Caldwell Firefighters Assist Coeur d’Alene Crews During Time of Loss

Published on July 14, 2025

This past weekend, three members of the Caldwell Fire Department—Captain Jake Ives, Engineer Chase Jablonski, and Firefighter Jeremy Powers—traveled to northern Idaho to cover shifts for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

The crew departed Wednesday morning and returned home Saturday evening, spending over 48 hours covering the downtown Coeur d’Alene corridor and answering calls for service so local crews could attend funeral services and support one another. While stationed at Station One, the Caldwell crew responded to 14 calls while operating Coeur d’Alene’s Ladder One.

“Our crews were proud to be there, but heartbroken for the reason we had to go,” said Caldwell Fire Chief Bryan Daniels. “This is the fire service at its core, departments supporting each other in times of tragedy. I’m proud of Captain Ives, Engineer Jablonski, and Firefighter Powers for stepping up without hesitation.”

Captain Jake Ives reflected on the experience: “It was an honor to help shoulder the load so our brothers and sisters in Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai County could mourn together. You never want to be needed for something like this, but it’s what we do: we show up, we hold the line, and we stand with our own. Even though the community was grieving, we truly appreciated how hospitable and kind everyone was.”

We’re grateful that our partners from Nampa Fire, Middleton/Star Fire, Meridian Fire, Eagle Fire, and Boise Fire were also able to travel north and serve alongside us. It meant a great deal to stand together as a unified Treasure Valley fire service family, helping to provide coverage and support during such a difficult time.

Special thanks to Mayor Wagoner and the Caldwell City Council for their support in allowing our crews to make this deployment possible.

The Caldwell Fire Department extends its continued support and solidarity to the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, the Kootenai County fire departments, and the entire community. It was an honor to serve you.