On Friday, July 31, Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams called me asking for approval to upstaff the department the next day. A first-of-its-kind “Particularly Dangerous Situation” Red Flag Warning had been issued, and he wanted to be sure he had as many firefighters as possible ready to respond if the situation turned dire.
When that fear became reality, firefighters from the Spokane Fire Department and regional fire districts were the first on scene. Officers and deputies from the Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office safely evacuated tens of thousands of people. Dispatchers answered the 911 calls. Public works crews kept essential systems operating. And across the community, neighbors checked in on neighbors.
Spokane showed up for each other…