Great Falls Fire Rescue responded to a house fire at 12:54 a.m. Feb. 22, during which crews rescued an unresponsive occupant.

When crews arrived, they deployed a handline to the back of the home, working to extinguish the fire before advancing another line to the front for interior fire control and search operations, according to GFFR.

Firefighters located the unresponsive occupant in a hallway during their primary search and removed the person from the house.

GFFR responds to early morning structure fire

GFFR crews administered a Cyanokit, a specialized treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning that GFFR carries, and the occupant was then transported to Benefis Health System by Great Falls Emergency Services.

The occupant was later flown to Salt Lake City for further treatment due to the severity of their condition, according to GFFR.

The house sustained heavy smoke and fire damage, rendering it uninhabitable, according to GFFR.

The cause remains under investigation by GFFR’s Fire Prevention Bureau.

GFFR: Fire property damages increased in recent months over last year

All four of GFFR’s engine companies responded to the fire with Montana Air National Guard and Malmstrom Air Force Base firefighters backfilling Stations 3 and 4 until GFFR callback crews arrived.

“We are grateful for the swift and coordinated efforts of our GFFR crews in both fire suppression and life-saving medical intervention,” GFFR Chief Jeremy Jones said in a release. “This incident highlights the critical importance of our specialized training and equipment in protecting our community.”

Jones also recognized that the fire occurred during Capt. Spencer Swingley’s last shift with GFFR after 21 years of service.

GFFR crews responded to 38 calls during the same 24-hour period that the house fire occurred.

GFFR is reminding residents to ensure working smoke alarms are installed in their homes and to have an established fire escape plan.

GFFR chief: Lack of fire training facility risks readiness, safety, increased insurance rates

The Feb. 22 fire brings the total for the year so far to 12 working fires with 95 structure alarms and calls, according to GFFR.

Of those, so far this year, five were residential fires, three in January and two in February, according to GFFR data.

That follows four residential fires in November and seven in December.

It also increases the property and contents loss.

From November 2023 to February 2024, the property loss was $351,500 with $64,000 in contents loss.

GFFR responds to house fire, 10 people get out safely

From November 2024 to February so far, the property loss has been $665,300 with $342,620 in contents loss, according to GFFR. The Feb. 22 fire has not yet been factored into those numbers since the investigation isn’t complete.

In January, Jones told commissioners that the GFFR training center on 9th Street South is largely unusable, limiting firefighter training, risking their safety and by extension their ability to respond to all potential emergencies in the community.

That also comes with a potential cost, either in loss of property or injuries and since a training center is a factor in the Insurance Services Office’s determination of the city’s rating, which directly impacts insurance residential and commercial property insurance premiums.

Commission approves FEMA grant application for fire equipment

Jones presented a proposal for $2.5 million, financed through non-voted general obligation debt, to revamp the training center.

During their Feb. 18 work session, Commissioner Susan Wolff said she wanted an update on that project from staff.

City Manager Greg Doyon said that in the meantime, he had authorized GFFR to purchase a mobile training prop as a stopgap.

The mobile training prop is $59,850 and the GFFR Foundation purchased the trailer to move it between fire stations and other training locations for about $12,000.

City fire rating drops; officials discussing need for firefighters, stations [2022]

“This training prop is not a substitute for the full rebuild of our training facility but serves as a critical stopgap measure to sustain training efforts until the new training center is completed. The prop will provide hands-on training opportunities, ensuring that our firefighters are prepared to respond effectively to emergencies,” according to GFFR’s budget worksheet for the purchase. “This strategic investment ensures that GFFR personnel remain highly trained and ready to serve while we work toward the long-term goal of rebuilding our dedicated training facility.”

The prop fits within a standard parking space, so it can be transported to each fire station for training in different districts and can be used within the engine bays during inclement weather, according to GFFR.

The prop is being purchased with funds collected through enforcement of their ambulance transport performance contract, which are unrestricted and GFFR typically uses those funds toward large items.

Photo by The Electric at the GFFR training center during training in previous years.