BUTTE — An emergency services consulting firm has finally returned to the Mining City to present the findings from a $60,000 fire study that the county will use to create a long-term plan for protecting Butte-Silver Bow County homes and businesses.
“This was long overdue and I'm glad it's finally finished and we’re able to get the presentation today," says Butte-Silver Bow Fire Chief Zach Osborne.
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Chief Osborne says the study was completed over several days last summer, but a presentation of the study was placed on hold after communication between a county commissioner and the study administrators broke down.
“All stakeholders volunteer and career side, they all want the best for the public. The problem is they all have different ideas on how to get there,” says Michael Hogan, the project manager for Emergency Services Consulting International, a group that assists fire departments across North America to improve services.
Hogan says a strategic plan could help improve relationships between volunteer and career firefighters in Butte.
"We constantly heard feedback that on the street, that the crews work very well together on emergency scene,” says Hogan.
Hogan says communication among the leadership, however, needs improvement. His recommendations for the short-term include everything from joint training with both volunteer and career departments, to increasing staffing, to clearly defining the role of the director of fire services, and creating a plan for conflict resolution.
"When conflict does arise, we should have procedures in how we deal with the conflict. Shutting off and not talking with each other is not the way to solve that,” says Hogan.
He also recommends a rebrand that would include nods to the historical presence of the volunteer firefighters.
"We want to create that where we’re working as one where truly the department is the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department,” says Hogan.
Other recommendations include the possibility of consolidating volunteer resources and even construction of a new fire station in the future that could accommodate space for volunteers and career firefighters.
"The fire department should have a plan. Hey, what can we see in trends, safety to make it, you know, not only safer for our firefighters but also for the community we serve,” says Hogan.
