Councilwomen train with Palmer Fire Department

PALMER — A trio of Palmer City Councilwomen got a better understanding of what it takes to work at the Palmer Fire Department, which will welcome in a new Fire Chief in 2021.

On Monday night, Chief John McNutt announced that he will be taking a job in the Lower 48 and depart the Palmer Fire Department at the end of the year. Palmer Fire Department Captain Trey Lindstrom had invited every member of the Palmer City Council to attend one of their weekly Monday night training sessions. Councilwomen Julie Berberich, Sabrena Combs and Jill Valerius participated on Monday as well as City Manager John Moosey at a separate date.

“I think a lot of people when they dial 911 because their house is on fire assume that there are firefighters sitting in the station waiting like Anchorage has, and we don’t have that here, and so these guys are getting called from their homes and whoever responds responds. So the fact that they have 40 or so people on rotation that are covering this is pretty amazing,” said Combs.

On Monday, Berberich, Combs and Valerius each suited up in nearly 50 pounds of full flame retardant firefighter gear before being put through training. The group was briefed for safety and adorned with breathing apparatus’, which the city of Palmer was able to purchase to outfit each firefighter last year. The Councilwomen practiced breaking down doors and using heat sensing technology to make their way out of a simulated fire before being taken 60 feet up on the fire ladder. Palmer Fire Department has the second tallest fire ladder in the Mat-Su Valley with a capability of 110 feet of ladder.

“It definitely shows me what we could be doing better as a city to support them. We look at the budget every year and things that the Fire Department need cost a lot of money and so when you see those big ticket items you think do we need that, do we have to have that, is that something we need, and then when you see how much work is involved not only to put out fires but also to stay up with national fire standards. It makes you see exactly how much it is worth,” said Combs.

The Greater Palmer Fire Service Area extends well beyond the two square mile Palmer city limits. Palmer firefighters respond east to Clark Wolverine Road, north as far as Eureka, up Palmer Fishhook Road and up Trunk Road toward four corners. With the volunteer Fire Department accountable for that much area, Combs said that the decision to replace McNutt will be a crucial one. Palmer replaced former Police Chief Lance Ketterling in January with Chief Dwayne Shelton, who had previously served as a commander at PPD. Palmer also just welcomed in new City Manager John Moosey from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

“We are in a huge period of change but sometimes all of those things changing at once can be good because it kind of lets you have an opportunity to rebuild in a direction that is best for the city. Having a new Fire Chief is important in the sense that they can continue to keep their team cohesive. These are volunteers. They all have other jobs. They don’t have to be here and so making sure you hire someone that is going to keep that team together and make sure it’s someone people want to work for is going to be really important and integral in making the decision,” said Combs.

Combs said that she and her fellow Councilwomen left the exercise exhausted and took a newfound appreciation for the Palmer Fire Department.

“it is unbelievable the amount of work these people do outside of their regular jobs to keep us safe. This isn’t their full time job and they are giving up every Monday night just to come train and be ready for us,” said Combs. “That’s pretty amazing and then answering the call when we call leaving dinner from their families to come out and put out fires after putting in 40 hours of work that week, that’s admirable and honorable and we’re lucky to have such a great crew of people.”