Columbia Falls fire calls surged in 2015

The Columbia Falls fire department had a 298 incidents last year, a significant increase over previous years. In 2014 the department, which includes both rural and city calls, went to 239 incidents, in 2013, 267 and in 2012, 250, said Columbia Falls Fire Chief Rick Hagen.

Last year’s calls included 54 for fires, including 12 residential fires and 10 commercial fires. There were several high-profile fires, including an arson at Melby’s Home Interiors and a rural fire that killed two people on Trumble Creek Road.

A fire call doesn’t necessarily mean a home or business was actually on fire, but it did warrant an investigation.

Hagen said he didn’t know why fire calls were up, but he did note that several were late detections — buildings that were engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

The department had a host of other calls as well, including 68 medical calls. Of those 26 were non-injury motor vehicle accidents and nine were accidents with injuries. The department also had 55 calls that were canceled en route. Hagen said that most of them were mutual aid calls, where the other department was able to handle an incident after its own initial response.

Twenty years ago, the department averaged about 100 incidents annually, said Mayor Don Barnhart, a former chief of the department. Hagen is the only paid member of the department. It relies on 23 volunteers and could always use more, Hagen said.

“We’re looking for more dedicated volunteers,” he said.

He said it’s tougher to find volunteers — the younger generation doesn’t volunteer as much as it used to. Part of that is because employers don’t always let their employees leave work if there’s a call like they used to. 

Those who give 20 years of service do get a small retirement stipend, about $325 a month, currently.

The department recently added a new volunteer, Lawrence Grogan. Grogan is semi-retired and has a background in fire investigations.