Personnel & Apparatus

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 

– began in the Montana Fire Service as a volunteer with Missoula Rural Fire in 1999. He obtained his associate degree in Paramedicine from University of Alaska and worked as a Paramedic in North Carolina before returning to Montana as a Firefighter/Paramedic with Kalispell Fire. Over 16 years with Kalispell Fire Dept. Jon rose to the rank of Assistant Fire Chief of Operations and completed his Bachelor’s in Fire Science Administration. Jon is a confined space rescue, swift water, and hazardous materials technician. Jon moved to Helena in October of 2020 for the Assistant Fire Chief of Training position with his wife and two daughters. He was sworn in as Fire Chief in December of 2021.

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 Coordinator Stephanie Crook

– is a Montana native but spent many years in the Puget Sound area of WA state. She has been a resident of Helena since 2003. Stephanie has a degree in accounting and a passion for hospitality. She worked for the State of Montana, Department of Administration before joining the Helena Fire Department in December 2015. She is married and has one son.

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:

Captains:

Lieutenants:

Firefighters:

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