I think 2020 can pretty much be summed up by saying the universe decided to pitch mankind several colossal high-speed curveballs while shouting, “Here, have a global pandemic! Not enough? Okay, how about 44,000 wildfires that burn nearly 7.7 million acres? Still not enough? Let me introduce Hurricane Hanna, Tropical Storm Cristobal, Tropical Cyclone Laura and several of their obnoxiously destructive friends!”
Many have lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods and what may feel like their last remaining drop of hope, yet we continue to unite, endure, overcome and fight back. Why? Because that is who we are. Now more than ever it is evident that we cannot fight our battles in a vacuum, especially when forces out of our control knock us off our feet. There is strength in unity. There is strength in numbers. And there is strength in diversity.
Strength in Unity
Idaho Falls is the largest city in the region, carrying additional responsibilities and leadership. Our size allows for the cultivation of expertise, culminating in the ability to assist others on a much larger scale. When a disaster is declared such as a hurricane, wildfire, or earthquake, there are Mutual Aid Agreements and Emergency Management Assistance Compacts in place that allow jurisdictions to request additional resources from outside the region, state and country.
It is not uncommon for our local first responders to be called upon to serve during disasters. We, the Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD), sent personnel to assist with Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Michael in 2018. Every summer we deploy personnel on wildfires throughout the western United States. Since July 27, 2020, more than 60 of our firefighters/emergency medical personnel have been deployed on more than 20 different wildfires, including the devastating fires in California and Oregon.
Strength in Numbers
From the city to the country, desert, ice-packed rivers and backcountry terrain, there is so much more to the IFFD than meets the eye. But first, some history. IFFD began when the city was known as Eagle Rock. In 1885, after Eagle Rock experienced a fire that wiped out nearly all of the frame shacks along Eagle Rock Street, four volunteers were appointed to serve the first fire department. In 1969, elected officials agreed to add an ambulance service that previously was staffed by a husband and wife duo, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IFFD proudly holds the distinction of being the first EMS program in Idaho. Fire departments come in many shapes and sizes, all of which provide tremendous value to their respective communities. Some are all volunteers, others have both volunteer and paid personnel, others only respond to fires, while others respond to both fire and medical calls. IFFD is one of the largest combined fire and EMS departments in the state of Idaho, with 125 full-time personnel working across six stations.
While IFFD responds to all fire, medical, and various other hazardous calls inside city limits, we also have several regional Mutual Aid Agreements to provide services outside of the city. These agreements are essential for rural communities with fewer resources. They also are critical during times when resources have the potential of becoming quickly depleted, such as during a large incident or when several smaller incidents occur simultaneously within close proximity of each other.
One such agreement is with the Bonneville County Fire Protection District which grants IFFD the authority and provides funding to fight fires in that district. In addition, we have agreements to provide emergency medical services to Bonneville County and portions of Jefferson and Bingham Counties. These agreements are why our staff can be seen behind the wheel of various types and colors of apparatus, including fire engines, ambulances, water tenders and brush trucks. In 2019, we responded to 14,282 calls for service.
Strength in Diversity
Several personnel have additional qualifications to serve on specialty teams involved with water rescue, technical rescue, hazardous material, tactical medic, all-hazard incident management and others. This explains why you may see us in a wetsuit on the river one day, on the news traveling out of state to work in an emergency operations center the next day, and then back in fire gear a couple weeks later.
While our gear, fire engines and flashing lights and sirens make us very visible to the public, there are many individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes. There are elected officials who support our efforts to broaden our skills and gain valuable experience, finance teams and administrative staff who ensure that resources are available and that all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, and most importantly, there are families who keep households functioning while supporting us on calls and deployments for sometimes weeks, and even months at a time. Why? Because that is who we are.