Seeley Lake Fire Department welcomes a new volunteer, board discusses response times

The Seeley Lake Fire Department is adding two new volunteers to its ranks and the addition of another paramedic makes it so the department is fully staffed with paramedics during the day at least five days each week.

At February's Seeley Lake Fire Board meeting, Fire Chief Dave Lane said over the past couple of months there have not been any responses to filling open volunteer positions. But now the department has received two - one for a firefighting position and one for a chaplain. Michael Bowman, the firefighting volunteer, started at the Seeley Lake Fire District mid-February.

"Volunteerism in the US is a challenge anymore and it's not just Seeley Lake," Bowman said. "Trying to retain volunteers is a nationwide issue ... In a small community like this, it's essential."

Bowman has worked for the Missoula Rural Fire District for 24 years full-time, and he'll continue working full-time while volunteering at Seeley's fire department. He had some space in his schedule open up and decided to start volunteering now, and hopes to add hours when he retires in a few years.

Bowman's skill set as an EMT is similar to a paramedic, but there are some things he's not able to do, like administer narcotics. Despite that, he said the skills he can provide will be a good supplement to what Seeley Lake already has.

He encouraged people in the community to stop by the fire department and ask how they can help if interested, and said there are various ways for people to get involved depending on their comfort level, ranging from work as an EMT - which makes up the most of the calls fire departments receive, Bowman said - to helping plan fundraisers.

"It's hard to find people and it's really vital for fire departments like Seeley to have a robust volunteer roster," Bowman said.

Currently, the Seeley Lake Fire Department has three licensed paramedics and a couple of EMTs on the roster as volunteers.

Fire Department Board Member Jon Kimble asked Lane whether he felt response times were on par or lagging, and Lane said the problem with response times can be the time it takes for volunteers to get from home to the department. Once Steve Larmour, a full-time firefighter in Seeley's department, gets out of paramedic school, a fourth paramedic will be added to the department's roster, and Lane said the station will be fully staffed paramedic-wise during the day at least five days a week. Another department volunteer is working on taking a national EMT test.

Lane said these upgrades will greatly improve daytime response. Currently, the department doesn't have the funding available to add overnight staff.

Lane said the new chaplain isn't planning on getting fire or EMT certifications, but is certified as a chaplain and has a counseling background.

So far this year, the fire department has fielded 19 calls, up seven from last January.

Lane said the department has had some "really good responses to different calls." A fully-staffed engine responded to a couple of car crashes, the ambulance was ready and a back up crew was available if needed.

"That's happened a couple of times recently and it's exciting," Lane said.