Smith Valley firefighters buoyed by support after station burned

Firefighters throughout the region and the country are rallying to support the Smith Valley Fire Department after an arson fire at its Foy’s Lake station destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars in gear and equipment over the Fourth of July weekend.

On July 31 a Firefighter Walk-a-Mile fundraising event at Legends Stadium in Kalispell will give the public a chance to show their support for the beleaguered first responders.

South Kalispell Assistant Fire Chief Brian Carter has been organizing the event along with volunteer firefighters Tiffany Hamden and Jim Roets of the Marion Rural Fire Department. Carter said they have contacted staff at more than 20 local agencies to participate, including fire departments, law enforcement agencies and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Participants will raise donations before the event, then don as much as 75 pounds of firefighting gear before walking at least one mile around the track at Legends Stadium. Marion Fire Chief Katie Mast added that the event will include a friendly competition between participants from the north and south ends of the valley.

“It’s basically just showing the community that their money is going to be at work,” Carter said. “Anybody can come down and participate in it — it’s not just firefighters or EMS or law enforcement.”

The event is free to attend and takes place 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at Legends Stadium in Kalispell.

To register for the Firefighter Walk-a-Mile or for more information, contact Roets at 406-854-2555 or by email at james.roets@yahoo.com.

The fire was discovered July 3, after it had already burned itself out and destroyed a fire truck, six sets of firefighting gear and other rescue equipment, while causing serious damage to one of the fire engines.

Smith Valley Fire Chief D.C. Haas said he’s still awaiting word from the insurance company on how much of the damage will be covered under their policy, but has been overwhelmed by support from both the local community and fire departments around the country.

“It’s very humbling to see the public support out there,” he said. “It’s embarrassing, that we’re the ones that should be providing the help when it’s time for an emergency, but it’s amazing to see the public helping us.”

Haas estimates he’s fielded 30 to 40 calls from fire departments as far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia, including one department that offered to pay for half the cost of purchasing a new fire truck or engine.

The department has also received more than $1,000 in donations through an online fundraising campaign at www.gofundme.com/SVFDAUX.

The Smith Valley Fire Department covers a more than 44,000-acre fire district, and while the area served by the Foy’s Lake station has been spared any major incidents since July 4, Haas said the impacts are still felt indirectly.

The stretch of U.S. 2 between the two fire stations tends to have a high volume of vehicle accidents, and the second station allows engine crews to respond to wrecks from both the east and west sides.

He added that firefighters based out of Foy’s Lake also provide frequent backup for the main Smith Valley department as well as the Kalispell Fire Department when mutual aid is requested for incidents on the city’s west side.

“It’s a puzzle, and when you get a kink in the system it affects other departments around your neighborhood,” Haas said. “No one department does everything by themselves. We rely on our neighbors so much, and when you’re down equipment or [have a] slowed response time it affects everyone.”

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry, whose office is investigating the fire as an arson, said Thursday the investigation is still ongoing and that no charges had been filed.

He added that a cash reward is still available for anyone with information that leads to a conviction on the arson. To anonymously provide a tip, contact the Flathead Crimestoppers at 406-752-8477 or by email at flatheadcrimestoppers1@gmail.com.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.