Media Releases

16 New Recruits Enter SVFD’s New EMT Basic School

05/08/23

On April 17th, 16 new SVFD recruits began EMT School. They will participate in 6 weeks of class, learning the ins-and-outs of EMS and then proceed...

Do Lithium-Ion Batteries Pose a Fire Risk?

03/14/23

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are in widespread use in consumer electronics. Lithium batteries have become the industry standard for rechargeable...

2023 Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week

01/18/23

Each year, starting with the Martin Luther King holiday, fire departments around the nation support a weeklong campaign to educate communities about...

FIRE IN NEWSPRINT SHREDDER CONTAINED QUICKLY

Dec 3, 2020

For Immediate Release:

December 02, 2020

Contact:

Don Kresse

Public Information Officer

Spokane Valley Fire Department

509-319-6078

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Fire in Newsprint Shredder Contained Quickly

Machinery Fire at Inland Empire Paper Co, 3320 N. Argonne

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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded this evening to 3320 N. Argonne to the Inland Empire Paper Company with a report of a fire in a control room with a number of employees attempting to fight the fire. A total of 18 fire apparatus and support vehicles responded from the Spokane Valley Fire Department and three neighboring fire agencies with a total of 44 personnel.

The first Firefighters arrived in five minutes to the southeast portion of the paper mill complex to find active fire inside of a newsprint recycling shredder and upgraded the response to a working structure fire and then to a second alarm due to the size and complexity of the mill. Crews quickly determined the nature and location of the fire in the hopper assembly. With the help of the mill employees, high voltage power was shut down prior to application of large volumes of water to the involved area. All employees were determined to be evacuated and accounted for. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage was limited to the shredder/hopper and immediate area. With an aggressive attack, firefighters were able to contain the fire to the area of origin and keep the fire from spreading to the surrounding area and the mill complex. In an example of the collaborative efforts of the area fire agencies, the existing auto aid agreements brought the closest fire apparatus from the City of Spokane Fire Department as well as Spokane County Fire Districts 8 and 9 to this incident.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind all residents that when a fire is discovered, please do not attempt to fight the fire yourself. Move to a safe area and call 911 to get the fire department responding as soon as possible.

About Spokane Valley Fire Department
Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) serves a population of 125,000, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood, as well as surrounding unincorporated areas within the 75-square miles of Spokane County Fire District 1. In 2019, SVFD firefighter crews, including its paramedics and EMTs, responded to more than 18,326 emergency calls.

Established eighty years ago in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and by the fire district’s ISO Class 2 rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau.

Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Did you Know?

You can sign up for a station tour. Great for small groups.

You should replace the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year.

Creating a defensible space with regards to wildfires could just save your home or property.

We have Friends & Family CPR classes every month.

Media Contact

Julie Happy

509-892-4155

happyj@spokanevalleyfire.com

Commissioner Patrick Burch

Board Member Since: July 18, 2016
Current term expires: December 31, 2025

Commissioner Burch was appointed to the Board of Fire Commissioners in July 2016 to fill an unexpired term and has served continuously since that time. He became a volunteer member of the Department’s CERT Team in 2008 and later served as a team leader/member of Fire Corps.

“I admire the Spokane Valley Fire Department’s focus on continuous improvement. Our dedication to the community, fiscal responsibility and the fact that we are one of the few accredited fire departments in the State of Washington all make SVFD great!”

Note: As the individual appointed to this non-partisan position, Commissioner Burch was elected by voters in November 2017.

Commissioner Mike Kester

Board Member Since: January 1, 2020
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2025

Commissioner Mike Kester was elected to the Board of Fire Commissioners in November, 2019.

Commissioner Kester grew up in the Spokane area and has a deep appreciation for just how fortunate we all are to live in this beautiful area. He believes that being involved in this community is not something to take lightly.

His background includes joining the United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G) after high school and serving on a port firefighting boat doing search and rescue in Portland, Oregon. After the Coast Guard, he attended the University of Montana earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Resource Management. He then went on to work for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, serving in their Parks Department.

Spokane was the next step in his career. He went to work for the Burlington Santa Fe Railroad and the next 22 years was spent as a conductor moving freight. Commissioner Kester retired in 2010 after a workplace injury and now, he and his wife enjoy making meals for World War II Veterans, helping out at the YMCA ,and providing meals for those in need.

“In the 25 years of being a resident of the Spokane Valley the professionalism of the SVFD has inspired me to take an active part in bettering our community. We have one of the best fire departments in the whole Pacific Northwest. My wife and I have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. I have dedicated my life to keeping them safe. I want to apply that dedication to our community. Keeping us all safe is a goal we should all aspire to in one way or another. Communication within the department and with the public is, and always will be one of my primary goals.”

Commissioner John Guarisco

Board Member since: August 27, 2018
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2027

Commissioner Guarisco was appointed to the Board of Fire Commissioners in August 2018 to fill an unexpired term and has served continuously since that time. Commissioner Guarisco founded Marjoni Marketing in 2004 and in 2010 merged with MDI marketing. He then pursued Real Estate, earning his license and now, currently serves the greater Spokane area as a licensed Realtor. He has long been active in the community and has won numerous awards during his career including the Volunteer of the Year (2014) and the Community Caring Award (2010) from the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Greater Spokane Valley Rotary Club and holds an AA degree from Spokane Falls Community College.

Note: As the individual appointed to this non-partisan position, Commissioner Guarisco was elected by voters in November 2019.

Commissioner Bill Anderson

Board Member since: January 1, 2000
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2023

Commissioner Anderson served our community as a Spokane Valley Fire Department firefighter for 29 years. Throughout his career, he worked as a firefighter, dispatcher and engineer before he was promoted and became an officer. He was Station Captain of Millwood Station 2 when he retired in 1999. During his years as firefighter, he was an active leader of Spokane Valley Firefighters Local 876 and served as a trustee on the Washington State Council of Firefighters for 25 years.

“It’s important to me that we continue the good service we’ve always given the people. We’ve accomplished a lot and are pulling in the same direction to get better. I’m very proud of the Spokane Valley Fire Department.”

Commissioner Brian Asmus

Board Member Since: June 14, 2021
Current term expires:

Commissioner Brian Asmus was appointed to the Spokane Valley Fire Department Board of Fire Commissioners in 2021.

Commissioner Asmus is the former Liberty Lake Police Chief and current Director of Safety and Security at Central Valley School District (CVSD).

“Brian Asmus brings extensive Public Safety leadership experience, and a long history of being actively engaged in his community to his new role as a SVFD Commissioner,” said SVFD Fire Chief, Bryan Collins. “During his time as a Police Chief, Brian interacted with SVFD firefighters and administrators on a regular basis, making him very familiar with our structure, standing within our communities, as well as with many of our current SVFD board members and personnel. Brian’s experience working and collaborating on regional issues aligns nicely with SVFD’s philosophy and will help us continue to be a catalyst for local and regional excellence and innovation.”