PARTY: Citizen raises fire alarm

It appears as if taxpayer dollars are being used by members of the Kootenai County Fire Department to support unauthorized keggers hosted by fellow firemen.

On Friday, July 20, Kootenai County fire truck E-111, along with its crew, attended a kegger party at a neighbor’s property on South Stateline Road. That party was held seemingly in violation of not only District Court order but also Board of County Commissioner ruling that the property in question has been determined to be a non-permitted event facility. Fire truck E-111 was not answering a fire call, yet it remained parked at the kegger for several hours. Therefore, it would appear that taxpayer-funded, county-owned fire equipment was used for personal enjoyment rather than official business.

Who paid for the fuel and maintenance costs incurred by this seemingly inappropriate use of county fire equipment? Who paid for the attendance of the fire truck’s crew to attend this kegger? The apparent answer to these questions is we, the taxpayers of Kootenai County.

Additionally, were the firemen staffing E-111 drinking at the party and then driving the truck back to its station, creating possible liability issues for the county?

I reported this apparent violation of Judge Mitchell’s order and Board of County Commissioner decision-making to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department, asking the department to send a car to investigate the event. Fire truck E-111 left the party 10 minutes before the sheriff’s deputy arrived. The timing suggests possible inappropriate communication between the two departments.

I am asking the Board of County Commissioners, the Kootenai County Attorney, the Kootenai County Fire Chief and the Kootenai County Sheriff to investigate this incident, to determine whether taxpayer monies for equipment and personnel have been misused, whether inappropriate communication took place between departments and, if so, to stop future abuse of our tax dollars and tax-funded equipment and salaries. Kootenai County Fire Department funds should be reserved for saving lives and property, whether by fighting fires or responding to other appropriate emergencies – not for attending beer parties at non-permitted event facilities. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department should be preventing bad behavior, not enabling it.

DAVE PIELAET

Post Falls