Two locals join Havre Fire Department

Two local men have joined the Havre Fire Department as firefighters, getting the department closer to being fully staffed, helping improve the response time and general operations of the team, Fire Chief Mel Paulson said.

"It's going to help with response," he said. "We've been behind for the last year and you can feel it. ... It's going to be nice."

Jordon Brough and Jake Williams have been training for the past couple of months to meet the requirements to become firefighters, Brough said. 

He said that he and Williams were both raised in Havre, attending Havre High School and eventually graduating from Montana State University-Northern.

At Northern, Brough earned a degree and certification as an electrician and, before applying to be a firefighter, worked for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. He added that he applied to be a firefighter because, for him, being a firefighter is more fulfilling.

Brough said he has always wanted to become a firefighter. A number of people growing up want to be a firefighter, but their interest in the profession usually fades. He said his interest in being a firefighter never went away and when he saw the department had a position open he jumped on the opportunity. He added that he also had two great-uncles who served for the Havre Fire Department.

Williams said he thought the job was a great opportunity. He graduated from Northern with a criminal justice degree, but thought the Havre Fire Department was a good place for him to go. He added that as a firefighter he will be able to help and be more involved in the community he is from as well as achieve a level of self-fulfillment.

Brough and Williams are long-time friends, and when they each heard the other was also applying to be a firefighter, they were excited to be able to work together, they both said.

They both added that they are excited to help the community.

Brough said they had done their emergency medical technician training in the basement of the fire station, which was a great experience. He added that they were able to be around the other firefighters in the department and felt a certain level of brotherhood with their fellow firefighters. 

He added that they learned a great deal of information, including a lot about their community they never knew before. He said the department has a lot more calls than he expected and how important a role EMTs play. 

Williams said that EMTs see people at their worst, anything could go wrong, and EMTs have to be prepared for anything.

Last week, both Brough and Williams got some hands-on fire training with Rick Paulsen from the Montana Fire Service Training School.

Brough said the experience was eye-opening and was not what he had expected.

Williams said it is a completely different experience, actually going into a fire and seeing all of the different variables they have to be prepared for, such as how the fire reacts to the water and how large of a role air and ventilation play in extinguishing a fire.

"It's more than you think," he said.

He added that he was surprised by the loss of visibility once the water hits the fire.

"You can hardly see three feet in front of your face," he said.

Assistant Fire Chief Nathan Courtnage said the new firefighters are doing a great job and he is excited to have them on shift. He added that he remembers when he was going through the same training and drills as them and, although they are getting good hands-on experience with the Montana Fire Service Training School, nothing will really prepare them for when they respond to their first fire.

"I don't think you can ever teach them enough or show them enough," he said, adding that a real house fire is much hotter and darker than it is when they are training.

Brough and Williams both said they are excited to be on shift this week.

"That first ride's going to be pretty nerve racking, I would say," Brough said, "but it will be exciting, too."

Brough and Williams both said that, because they are local to the area, they know the area, know the community and are familiar with the people and the layout, giving them an edge when it comes to serving the community.

Courtnage said that one of the reasons they hired Brough and Williams is because they are locals, which will help with their duties in the community.

Paulson said that they are also great team players and hard workers who gets along great with the rest of the department.

"Anytime we can get that, it's going to make things go smoothly," he said.