Echo Lake station unveils new structure

The Bigfork Fire Department unveiled its new three-story training facility next to the department's Echo Lake station Saturday morning.

"It is because we believe that your training and your safety is of the utmost importance that we made funding this project a high priority," Jim Sticka, president of Friends of the Bigfork Fire Department, said to the firefighters in attendance.

Friends of the Bigfork Fire Department raised more than $120,000 over the past couple of years to fund the building's construction.

While opening Saturday's ceremonies, Wayne Loeffler, Bigfork Fire chief, said that the ribbon-cutting was an exciting day for his department as it marked the opening of a facility that will allow them to train in more extensive ways on a more consistent basis then they were previously able to. The training building will give the Bigfork firefighters, as well as those from Creston and Ferndale, a place to conduct live burns, practice searching for people in various scenarios, experience high-angle rescue techniques, learn to rappel down the side of buildings and run through Mayday procedures.

Loeffler has said he is especially looking forward to using the building for getting all of his firefighters trained at Level 1 or higher. The Firefighter 1 program, which takes three to four months to complete, ensures that firefighters have full abilities in the basics of their job. This certification has been difficult for members of the department to achieve without spending several years on the department. No other department in the Valley has a training structure of this size, according to Loeffler.

The first phase of construction of the building was completed in October. Some minor exercises were conducted in the building at the beginning of the year, and firefighters recently gained full use of the structure following the completion of phase two of construction. The final phase, the creation of an exterior stairwell, is still pending additional funding. That phase is expected to cost about $30,000.

Also on the list for improvements is metal sheeting for the walls in the burn room. By installing metal sheets on the walls in that room, the department can burn hotter fires without harming the walls, which will also be protected from being damaged by the powerful hoses that are used when putting out those fires. Loeffler said he was unsure of the cost of the metal sheets.

Saturday's event was more than just a ceremony; it was also an opportunity for community members to get an up-close look at the procedures firefighters use when responding to the scene of a fire. The department simulated a fire in the burn room on the lower level of the building and allowed attendees to stand safely in another room, but within viewing distance, while firefighters demonstrated an evolution that included showing how they would enter the building, check for victims and put the fire out. Other aspects of the job were also outlined, including working with the hose and running the ladder truck's extendable ladder.

"I think it was good for people to get to see what we do," Loeffler said. "They were able to see what we truly go through, but on a much lower level. It opened their eyes to what firefighters have to do at the scene of a fire."

Loeffler said that he hopes to do more demonstrations like this one in the future to familiarize the community with the department's procedures. He also added that the feedback that he got from both the tour of the structure and the demonstration of the evolution by members of his department was positive.