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Athol news: Women fought fires, stereotypes

Marie Allen, 93, sits on the restored 1942 Dodge firetruck as Joreen Bond, former fire chief, rides shotgun. The pair are former members of the Athol Fire Department, believed to be Idaho's first all-female fire brigade, which formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1968 when the men organized another department. Photo courtesy Herb Huseland (Photo courtesy Herb Huseland / The Spokesman-Review)
Herb Huseland Correspondent
Marie Allen, 93, sits on the restored 1942 Dodge firetruck as Joreen Bond, former fire chief, rides shotgun. The pair are former members of the Athol Fire Department, believed to be Idaho's first all-female fire brigade, which formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1968 when the men organized another department. Photo courtesy Herb Huseland (Photo courtesy Herb Huseland / The Spokesman-Review)

Ruth Hunter-Ewing died recently, an ordinary person who did extraordinary things.

She was a wife, mother, school bus driver and member of the first-known all-female fire brigade.

February 1966 marked the organization of the Athol Fire Department under Chief Joreen Bohn. The city soon purchased a 1942 Dodge firetruck.

“Most of the men were working in the woods, the mill or for the railroad,” Bohn recalled. “Those who were left in town were old, disabled or drunk.”

The department originally had 17 members, but as with all volunteer organizations, some dropped out – or had babies.

There was, however, always a core group of Bohn, Hunter-Ewing, Marie Allen and Vicki Upchurch.

“Ruth Hunter-Ewing was a real community treasure,” one mom said.

If a parent was late getting home to pick up the children, Hunter-Ewing, who drove school bus for Athol Elementary School for many years, would take them home with her until the mother got there. Athol’s all-female Fire Department lasted only until 1968, when the men took over.

But there are many stories from the three years when the women fought fires in town.

When the train depot caught fire, the women put the blaze out quickly and were able to save the building.

In later years, they bragged that after the men took over, the depot caught fire again. But this time, it burned to the ground.

The three firefighters still living were invited to get together at Farragut State Park, where the 1942 fire engine was restored. Both Allen, 93, and Bohn, 74, were able to attend, but Upchurch had a last-minute health issue and was unable to come.

Allen managed to clamber up into the fire engine, disregarding an unhealed broken hip.

Once the assistant fire chief and primary engine driver, she wanted us to picture her, once again, behind the wheel.

Hunter-Ewing will be missed by many. Her life was celebrated at Athol Baptist Church on April 29.

Along with Allen and Bohn, she also served as a City Council member.

Cathy Lively and Eunice Jensen, also members of the fire brigade, have died.

Last March, the city honored all four of the then-surviving female firefighters at a ceremony at the Timberlake Fire Department station. Timberlake was formed in 1999 by consolidating the Athol and Bayview volunteer fire departments.

Plans are in the works to invite the female firefighters to participate in the summer parades in Bayview and Athol. Bayview Daze will be July 6, 7 and 8, with fireworks on July 7.