Billings MT Fuego Fire Department Fundraises for New Station Firefighters

The Fuego Volunteer Fire Company is currently fundraising to build a fire station.

The volunteer firefighters have set up a GoFundMe page and Facebook page and are accepting private donations in attempts to raise enough money to build a station.

It serves the Fuego Fire Service Area covering Lone Eagle Drive and the surrounding area north of Billings. Since its official creation in 2017, the volunteer department hasn’t had a fire station.

The department is currently housing equipment in various members' houses and garages and keeping the fire trucks in a storage rental on the west end of Billings.

They have to drive about an hour out of their way, depending on traffic or road conditions, to respond to a call, said secretary and treasurer of Fuego, Fred Morganthaler. For a wildfire or emergency, a quick response time is vital.

“What makes us effective is to have a quick strike unit,” he said. “The success for any wildland fire is the initial response and attack. Once it gets going, especially in windy situations, they’ll spread really fast.”

Without a station, Fire Chief Marc Osborn doesn’t think they’ll be able to last another year. Rental and general maintenance costs, or potential damage to the trucks from improper storage could prove fatal to the small department.

“It’s not sustainable. We’re paying rent this entire winter to have those trucks in a heated storage area,” Osborn said.

The station would cost around $150,000 dollars, according to Morgenthaler.

Over the past five months they’ve raised just under $20,000 dollars through self-donation and community donations, said Morgenthaler. They’re also trying to get funding from the county, but it’s still in preliminary stages.

They’ll need around $50,000 for a down payment, said Osborn. Once they have that he thinks their most viable option is to take out a loan, if they can’t get additional funding from the county.

The department does get funding from the county, but Osborn said most costs are covered from annual fundraising. Osborn is hopeful they’ll start construction on the station by July and the department won’t have to shut down.

Without the department the area would not be covered by the Yellowstone County mutual aid agreement, meaning they won’t get assistance from other departments across the county or aid them when necessary. The Fuego area also isn’t covered by the Billings urban fire service area.

“If Fuego does not exist we won’t have an agreement with Yellowstone County mutual aid,” Osborn said. “Our area would be a no-man's land, no one would cover it.”

To the volunteer members of Fuego the department building a new station—especially before fire season starts—is vital.

“This last year we had five wildland fires, which is more than we’ve ever had in this area,” said Morgenthaler. “We’ve had several calls and we’ve responded to every one of them. That’s a pretty great for something our size.”

The station would be built on a one and half acre plot on Highway 3, bordering the Intermountain Equestrian Center, who donated the land.

The land title was officially deeded to them about two weeks ago, said Osborn. The process of getting the title, he said, has taken about a year.

They also have a builder lined up, Osborn said, and initial plans on the building are in the works. The station will be a fully functioning three bay station, capable of housing three trucks, and the rest of the company’s equipment.

With the added space Osborn is hopeful they’ll be able to get a third truck, expand the department and maybe start structure protection training, something they currently don’t have.

“Hopefully the community will support us,” said Morgenthaler. “We’re all doing this because we feel a duty and responsibility. We want to protect and give back to our community. We take this very, very seriously.”

Hopeful construction of the building will move forward, Morgenthaler already has ideas for the interior.

“One family that donates to us has little kids and every year those little kids draw us pictures that say ‘thank you for protecting our homes and lives,’” said Morgenthaler. “Those pictures are going on bulletin boards in the station.”

To make a contribution you can visit their GoFundMe page, email Morgenthaler at [email protected], or send it by mail at P.O.Box 81061, Billings MT, 59108.

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