Sipe retires as fire chief after 30 years

Long-time department leader to remember the people he served

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

Three decades of emergency calls in the middle of the night. Three decades of consoling distraught volunteer firefighters who have witnessed horrendous tragedies. Three decades of trying to stretch a thin budget and a thin volunteer pool. Add to that a case of lymphoma and it is amazing that Dave Sipe still sounds so upbeat.

"It's a wonderful feeling knowing that you made a difference," he said recently from his home in Whitefish.

Sipe, who has been the chief of the Whitefish Fire Department since 1995, has announced his retirement, ending a long and notable career in Montana's fastest growing city. He started as a volunteer in March 1978. Since then, the department has grown from a haphazard operation to a full-time, 24/7 professional emergency services center, thanks to a recent mill levy passed by city voters.

Sipe said that when he started, the department fielded about 100 to 250 calls a year. Now they get more than that in a month.

"He's seen it all," said veteran volunteer firefighter Tom Kraus. "Anything anybody can throw at you, he's had to deal with it. The community of Whitefish owes him a huge debt of gratitude. He spent 30 years serving the community. He sacrificed his time, his family's time, and pretty much gave up all aspects of a life to serve. What kind of a person is willing to do that?"

SIPE OFFICIALLY announced his retirement on July 3, as he continues his struggle with cancer. A retirement party is planned for Sept. 6 at the South fire station on the corner of Hodgson Rd. and Whitefish Stage Road from 3-4 p.m.

"I feel this department and the community as a whole is greatly indebted to the service that Dave provided during his many years with the fire department," said firefighter/paramedic Justin Woods. "His dedication and commitment is a rare thing to see these days."

Sipe said it was time to get out for many different reasons.

"The thrill was starting to fade," he explained. "I wasn't getting as big a thrill as some of the younger people."

One of the biggest accomplishments of Sipe's career came last week when voters approved the mill levy so that the force can hire additional people.

"This levy is a wonderful thing," he said. "It's wonderful that the city supports this. We're not an eight-hour business. We have to be available all the time. The guys and gals here were so overloaded."

A new fire station is in the works as well, and Sipe is proud of the transformations the department has gone through since he walked in the door in 1978.

He will remember the people he served the most.

"I have helped a lot of people in this community, responding to calls," he said. "They don't forget. They remember who you are and what you did for them."

IN 2006, Sipe was honored as Government Worker of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce and the Whitefish Community Foundation at their annual banquet on Big Mountain. He was awarded Ambulance Attendant of the Year in 1987 and 1991.

Before fulfilling his sense of duty to his community and becoming a full-time firefighter at the age of 30, Sipe worked at the Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant until 1985. He also worked for Bob DePratu for years. He was named chief of the department in 1995.

One of seven brothers, Sipe's father died from a brain tumor when he was 10 and everyone in the family pitched in to help fill the financial void. It was then that he acquired his strong work ethic. He found his calling that day in March.

"I felt like I wanted to do something for the community, and I thought being a firefighter was a good way," he said. "It worked out pretty good."

Sipe has seen some big changes since his early days.

"I don't even know where to begin," he said. "Sometimes we would be rolling to a scene and we would have another call come in. We didn't have anybody to respond, so we would have to call other departments. Sometimes I would have to talk a rookie through starting the ambulance and everything."

Sipe said that back then they wouldn't respond to any fires if the property didn't have a fire contract with the city and it wasn't life-threatening. They would also respond to calls from Eureka to Glacier. Since then, the department's call-load has grown every year.

"We're not the same little town that we were before," he said.

Kraus said that one of the special things about Sipe was his ability to keep people motivated and help them after traumatic experiences.

"How do you take a job that is already difficult enough and on top of that being able to read people and know when there is a problem and when they need help?" Kraus said. "He will definitely be missed."