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Missoula fire chief: levy-funded hires, new engine company and Station 6 to cut response times
Summary
Fire Chief Lonnie Rasch told City Club Missoula that the 2024 fire levy funded 20 new firefighters and a sixth engine company; a station siting study recommends Station 6 between Russell and Reserve to improve 4‑minute coverage, and the department is implementing ImageTrend and expanding mobile behavioral‑health response.
Missoula Fire Chief Lonnie Rasch told a City Club Missoula forum that the 2024 fire levy enabled the department to hire 20 new firefighters and place a sixth engine company into service to improve coverage while a new fire station is planned.
Rasch said the sixth engine company was placed in service from Station 4 as a temporary measure until a Station 6 can be built. He cited a 2024 station‑siting study that recommends placing the new station on 3rd between Russell and Reserve (study location described in forum remarks) to reduce some response‑time gaps: "We wanna be to your emergency within 4 minutes... We go from 39% of those addresses to 29%." He said the department is also pursuing technology and data improvements — naming ImageTrend for EMS patient‑care tracking — and that fire prevention inspections and training are priorities.
Rasch described the mobile support team (behavioral‑health crisis response) as running ~3,100 calls last year and said the program’s aim is to divert people from detention and emergency departments when appropriate. He said the department is evaluating metrics (repeat contacts, resource handoffs) and is considering expanded hours to reduce repeat encounters.
On fire‑season outlook Rasch said snowpack numbers look better than expected ("80 to 90%"), but fine fuels and valley fuel moisture will dictate risk; he urged residents to follow evacuation orders when issued and recommended signing up for the local emergency notification system.
Rasch said further work is needed on station siting, road‑work coordination and funding. He identified longer‑range planning for Station 7 (Mullen Road area) as the likely future priority as the city grows.
The panel took audience questions about the South Reserve station driveway, station siting rationale and timing; Rasch said some road work is planned and that conversations about retention or replacement of Missoula Rural's Station 1 and future city funding are ongoing.
