Media Releases

Call for Pro and Con Committee to Review Levy

11/29/22

Pro and Con Committees Spokane Valley Fire Department is placing before the voters on the February 14, 2023 ballot a proposition authorizing a maintenance and operations excess levy.

Do you know what a Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Levy is?

11/23/22

How does a Fire District get its funding for Maintenance and Operations (M&O)? Junior taxing Fire Districts must go out for Levies every 4 years...

Winter Is Coming

10/25/22

Now is the time to prepare your home to be fire safe. More fires happen in the winter months than any other time of the year. During the cold...

SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE INSPECTIONS ARE DISCOVERING MISSING CAPS

Jun 13, 2019

For Immediate Release:

June 10, 2019

Contact: Julie Happy

Community Affairs Manager

Spokane Valley Fire

509.892.4155

SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE INSPECTIONS ARE DISCOVERING MISSING CAPS

AREA BUSINESSES AFFECTED

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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) is currently performing annual inspections of area businesses for fire safety. During these inspection they are noticing a number of brass fire caps missing from Fire Department Connection (FDC) locations near or on business buildings. The FDC is the building’s lifeline to fire prevention. It allows the Fire Department to connect to a business’s sprinkler piping system to insure water is available and/or to increases pressure to the sprinkler system during a fire event.

“When FDC’s are compromised by missing caps, they are vulnerable to debris, vandalism, rocks, and damage,” said Chief Bryan Collins. “This can cause a restriction in the flow of water to the sprinkler protection systems and standpipes that are located on site in garages or stairwells, affecting the safety of the building in the case of fire.”

When a cap is compromised or missing, businesses must conduct a back flush test. This test is to confirm the integrity of the piping system for future use in case of incident. The SVFD recommends businesses install a FDC Locking cap to help protect sprinkler systems from theft, vandalism, debris, and damage.

Businesses can call the SVFD for more information on FDC Locks and protecting against theft, damage, and vandalism at 509.928.1700.

If businesses or citizens notice any suspicious activity around these FDC locations they should call 911 and report the incident in progress. If it is just noticed that the cap is missing, they can call the SVFD at the above noted number for information on cap replacement procedures.

About SVFD
Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Spokane Valley, City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State.

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

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← SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE AND STARBUCKS MAKE A COMMUNITY IMPACT SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE AND METRO AREA PARTNERS ATTEND HELICOPTER HOIST TRAINING →

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.”