SVFD News

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...

Stop The Bleed Training

Jul 14, 2021

Spokane Valley Fire Department offers free monthly classes for citizens interested in learning simple, effective lifesaving skills to respond to sudden cardiac arrest and to bleeding injuries caused by trauma. Each month, we offer three sessions of our Friends & Family CPR class and two sessions of the Stop the Bleed class, as described below. Each session is about two hours. Register today!

FRIENDS & FAMILY CPR CLASS

Learn CPR in just over two hours in our free Friends & Family CPR class taught by SVFD firefighters and paramedics. In addition to CPR, you’ll also learn how to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), the Pulse Point mobile app and choking intervention techniques.

Our Friends & Family CPR classes are taught on the second Saturday of each month at the Spokane Valley Fire Department Training Center, 2411 N. Pioneer Lane. Class size is limited and registration is required. We offer three sessions:

Adult/Child CPR: 9 – 11:30 AM
Infant CPR: 11:30 am – 2 PM
Adult/Child CPR: 2 – 4:30 PM

Friends & Family CPR classes are ideal for:

Families and friends
Babysitters
Pregnant mothers and new parents
Scout troops
Business and office workers
Anyone who needs a CPR refresher course

Register by finding the class you want to take on our events directory page or call 928-1700. You must be at least 12 years old to participate. We do not schedule large groups (such as scout troops), however families may register their own family members.

NOTE: This is not a Healthcare Provider Course (Certification is not provided). It is a participatory course only. If you need CPR certification, please look for courses offered by other organizations in our community.

‘STOP THE BLEED’ CLASS

Learn lifesaving techniques to stop uncontrolled bleeding in our free Stop the Bleed class, taught by SVFD paramedic RW Pegau. Uncontrolled bleeding is the #1 cause of preventable death from trauma in the U.S.

Uncontrolled bleeding can happen anywhere and be caused by many things such as motor vehicle collisions, mechanical equipment malfunction and even bicycle and playground injuries. This means the skills learned in Stop the Bleed can be widely applied in many situations. This training program is similar to citizen CPR training.

Our Stop the Bleed classes are taught on the third Saturday of each month at the Spokane Valley Fire Department Training Center, 2411 N. Pioneer Lane. Class size is limited and registration is required. We offer two sessions:

9:00 – 11:00 am
11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Stop the Bleed classes are ideal for:

Parents and family members
Coaches
Babysitters
Scout troops
Business and office workers
Anyone who would like to be prepared to save a life

Register by finding the class you want to take on our events directory page or call 928-1700. You must be at least 12 years old to participate. Groups are welcome.

All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in the Bleeding Control Basic v.1.0 Course.

Stop the Bleed is a national awareness and training program that aims to train citizens – called ‘immediate responders’ – to stop uncontrolled bleeding. Inspired by the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in 2012, Stop the Bleed was developed by the American College of Surgeons and launched with a call to action by the White House in 2015. Since that time, more than 15,000 health care professionals and paramedics have been trained to teach bleeding control. These professionals, in turn, have trained over 124,000 members of the general public how to stop uncontrolled bleeding using a training program that is similar to citizen CPR training.

← SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO COMMERCIAL FIRE Schedule a Station Tour →

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. Commissioner Burch is co-owner and Business Manager of Neurotherapy Northwest. 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.”