station 2 on 8th Street. The new station cost $209,348 and was split between the city (67%) and the Fire District (33%). |
| 1978 | A new 911 dispatch center was operational at the Law Enforcement Building on Capital Avenue with civilian dispatchers. |
| 1982 | A new FMC pumper was purchased for $155,000. |
| 1983 | A new Pierce Minuteman Crash Truck was purchased for the airport. |
| 1986 | A new Pirsch pumper was purchased. |
| 1988 | A new Pierce pumper was purchased for $174,049. |
| 1989 | Land was purchased for Station 4 on Woodruff near Sunnyside for $60,882. |
| 1990 | 6 personnel were added for airport fire protection.
Property at Bellin and Mill Roads was purchased by the city for a future fire station. The old 8th Street fire station became the office of the Fire Prevention Bureau. |
| 1991 | The Bonneville County Fire District merged with the city under a contractual
agreement. 14 fire district personnel became city employees.
2 new fire stations were constructed and occupied. A new Station 3 was built at the airport (total cost was $789,648 of which 90% was federally funded) to replace the old Station 3 at Skyline and Grandview. Station 4 was built at Woodruff and Sunnyside at a cost of $586,963. |
| 1992 | The Hazardous Material Unit was formed for response to HAZMAT incidents. Several fire fighters were trained to HAZMAT Tech Level. |
| 1993 | The old Station 3 at Grandview and Skyline was converted into the Bonneville
County E911 Communications Center. The new Enhanced 911 (E911) computerized
dispatch center became operational.
Contracted supplementary fire department services to EG&G/DOE for in-town facilities (code enforcement, training, etc.). |
| 1995 | A new station (Station 5) was built and occupied
at Bellin and Mill Roads in the southwest section of the city. Cost was
approximately $500,000.
A new Pierce pumper was purchased and placed into operation at Station 1, the price was $210,000. |
| 1996 | The fire department reorganized from having 3 battalion chiefs (working 24 hour shifts), an EMS chief, and fire marshall to having 4 division chiefs working 40 hour weeks. The 4 areas of responsibility are Fire Prevention/Public Relations, Administration, EMS, and Special Operations. |
Idaho Falls Fire Department Index
The program will begin May 14th, 2002 and meet every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. for six weeks.
If you have any questions or would like more information or an application, please contact:
| Week 1
(Station #1 - 647 Shoup Ave) May 14th, 2002 19:00 |
Welcome new members and introduction by the Fire Chief. Overview of budget and department organization. Terms and jargon of the fire service are discussed, along with a historical perspective of the Fire Deparment. Academy participants will tour Station One and City Hall, and view various department apparatus, equipment, and firefighter safety gear. |
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| Week 2
(Fire Prevention Bureau - 525 8th St.) May 21st, 2002 19:00 |
Overview of the Fire Prevention Bureau, including plan reviews, inspections, and fire safety education. The history and importance of the Uniform Fire Code will be discussed. Academy members will participate in an actual fire inspection of a local business. |
| Week 3
(Station 3 - 2125 Federal Way at the Airport) May 28th, 2002 19:00 |
Academy members will review and participate in a demonstration of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF). Also our Departments Hazardous Materials experts will give an overview and demonstration of a Hazardous Materials Incident. |
| Week 4
(Station #5 - 1775 S. Bellin) June 4th, 2002 19:00 |
Emergency Medical Services Lab: Academy students will be introduced to an overview of Department Ambulance Operations. Members will be given an opportunity to participate in hands on ambulance operations, patient treatment and handling, ambulance driving etc.) Also students who are interested will be given the opportunity to sign up for future CPR classes. |
| Week 5
(Station #4 - 3180 S. Woodruff) June 11th, 2002 19:00 |
Engine Company Operations: Basic firefighting operations will be discussed and demonstrated, with members offered a chance to participate in engine company “evolutions” (practice drills done regularly by engine crews). Also a snorkel demonstration - and a chance to see the city from 85 feet in the air! |
| Week 6
(Drill Field - Foote Drive) June 18th, 2002 18:00 |
Members will rotate through 2 separate and simultaneous demonstrations. In one, a vehicle extrication demonstration will be performed. The other operation will involve a rope rescue demonstration. Again, students who are willing will be allowed to participate (use of extrication tools, rope rappelling, etc.) |
For more information contact: Division Chief Kelvin Johnson at 529-1497
Idaho Falls Fire Department Index
Fire investigations are conducted on fires involving a significant loss, a suspicious ignition factor, undetermined origin, or other unusual factors. The investigators trace the fire damage back to the fire's origin, then sift and sort through the often charred remains to determine the cause of the fire. Fire investigations are important not only to arson detection, but also to fire prevention activities.
The Fire Investigation Team includes nine shift fire fighters, two Fire Prevention Bureau inspectors, the Idaho Falls Building Department's electrical inspector, a member of the Bonneville County Sheriff's Office, and a member of the Idaho Falls Police Department. The team has converted an old fire department ambulance into an investigation van, which houses and transports the equipment necessary to conduct an efficient fire cause and origin investigation.
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Mission Statement of the Idaho Falls Fire Department |
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The mission of the Idaho Falls Hazmat Response Team, in keeping with the mission of the Idaho Falls Fire Department, is to protect the lives and property of the citizens and visitors of Idaho Falls and of Bonneville County. As well as protecting, to the best of our ability, the environment of this beautiful area in which we live. Our goal will always be to control and confine the problem but not to provide the clean-up of the material. This mission will be carried out as desired and dictated by the citizens and elected officials of the City of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County.
The Idaho Falls Hazmat Response Team currently consists of 21 members of the Fire Department plus some members of the business community who have volunteered their assistance as experts in their respective fields. These members were chosen from a wide cross section of the department to make use of the individual skills of the members. All personnel have been trained to a minimum of the EPA hazmat technician level. All personnel are required to continue to train and attempt to raise their skill levels and keep current with this rapidly expanding field.
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Idaho Falls Fire Department Index
| Due to the rising concerns for the safety and well being of our community
during some of our festive events, the Idaho Falls Fire Department has
developed a Bicycle Emergency Response Team.
The team consists of 21 members who are primarily volunteer. Their purpose is to work some of the more congested events in our city. The bicycles provide rapid access through congested areas that may take an ambulance 10 minutes or more to get through. The team members are trained to EMT and Paramedic levels and provide emergency care until an ambulance arrives. They are equipped with emergency medical supplies for patient care and radios for communication with the ambulance crews. The team has participated in vigorous training with the Idaho Falls Police Department, learning to maneuver their bicycles through congestion and unusual obstacles - places ambulances may not be able to go. Members also undergo specialized training for preventive maintenance of their equipment. Our team has participated in events such as:
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Idaho Falls Fire Prevention Bureau
525 8th St.
Station 4
3180 S. Woodruff Ave.
Idaho Falls Fire Department Index
SECRETARIAL STAFF
Marne Dickinson
Julie Lacey
Jana Hamberlin
MECHANIC
Dave Mayes
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Idaho Falls Fire Department Index
