Blackfoot firefighters, aided by off-duty/volunteer crews, tackle structure fire in 30 minutes
Seth Ratliff
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Over the weekend, a small crew of Blackfoot firefighters, with the help of volunteers and off-duty personnel, tackled a dangerous structure fire in under 30 minutes despite minimal staffing.
The emergency began on Saturday afternoon, October 25. A Blackfoot Fire Department Ambulance was heading to Blackfoot from Rockford on Highway 39 to provide coverage, as multiple other ambulances were out on calls. While driving, the crew suddenly spotted a column of smoke and flames coming from a shop building near the highway. They immediately radioed the alarm to Station 1, quickly geared up, and began an initial walkaround of the burning structure.
Due to heavy demands on the department from ongoing ambulance calls, Engine 3 was dispatched with only one firefighter on board. In the critical opening minutes of the operation, BFD says there were only three firefighters on scene.
Despite these challenging odds, the crew’s actions were fast and decisive, bringing the fire under control within 30 minutes of the initial call. This was largely due to the help of multiple off-duty and volunteer firefighters, along with a water tender from the Fort Hall Fire Department, says BFD.
At the same time, a search team firefighter found an individual who had been sleeping in an attached exposure building, a nearby structure that was at risk, and safely guided them to safety.
The Blackfoot Fire Department extended its sincere thanks to the Fort Hall Fire Department and their dedicated volunteers, stating, “We are proud to serve the citizens of Blackfoot and Bingham County and are always ready to answer the call, wherever and whenever it comes.”