department history/timeline

1969

On July 29th, the Fort Ellis Rural Fire Corporation was formed. At this time, rural fire departments were not supported by taxes or fees. Instead, each area that wished to have a fire department formed an entity—in our case the Fort Ellis Rural Fire Corporation—and only residents who wanted the fire department to come to their fire emergencies joined the corporation. Yellow numbered signs were issued to residents who joined the Fire Corporation, and they supported its operations by paying an annual fee. You can still see these yellow signs (pictured below) today on some fences, garages, and houses in the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area. In 1969, the membership fee to join the corporation was $100 with an annual fee of $15.

The initial officers of the Fire Corporation were President Bud Clem, Vice President Chester Jensen, and Secretary/Treasurer John Sipkens. Bud Clem was Fort Ellis’ first Fire Chief.

By November, 24 residents had joined the Fire Corporation, and the first fire engine, a 1942 International fire truck, was purchased for $1,500.

1970

The State Forester gave the Fire Corporation a 1.5-ton, 750-gallon 1996 Ford tanker in exchange for fighting wildland fires. The annual call report for 1970 shows four calls - three grass fires and one vehicle fire.

1971

Annual fees were raised to $20, A significant event occurred in March 1971. A structure fire occurred in a residence that had not joined the Fire Corporation to receive fire protection. The Fire Corporation declined to fight the house fire. This was a precursor to an incident in a neighboring district in 1979, which led to state laws establishing tax and fee-supported fire districts and fire service areas.

1972

In February, the Fire Corporation became a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization. The 1972 call report indicated that there were no fires, but the department went on three calls.

1973

The 1942 International fire truck was replaced by a 1952 Ford LaFrance. Mount Ellis Academy agreed to provide a site for a fire station to be built in exchange for providing fire protection for Academy buildings. The fire engine was being kept in the boiler room at the Academy, and the tender was kept outside. To improve fire safety in residences, the Fire Corporation offered five-pound fire extinguishers to members for $17.50.

1974

Construction was started on the Fort Ellis fire station. This was a 36'x40' fire station plus a 36'x16' bathroom/shower facility that was used by Mount Ellis Academy during their Camp Week. A bid for $21,850 to construct the building was rejected by the Board of Directors, and the station was constructed for $10,000 and a great deal of volunteer labor.

1975

The first county-wide radio system came into service. The Gallatin County Fire Council sponsored the installation of a repeater for the Sheriff’s Office and county fire department dispatch. Fort Ellis was issued three pagers for alerting members.

1976

There was a fire at the Mount Ellis Academy that resulted in the 1952 Ford’s engine having to be replaced.

1978

Only nine active firefighters were noted in November.

1979

In July, a ½ ton pickup was purchased for $1,600 and outfitted for wildland fire suppression.

1980

Membership in the Fire Corporation had climbed to 124, and annual fees were assessed at $25. A 1975 ¾ ton Chevrolet pickup was purchased for $2,200 and outfitted with a tank, pump, and other equipment for wildland fire suppression for an additional $2,000.

1981

Three fire trucks were equipped with radios, and eight members were carrying pagers. On April 1st, the remaining payment on the mortgage taken to build the fire station was paid. A symbolic "Burning of the Mortgage" was proposed for the 1982 annual general meeting of the Fire Corporation. During this year, there were six fires: three grass, one barn, one house, and one chimney fire.

1982

The Fire Corporation reported 192 members at the annual general meeting in March, and the annual fee remained at $25. Equipment was being purchased to build a 1,200-gallon tender on an International truck chassis. Eleven firefighters were meeting for training on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, and a perennial plea was made for more volunteers. Income for the year totaled $7,103.

1983

The rear 36'x16' part of the fire station was remodeled to be used as an office and training room for the Fire Corporation. Income for the year totaled $9,686.

1985

Bud Clem, Fire Chief from the start of the Fire Corporation in 1969, stepped down as Chief, and Jim and Darrel Kurk jointly accepted the responsibility. There were 21 total calls in 1985.

1987

After a disastrous fire in another department's jurisdiction in 1979, where a non-paying resident's house burned to the ground without fire suppression, state law (House Bill 579) was changed to allow the formation of the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area in 1987. A resolution of intent to form the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area was passed by the County Commission on September 29, 1987. Subsequently, all residences in the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area were assessed an annual fee, and the fire department provided fire protection and suppression to everybody in the Fire Service Area. Fire protection fees remained at $25 per year.

Harvey Rattey donated a Mini Landing Eagle sculpture for a raffle that netted $1,432 for the Fire Department.

The article below, showing the Fire Department's 1952 Ford structure fire engine, appeared in the Bozeman Chronicle around November 1987.

1988

During the Yellowstone fires of 1988, the Department sent equipment and firefighters to the North Fork and Swan Creek fires, earning $20,000 for the Department.

1989

In 1989, it cost $400 to outfit one firefighter with turnout gear (compared to roughly $6,000 today).

Plans were made to remodel the back part of the fire station to serve as living quarters for firefighters in order to reduce call response times. This plan was eventually dropped, and the space was instead converted into an office, kitchen, and training area.

The Department purchased a 1974 Dodge/Pierce Wildland engine for $14,500 using the proceeds from helping fight the 1988 Yellowstone fires. This engine, labeled Engine 5, served the Department well until about 2000. The pictures below show Engine 5 in action on a fire along the railroad east of Bozeman Pass.

1990

A 1,500 gallon storage tank, filled from Bear Creek, was installed at the station to provide a water supply to refill trucks.

1991

Fees increased from $25 to $30. There were a total of 567 fee paying units in the Fire Service Area. The Department purchased a truck from Federal Surplus for $5,900. This 1984 one-ton Chevrolet became the first-response truck for almost all calls for the next 15 years. It was labeled Engine 3 (and later Brush 1-3).

1994

A 40’ x 80’ bay was added to the north side of the fire station. Subdivision impact fees were in effect in 1994. Newly subdivided lots were assessed $100 per lot to offset the cost of growth to fire departments in Gallatin County.

The Department purchased a 1981 American Fire Apparatus Invader 600 on a GMC 4x4 chassis structure engine from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for $32,000. Engine 2 and its 750-gallon tank and 750-gallon per minute pump served Fort Ellis residents for 10 years.

1995

The original boundaries of the Fire Service Area, drawn in 1987, included the Triple Tree ranch. When that became developed as a residential subdivision, it made sense for that area to be annexed into the Sourdough Fire District. This was approved by residents and the County Commission.

1997

The Gallatin County Commission accepted a petition from residents to alter the kinds, types, and levels of the service for the Fire Service Area to include:

• Emergency medical services and equipment, and related personnel, facilities, and maintenance

• Community services through education and fire suppression for structures and wildland fires

An International 4x4 dump truck from Washington state was purchased to be converted to a water tender, labeled Tender 1-4. The pictures below show the before and after results of the handy-work of Merlin Hickman and others in the Department.

2009

On the morning of March 5th, a large gas explosion occurred on Main Street in downtown Bozeman, the first major fire in the downtown area since 1888. The explosion destroyed several buildings, and tragically one life was lost. Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue responded with other Gallatin County emergency agencies and worked the explosion for several days.

2017

In the spring, Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue received an extremely generous donation from FLIR, the world’s largest commercial company specializing in the design and production of infrared and thermal imaging cameras and technology. Because FLIR’s operations in Bozeman are adjacent to Fort Ellis Fire Service Area’s boundary and several local executives live in the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area, the company provided three K65 thermal imaging cameras and accessories to outfit Fort Ellis volunteers with the latest technology. These cameras allow crews to “see” through smoky environments to help locate victims, find hazards, and evaluate where fires are burning the hottest. The cameras also have great application in looking for victims who may have been ejected from a motor vehicle crash.

2019

RIP Chief Fredrick “Fred” M. Cady, 1942-2019

Fred Cady, Fort Ellis Chief from 2000-2009, died in May while in Denver following a short illness. He was 77.  

Fred joined Fort Ellis in 1996 when the department operated on a shoestring budget, mostly utilizing hand-me-down equipment and homemade vehicles.  During his long tenure both as a firefighter and as Chief, Fred transformed Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue, writing grants for new trucks and personal protective equipment (such as bunker gear and self-contained breathing apparatus), and upgrading the way our volunteers train and respond to emergencies.  In addition, he devoted much personal time to improving Gallatin County’s radio communications systems and how first responder agencies work together.

A retired electrical engineering professor at MSU-Bozeman, Fred authored textbooks, wrote manuals on HAM radio equipment, and spent many years as a HAM radio operator.  He particularly loved serving in leadership on large wildland fires, and he developed expertise in the planning role. Many area residents will remember Fred’s willingness to give his time freely to assist with any need, however small.  His legacy in both the Gallatin County and the statewide fire service is legendary, and he leaves a large hole in the hearts of all Fort Ellis firefighters and board members.  

A (greatly attended) celebration of his life was held on September 8th at Lindley Park in Bozeman. Per Fred's wishes, his celebration included beer, brats, and live music.

On a brighter note, 2019 marked Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue’s 50-year milestone. A community picnic at Fort Ellis Fire Station on August 8th celebrated the anniversary.

2020

On Friday, September 4th, the Bridger Foothills Fire was detected at around 3:00 pm approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Bozeman. The lightning-caused fire was the result of a storm several days prior, in late August. Extremely dry conditions and strong winds pushed the fire to almost 7,000 acres by Saturday. During this major push by the fire, the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department initiated evacuations in the Bridger Canyon area and implemented road closures.

Many local fire agencies, including 12 Fort Ellis volunteers, and others from Park and Lewis and Clark Counties, the DNRC, and the US Forest Service worked seamlessly together on the Bridger Foothills Fire. Exceeding the capacity of local resources to contain the fire, authorities ordered a National Type 1 Incident Management Team on Monday morning, September 7th.

After multiple days of warm, dry temperatures and red flag warnings, the fire did not increase in size or show significant fire activity. Crews continued to patrol, grid, mop up, and perform rehab on suppression lines.

On Sunday, October 11th, a cold front moved over the area and dropped welcome moisture on the fire. This precipitation, combined with the lack of fire perimeter growth, continued work of crews to increase containment, and general overall seasonal conditions brought the fire to 100% containment on Monday, October 12th. The size of the fire overall was 8,224 acres.

2021

The Gallatin County Commission approved an increase in fees, from $250 annually to $400, to build a new fire station and purchase new fire apparatus in the future.

2022

On October 4, 2022, Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue Board of Trustees, leadership, firefighters, and members of the public joined representatives from other Gallatin County fire agencies and the offices of Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the department’s long-awaited new fire station. Chief Mike Cech, in his remarks, said that this has been a 10-year-old dream for the department to have its own station, noting that the department currently leases space from the Mount Ellis Academy. The department is in an ongoing capital campaign to raise the remaining funding needed.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Fort Ellis Fire Preparing to Break Ground

KBZK: Fort Ellis Fire to break ground on new station this Tuesday

NBC Montana: Fort Ellis Fire Service receives equipment for new station

2023

The Gallatin County Commission approved an increase in fees, from $400 annually to $600, to help purchase new equipment and replenish reserves.

On September 28, 2023, Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue Board of Trustees, leadership, firefighters, and members of the public gathered at the department’s annual fall picnic to celebrate the grand opening of the long-awaited new fire station. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our new station fundraising campaign! Thanks to the generosity of many Fort Ellis residents, local businesses, and area grantors, we have raised $1M for the new station.

2023 Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue Newsletter