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FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISH GREENACRES RV AND GARAGE FIRE

Aug 2, 2019

For Immediate Release:

August 2, 2019

 

Contact:

Scott Niebuhr

Firefighter/Public Information Officer

Spokane Valley Fire Department

509-319-6078

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FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISH GREENACRES RV AND GARAGE FIRE

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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded at 2:29 AM this morning to a report of a house fire in the 19000 block of E Sprague Ave. Neighbors called 911 to report a large fire, but were unable to see what was burning due to trees, with the homeowners calling 911 soon afterwards once they were able to evacuate the home.

Engine 3 was first on scene to a 5th Wheel RV fully engulfed in fire spreading to a nearby garage. Firefighters deployed fire hose to begin attacking the fire and protecting the garage, with firefighters on Ladder 10 quickly arriving to pull a second hoseline for fire attack. Battalion Chief 22 assumed command of the fire and upgraded the response to a “working fire”. Engine 85 arriving via automatic aid deployed supply hose from a fire hydrant down the road to Engine 3, and after establishing Engine 3’s water supply began assisting Ladder 10 with protecting the garage from fire spread. Arriving firefighters on Engine 5 and Rescue 8 assumed roles as the back-up team and rapid intervention team.

Firefighters had the majority of fire extinguished in under 20 minutes, remaining on scene for several additional hours to fully extinguish any hotspots. Homeowners were originally alerted by a loud “whoosh” noise while sleeping, and came outside to see the RV fully engulfed in fire. The RV was in the process of being rebuilt, with work being done earlier that evening. Several propane tanks were stored in the RV and garage with the possibility of one or more tanks exploding after the fire started. Due to a rapid fire attack, firefighters were able to save the majority of the garage and prevent the fire from spreading inside the home.

The exact fire cause is under investigation. There were no reports of injuries to the homeowners, any animals, or firefighters. The home’s occupants are not expected to be displaced due to the fire being contained to the RV and garage. A total of 11 fire trucks and command vehicles responded. Assistance was provided by Spokane County Fire District #8, Spokane Valley Police Department with traffic control, and a standby ambulance from American Medical Response.

Garage and RV fire in Greenacres

About SVFD
Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighter crews which include paramedics and EMT’s, responded to more than 17,487 emergency calls in 2018.

Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and has a class 2 WSRB rating as given by the Washington Survey and Ratings Bureau (WSRB).  SVFD is one of four accredited departments in the state and the only accredited department with distinction as a WSRB class 2.   

For more information about Spokane Valley Fire Department, visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

Follow us @spokanevalleyfire on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

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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.”