Personnel & Apparatus

2020 department segmented photo

Strategic Responsibilities of Individual Members

The Helena Fire Department is a living organization consisting of members who are committed to each other and the community we protect. As a member, we pledge to exhibit this commitment by:

  • Providing the best possible service to our customers.
  • Recognizing that each member of the Helena Fire Department is important to the makeup of "who we are".
  • Being responsible for the welfare, development and support of the Helena Fire Department and its members.
  • Striving to live by our guiding principles.
  • Managing change and striving to always improve.
  • Recognizing that being a member of the Helena Fire Department is more than a job. It includes commitment to other department members (past and present), citizens and visitors to our community.
  • Striving to leave the Helena Fire Department better than we found it (daily, weekly, monthly and yearly)

Administrative Staff

Fire Chief Jon Campbell - Retired 7/3/26
Assistant Chief of Operations Mike Chambers

– is a Capital High School graduate and Helena native. He spent time away attending college and starting his career at Livingston Fire and Rescue in Livingston, Montana. Mike spent 17 ½ years in Livingston and worked his way up from Firefighter/Paramedic to the position of Fire Inspector/Training Officer, which he held until he was hired with the Helena Fire Department in January 2018. Assistant Chief Chambers has over 20 years of firefighting experience and holds a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University and is a National Fire Academy, Executive Fire Officer Program graduate as of May 2020. He is married and has three sons.

Assistant Chief of Training Jason Wendzel

- grew up in Michigan until going to college in Ohio. While attending college, he joined a volunteer fire department and college EMS department. He also worked part-time at another fire department outside of Dayton, OH while finishing his degree. Jason got married and moved to Indiana where he dedicated 20 years to the Carmel Fire Department. Before moving to Montana, his family visited the state many times and always enjoyed our 26-hour road trips. Jason joined the Helena Fire Department as the Assistant Chief of Training in March 2024. He has been married for 21 years and has 3 daughters. Jason enjoys snow skiing, playing golf and hiking.  

Administrative Officer - VACANT

 

Fire Prevention and Investigation Bureau

Fire Marshal -- Lou Antonick

Deputy Fire Marshal -- Kurt Sheehan

Fire Inspector -- Rob Goebel

Suppression Staff

In alphabetical order by Rank
Battalion Chiefs:
Brandt Buresh  Neil Koehler Louis Menghini

 

Captains:
Rob Bennett Steve Finstad Doug Fischer
John Gustafson Owen Koeppen Brad Patterson

 

Lieutenants:
Dillon DeLaHunt David Maslowski  Paxton Miller-Fitzpatrick
Mark Mitchell Jeffrey Murphy Steven Reather

 

Firefighters:
 Seth Banham  Dylan Braach  Nicholai Carie
 Travis Cik  Colton Davis  Eric Dunn
 Michael Fobert  Patrick Hammond  Matthew McGraw
 Peter McGovern  Jeffrie O'Neil  Anna Peabody
 Joseph Pigeon  Isaac Scansen  Auston Shupe
 Christopher Waner  Brent Wunderlich  Landon Zimmerman

 

 

Firefighter of the Year - 2025 - Steven Reather
Firefighter of the Year - 2024 - Dylan Braach
Firefighter of the Year - 2023 - Paxton Miller-Fitzpatrick
Firefighter of the Year - 2022 - Christopher Mork
Firefighter of the Year - 2021 - Dillon DeLaHunt
Firefighter of the Year - 2020 - Mark Mitchell

Apparatus

 DIVISION UNIT YEAR/MAKE MODEL
 Administration
 Command 1  2022 Ford  F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew
 Administration  Command 2  2020 Ford  Explorer Interceptor
 Administration  Command 3  2011 GMC  2500HD 4WD Ext Cab
 Administration  Command 4  2007 Jeep  Grand Cherokee
 Fire Prevention  FPIB 1  2020 Ford   Explorer Interceptor
 Fire Prevention   FPIB 2  2020 Ford  Explorer Interceptor
 Fire Prevention   FPIB 3  2020 Ford  Explorer Interceptor
 Suppression  OIC  2023 Ford  F-150 4x4 SuperCrew
 Suppression  Engine 1  2016 Pierce  PUC - Pumper
 Suppression  Engine 2  2016 Pierce  PUC - Pumper
 Suppression  Engine 3  1999 E-One  1500 Pumper
 Suppression  Truck 1  2022 Pierce  Velocity 100' Aerial PUC
 Suppression  Medical Rescue 1  2018 Ford  F150
 Suppression  Medical Rescue 2  2019 Ford  F150
 Suppression  Wildland 1  2023 Ford  F550
 Suppression  Wildland 2  2024 International Hv507 Type 3
 Specialty  Technical Rescue  2006 GMC  Savana Cargo Van
 Specialty  Offroad Response  2014 Polaris  Ranger 6x6
 Specialty  Hazmat 1  2012 Freightliner  Medium Duty
 Specialty  Hazmat Trailer  2004 Crash Rescue  28' Trailer