Fire Drill Suspended for Actual Fire in St. Marie

Originally, the plan was to meet with the guys from the St. Marie Fire Department on the afternoon of July 24. I was going to watch them drill and shoot the breeze about a few of them getting their Emergency Medical Technician certifications and some of the challenges they face as a rural fire department in a small community. By July 23, the plan changed dramatically after our firefighters were called to tackle a structure fire by Rose Hill. Typically, this would be a call that Long Run would respond to, but, as the situation often goes in the summer in Northeast Montana, there was more than one fire. Long Run was already on the road assisting firefighting efforts in McCone County, requiring the team in St. Marie to put their practice run on hold for a bit of the real thing.

The fire was located at a small building 5 miles south of St. Marie, which started due to an electrical malfunction. As the black smoke billowed, the blaze consumed a structure housing a well adjacent to a corral on the Marvin Shipp place. The day was a challenging one for firefighters as temperatures were high and wind gusts clocked in around 30 mph. While making sure that a fire is contained and doesn't spread is always a firefighter's priority, responding quickly is the best way to prevent such problems from spreading out of control. Being located just a few miles north made all the difference. When they arrived at the fire, the flames had pretty much consumed the shelter but there were still plenty of other structures that could have been damaged if the team had not prevented the fire from spreading to surrounding grass.

St. Marie Fire Chief Rob Esaias has been fighting fires for 14 years and has big ambitions for St. Marie. He would like to see the department grow and would like to have more volunteers on his squad. Esaias also stated that they could make use of an ambulance as he and two others on his crew have completed EMT training.

The town has multiple fire hazards at any given time, be it the abandoned houses or overgrown lots that encompass much of the town. Although fireworks are prohibited in St. Marie, Esaias and his crew sacrificed much of their 4th of July weekend and the days following to patrol the town for fires that could have been caused by irresponsible revellers. 

In the five years since Esaias has been chief, he has obtained two newer engines that hold 1,500 gallons of water and a brush-fire truck on loan from Fort Peck. It's a good thing when local fire departments can help each other out. Esaias stated that he encourages other departments to call if he and his team can be of any assistance.

Additionally, mark your calendars: There will be a parade and community picnic on Saturday, Aug. 13, put on by the St. Marie Fire Department and Women's Club. The fun will kick off at 1:30 p.m. on Ash Street, proceeding down Country Club Blvd., up Cedar Street, and back onto Ash. The BBQ will start at 3 p.m. by the Town Hall building.