‘Everybody wants to help’: Firefighters from across Idaho fill in for Coeur d’Alene firefighters during funerals

In the days since the tragedy unfolded on Canfield Mountain, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Justin Capaul has been working nonstop.

But not on his typical duties.

Rather, he is one of the leaders organizing temporary crews of firefighters from across Idaho to cover shifts in Coeur d’Alene’s fire stations for two days while their firefighters mourn 52-year-old Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison and 42-year-old Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Hartwood.

More than 70 firefighters from 16 fire departments in Idaho gathered at the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Administrative Offices Wednesday evening to prepare for their coverage starting at 6:30 a.m. Thursday and ending at 8 a.m. Saturday. Then, they headed to their assigned stations to have dinner with the Coeur d’Alene firefighters and set up sleeping arrangements.

Seeing the number of firefighters who showed up for this training was enough to bring Capaul to tears.

“It just shows how big of a brotherhood, sisterhood we have here in Idaho,” said Capaul, who was close friends with Morrison and Hartwood. “Some of these guys drove seven, eight, nine hours to get here and to work 48 hours so that we can go mourn our brothers. That’s impactful.”

Morrison and Hartwood were responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain when they were shot and killed by a gunman who later died at the scene.

The shooting also injured 47-year-old Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Engineer David Tysdal.

Morrison’s funeral took place Thursday morning. Harwood will be honored Friday.

“It was important for these departments to have the opportunity to not worry about the coverage in their community and just have these moments of grief and celebration and honoring,” said Kirk Carpenter, president of the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association.

Carpenter, one of the lead organizers of the endeavor, gathered with other department leaders and state agency members a week before the first funeral to plan the memorials. After realizing the firefighters in Coeur d’Alene might miss the ceremonies if they were on duty, they came up with the idea to call for backup.

They sent a request to the seven districts across the state. With just six days until the first funeral, Carpenter was unsure if they could fill all of the positions in time. A massive backfill initiative of this scale is unprecedented.

The turnout was tremendous. Within 12 hours of sending the request, all 10 engines were staffed.

“We were actually able to overstaff,” Carpenter said. “Normally there will only be three people on an engine. We have four on almost all the engines. On ambulances, we don’t have two, we have three.”

Firefighters came from departments in cities as close as Lewiston and as far as Caldwell and Idaho Falls.

These temporary crew members gathered at the Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Administrative Office Wednesday for a brief rundown of their responsibilities. Then they headed to their assigned stations to have dinner with the Coeur d’Alene firefighters and set up sleeping arrangements.

“When tragedy like this happens, you find the impactful things that happen,” Carpenter said. “Even though it was tragic, these amazing opportunities for connection and community happen, and they’re all in the memory of the ones we’ve lost.”

These aren’t the only firefighters who came to Idaho to show their support. Over the days since the tragedy unfolded, members of the Spokane and Spokane Valley fire departments have filled in for Coeur d’Alene firefighters while they attend peer counseling sessions.

More than 800 firefighters from around the U.S. have signed up to attend the funeral, said Erik Loney, a firefighter stationed at Couer d’Alene’s Station 3.

Additionally, 150 bagpipers and drummers flocked from across the country to play during the firefighter’s funeral processions. These bands consisted of firefighters and members of the general public.

Among the temporary crew is Lewiston Fire Department Deputy Chief Richie Lucas. Right after dealing with a 1,000-acre fire in Lewiston on Wednesday, he made the 2½-hour trek to Coeur d’Alene to cover a shift at Coeur d’Alene Fire Station 1.

“Just the fact that we have to do this because of the event is horrible,” Lucas said. “It doesn’t surprise me the amount of Idaho firefighters, firefighters in general, the outreach. Everybody wants to help.”

Jason Lewis, the division chief of training at the Boise Fire Department, drove 7½ hours to support the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department as a battalion chief. For him, it was an easy choice.

“That’s one of the great things about our group as a whole, is we rally behind one another,” Lewis said. “It’s still awe-inspiring.

“I’m still very proud to be a part of that group.”