Coeur d'Alene Fire Department shows off renovations, equipment upgrades

COEUR d’ALENE — Carefully but quickly, firefighter Josh Sutherland clambered up the long metal ladder, his silhouette growing smaller against the azure sky. 

A handful of spectators gazed upward, watching every move, every step of his heavy boots. One hundred feet above the ground, perched on the final rungs, Sutherland stopped, looked down and waved.

“It’s a heavy-duty ladder, so it’s more stable,” the firefighter said, upon his return to tierra firma. “It’s a good view.”

Sutherland’s ladder sprouted from a large red fire engine, one of the most modern machines in the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department fleet, equipped with outriggers for stability, anti-rollover safeguards and high-tech computer software. Polished, gleaming, the engine was on display at the department’s annual open house, held every October during Fire Prevention Week.

“This is the first time we’ve (opened all three stations),” said deputy chief Glenn Lauper — Station 1 on Foster Avenue (adjacent to the headquarters building), Station 2 on Ramsey Avenue and Station 3 on 15th Street.

In 2005, Lauper explained, voters passed a $7.2 million general obligation (G.O.) bond for public safety. The G.O. bond paid for many fire department projects, including large-scale renovations and equipment upgrades. On Saturday, Coeur d’Alene residents had a chance to see exactly how that money was spent.

“It looks first class,” said Karen Roesler, after touring the newly-remodeled Station 1. “All the firefighters look in shape. They have a ‘torture room,’ they said, which I assume is where they work out.”

Christina Byrd and her son, Brandon, walked around the station with Roesler. Three year-old Brandon enjoyed his time at the fire house, with its big trucks, fancy equipment and shiny fire pole.

“He loved the ladder,” Christina added.

The fire department stretched $7.2 million a long way. Station 1 was completely revamped — a spacious new kitchen was constructed, gender-specific facilities were built, and modern classrooms, available for public use, were added to the building.

Hayden resident Amanda Hager walked around Station 1 with her family. Caitlyn and Christopher, her children, climbed aboard the ladder truck and checked out the interior.

“The firemen were so nice and helpful to the kids,” Hager said.

Next door, the department’s handsome new headquarters — with an antique fire truck and museum inside — was also made possible by the G.O. bond.

But the biggest project took shape at Station 2.

“We built a training tower, so we could do live fire training,” Lauper said. “We couldn’t have done it without public support. It’s incredible, because we’re kind of limited on what we can burn. (With this tower) we can go daytime, nighttime, create our own fires, have our own drills on our schedule.”

Police and fire units now train at the tower, Lauper said, including firefighters, SWAT and tactical operations teams. Even federal and state agencies use the facility.

“You want to make sure you use (the tower) a lot, and justify its existence,” operations chief Tom Greif said. “We’re getting to the point we use it daily.”

The tower can simulate just about any fire emergency, Lauper and Greif explained. It can be flooded, filled with smoke or completely darkened. Beneath the tower, a maze of underground tunnels offers an additional challenge.

“The less fires you run, the more you need to train,” Greif said. “We have to continuously train on it so (we) don’t get stagnant.”

In 2001, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department had 21 employees. In the 10 years since, the department has more than doubled its personnel, now boasting 48 firefighters, engineers and technicians. New training facilities and bigger stations were needed — hence the G.O. bond.

“The majority of the people probably don’t know where the money goes,” Greif said. “We want to offer it up, be as transparent as possible.”

At Station 3, Greif pointed out, the bond paid for a new exhaust system, making the firehouse much safer and code-compliant. It was definitely money well-spent, he said.

“I think the biggest message to send is that (the public) can come to the station 365 days a year, not just an open house,” Greif said. “If you’re driving by, just stop in, and see what’s in your fire stations. Customer service, that’s our Number 1 goal in our department — give the community something they wouldn’t expect from us.”