Pinedale on the Web!
Pinedale, Wyoming
Home | Calendar of Events | Photo Gallery | Local Businesses |

Sublette County Firefighters Sublette County firefighters who attended the Mid-Winter Fire School at the Wyoming Fire Academy in Riverton. See * at the end of the article for names of the people in this group photo. Trapped Firefighters must demonstrate the techniques to properly extract a victim trapped in a vehicle. Working on the windshield Festus Krause (left) and T.J. Hunt (right) work to demonstrate the evolutions, or proper steps, to extricate an entrapped victim in a vehicle. Taking off the roof Sublette County volunteer firefighters T.J. Hunt (Daniel), Richard Thomas (Bondurant), and Festus Krause (Kendall Valley) work to demonstrate the evolutions to extricate a victim entrapped in a vehicle. Extricating entrapped victim Daniel volunteer fireman, Loren Racich (right, in the red helmet) works with a class teammate to demonstrate the evolutions to extricate an entrapped victim. Dragging hose The team must successfully pass the assignment of coordinatiing an interior attack of a structure fire. Getting ready to go T.J. Hunt, Richard Thomas and Festus Krause work as a team to coordinate an interior attack for a structure fire. Structure fire attack The firemen coordinate an interior attack for a structure fire. Scroll down this page for more photos.

In early January, ten Sublette County volunteer firefighters completed the training to receive their Wyoming Firefighter II Standard Pro Board Certification. Three firemen received Firefighter I certification. The training was held January 3-6 at the Mid-Winter Fire School at the Wyoming Fire Academy in Riverton, Wyoming. Twenty-one additional firefighters are currently taking the class to become Pro Board Certified.

Pro Board Certification is a national accreditation program that allows individual firefighters and emergency first responders to meet professional national standards for their respective fields. Upon certification, individuals have their names placed in a national database.

Pro Board Certification is similar to the “Red Card” system that has been used by the U.S. Forest Service for years for recruiting help for wildland fires. Pro Board Certification creates a standardized testing and national accreditation system for structure firefighters.

The need for the standardized qualification system became apparent after the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York and Hurricane Katrina natural disaster in New Orleans.
__________________________________________

FIREFIGHTER I PRO BOARD CERTIFICATION

Three firemen received Firefighter I Pro Board Certification:
Cody Roberts, Daniel Volunteer Firefighter
Joe Sampson, Kendall Valley Firefighter
Eric Schneider, Bondurant Volunteer Firefighter

A person certified at the Fire Fighter I level has demonstrated competency in the necessary knowledge and skills, while working under direct supervision, to function safely and effectively as a member of a firefighting team. They are trained in emergency medical care and hazardous materials awareness, as well as fire behavior and control, fire alarm and communication, forcible entry, ropes and ladders, rescue, sprinklers and many other competency areas.
__________________________________________

FIREFIGHTER II PRO BOARD CERTIFICATION
A person certified at the Fire Fighter II level has demonstrated greater competency in the necessary knowledge and skills to function safely and effectively as a member of a firefighting team under general supervision.

Firefighters have to have certificates for training in vehicle rescue and hazardous materials operations. They are trained and tested in the areas of fire behavior, building construction, fire department organization, fire alarm and communications, water supplies and sprinklers, ropes and ladders, ventilation, foam fire streams, fire control and other areas.

Below are the Sublette County firefighters who completed their Wyoming Firefighter II standard Pro Board Certification earlier in January:

Daniel Volunteer Fire Department:
T. J. Hunt, Daniel VFD firefighter and Sublette County Fire Warden
Ben Franklin, Daniel VFD Fire Chief
Loren Racich, Daniel VFD Lieutenant

Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department:
Alvin Mitchell, Pinedale VFD Fire Chief
Ron Ruckman, Piinedale VFD Assistant Chief
Don Duerr, Pinedale VFD Lieutenant
Kelly Tegeler, Pinedale VFD Lieutenant

Bondurant Volunteer Fire Department:
Richard Thomas, Bondurant VFD Fire Chief
David Viebrock, Bondurant Firefighter

Kendall Valley Volunteer Fire Department:
Festus Krause, Kendall Valley VFD Fire Chief
__________________________________________

More Firefighters taking class for Pro Board Certification

Sublette County volunteer firefighters who are presently going through the Pro Board Certification class are:

Kendall Valley Volunteer Fire Department:
Christi Krause (FF), Antor Kolis (FF), Mark Weber (FFI), John Doak (FFI), Don Sell (FF), Joe Sampson (FFI), Jeff Piros (FFI), Shawn Piros (FFI), Jeff Debenport (FF), Jim Smith (FF), Dawn Perry (FF), Kurt Krech (FF)

Boulder Volunteer Fire Department:
Rob Strong (FF)

Bondurant Volunteer Fire Department:
Eric Schneider (FFI)

Big Piney/Marbleton Volunteer Fire Department:
Mark Porter (FF), Marcy Setser (FF), Jake Porter (FF), Adam Porter (FF)

Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department:
Curt Esterholt (FF), Olissio Faverani (FF), Paul Knapp (FF), Darren Koons (FF), Brent Thomas (FF)
__________________________________________

Interested? Here’s who to contact for more information about becoming a volunteer firefighter

Sublette County’s fire fighting services are provided by a network of highly trained volunteers operating out of six fire departments in Pinedale, Big Piney/Marbleton, Daniel, Bondurant, Boulder and Kendall Valley. These men and women contribute significant amounts of their personal time for regular training. They go out on calls for house and chimney fires, vehicle accidents and fires, range and forest fires. They are always looking for new members to join the department.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the volunteer fire department in their area can contact any of these Fire Chiefs.

Pinedale: Alvin Mitchell, Chief, 307-367-3550 fire hall
PO Box 653, Pinedale, WY 82941

Big Piney/Marbleton: John Ball, Chief, 307-276-3409 fire hall
PO Box 588, Big Piney, WY 83113

Bondurant: Richard Thomas, Chief, 307-733-2180 fire hall
PO Box 317, Bondurant, WY 82922

Boulder: John Blaha, Chief, 307-537-5454 fire hall
PO Box 94, Boulder, WY 82923

Daniel: Ben Franklin, Chief, 307-859-8400 fire hall
PO Box 262, Daniel, WY 83115

Kendall Valley: Festus Krause, Chief, 307-367-6842
PO Box 252, Cora, WY 82925
__________________________________________

Special Thanks: Sublette County firefighters wish to express their thanks also to these people with the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety: Rita Lee, Certification Coordinator; Ken Metzler, Wyoming State Instructor; Shad Cooper, Wyoming State Instructor.

*Group photo, back row, standing, left to right: Alvin Mitchell (Pinedale Fire Chief), Don Duerr (Pinedale), Kelly Tegeler (Pinedale), Ron Ruckman (Pinedale), Loren Racich (Daniel), T.J. Hunt (Sublette County Fire Warden, Daniel), Festus Krause (Kendall Valley) Christi Krause (Kendall Valley). Kneeling, left to right: Richard Thomas (Bondurant Fire Chief), Ben Franklin (Daniel Fire Chief), Dave Viebrock (Bondurant), Cody Roberts (Daniel), Gloria Thomas (Bondurant), Joe Sampson (Kendall Valley).

Thank you to T.J. Hunt for his contribution to this story. Photos courtesy Sublette County Fire Board.

Related Links Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department Wyoming State Fire Marshall Wyoming Fire Academy Pro Board Certification Video