Thibert named firefighter of the year

Engineer Don Thibert of the Kalispell Fire Department has been named firefighter of the year by the Kalispell Lions Club based on an annual vote among his co-workers.

“It’s nice to hear from the guys you work with that they appreciate what you do and that you’re doing a good job,” said Thibert. “It takes a whole department of people to make a great place to work and I am just one.”

“Honestly, any one of us could have been given this award,” Thibert added. “We’re different than cops. They have to do a lot of their job by themselves when a call comes in. But for our calls, we can’t do that. We go as a team and we rely on each other as a team.”

As an engineer, Thibert is responsible for driving the fire engine and operating the pump and other equipment. On a fire call one person must stay with the engine to make certain the firefighters inside the structure do not lose water pressure. He is also trained as a paramedic.

In addition to his community involvement work, Thibert, 36, has recently returned from Seattle as part of the Kalispell team that competed in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb. The event, which raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, draws firefighting teams from across the West and Canada. This was Thibert’s sixth year taking part in the event, which has firefighters climb 69 flights of stairs, a total of 1,356 steps, while wearing full structural firefighting gear: boots, pants, coat, helmet, gloves and breathing apparatus. Thibert placed 51st with a time of 14:55 out of 1,855 participants.

For Thibert, who has been with the department for 10 years, attitude and ethics are two of the most important elements of his job.

When asked how he would want others to think of him, his answer is simple: “I would want to be thought of as one who always did the right thing, even when it isn’t the easiest choice.”

Doing the right thing is of paramount importance to Thibert, because he knows when he gets an emergency call someone is reaching out from what may be the worst situation of their life. “When people call, it is because they have no other option. They don’t know us, but they are in a situation where they have to give us their trust with what is most precious to them, with their lives, or their loved ones,” said Thibert. It is a heavy burden to live up to.

Thibert was born and raised in Kalispell. He went away for school, but when he returned he knew he wanted to pursue a career as a first responder, despite the challenges that go with it. Firefighters face more than just fires and car wrecks. In addition to the physical challenges of the job, as well as the constant need for training and continuing education, there is also the emotional toll that comes with witnessing someone facing pain or even death.

“I always treat this like it is a great job, even though there are really hard things about it,” said Thibert. “When you’re positive and guys want to work with you, it makes every situation better.”