Firefighters suit up for a good cause

Everyone who took to the basketball court was winded and breathing heavy after the basketball games Sun., March 25 during the Randy and Janet Feller Benefit at West Valley School.

It wasn’t your average basketball event though, as all the basketball players were area firefighters decked out in their turnouts and using their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for air. Six fire departments — Ferndale, Evergreen, West Valley, South Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Smith Valley — competed in the basketball portion of the benefit. A dinner and silent auction were held Sunday, as well.

Smith Valley Fire Captain Doug Scarff said preparation for the event began four weeks prior to the benefit.

“Every department has individual fundraisers to buy new uniforms and equipment,” Scarff said. “This fundraiser is for medical expenses for firefighters and their families.”

The idea for the fund-raiser began after Smith Valley Fire Chief Randy Feller’s wife Janet became ill and medical expenses mounted. At the close of Sunday’s event, Scarff estimated that $9-10,000 was raised.

While entertaining the large crowd in the packed gymnasium and helping raise money for fellow firefighters and their families, the firefighters that took the court benefited from the basketball games, as well.

“It teaches you to conserve your air,” Ferndale Chief Troy Thurman said. “When you’re running and fighting a fire it’s the same exertion. The more practice we can get with it (SCBA), the better,” Thurman said. He added that the Ferndale team — Justin Trodick, Ken Sharr, Frank Hanzelka, Ken Miller and Trevor Thurman — had practiced playing in their gear last fall but had no recent practice. “This was only their second time playing.”

The firefighters also got to practice a little hand-eye coordination, as the turnouts, bottles and other gear made it difficult to shoot and pass the ball.

“Even something as simple as shooting a ball through a basket becomes a real challenge while lugging around 55 lbs. of gear,” Miller said.

Ferndale played two games, winning both. It first defeated Columbia Falls 8-3 and beat Evergreen 19-4 in the final game.

Each game began with the teams lining up near half-court to put their bottles, jackets, helmets and gloves on. The first team to have all of its players with their tanks on and with breathable air began the game with the ball.

Neither Columbia Falls or Ferndale scored in the first seven-minute quarter. Both teams got the ball to go through the hoop in the second quarter, as Ferndale pulled away with the 8-3 win.

Throughout the games, players whose bottles ran out had to leave the floor to have their bottles changed. The teams all had 30-40 minute bottles and could only change them when they ran out of air.

“You’re lucky to get 15 minutes out of them,” Thurman said of the 30-minute bottles the Ferndale team used. He said the Ferndale team used a lot less air in its second game against Evergreen.

Ferndale and Evergreen’s scores were close the first half of the first quarter, but Ferndale pulled away to a 10-4 lead at the end of the quarter. Ferndale held Evergreen scoreless in the second quarter for the 19-4 win.

Scarff said that the event organizers hope to make it an annual thing and continued community effort.