SPOKANE FIRE STATION # 9
Spokane Fire Department (SFD) Station 9 was originally established in 1908, and relocated to 1722 S. Bernard St. in 1992, where it continues to serves the Manito and Comstock neighborhoods. Located on the South Hill, Station 9’s response area includes seven city parks.
Station 9 houses (1) one of (3) three HazMat teams for the SFD. Station 9 personnel are responsible the purchasing, maintenance, and servicing for the HazMat team’s monitors. In criminal cases, they also submit all samples taken from hazardous material incidents to the FBI
Station 9 Phone - (509) 625-7109
Spokane Fire Administration - (509) 625-7000
STATION 9 Apparatus
• HazMat Foam trailer- Over 520 gallons of AR-AFFF / Class A dual purpose foam. Environmentally Friendly.
Hazmat Team
Station 9 along with Stations 1&7 comprise the Spokane Regional Hazmat Team. The SFD Hazmat Team’s mission is to respond to incidents involving Hazardous and suspected Hazardous Materials located within the City of Spokane and anywhere within the region when the appropriate requests are made. The Spokane Hazmat Team will conduct operations to remove endangered people, conduct rescue operations, stabilize the incident, and act as technical advisors to Incident Commanders of Hazmat Incidents using properly trained team members, safe work practices/equipment, and adhering to the following priorities:
- To Preserve Life
- To Protect the Environment
- To Protect Property
- Incident Stabilization
Hazardous Materials are defined as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear releases that pose threats to people, the environment, and property. All personnel assigned to the team undergo rigorous training upon assignment and ongoing training to maintain proficiency and increase efficiency and safety at Hazardous Materials incidents. The Hazmat Team is staffed daily by three fire stations. SFD’s Hazmat Team is a member of the Inland Empire Hazmat Task Force, comprised of the Spokane Fire Department, Fairchild AFB Hazmat Team, and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Hazmat Team. These resources have the capabilities and training to work together to stabilize large-scale, regional hazmat incidents.
STATION 9 HISTORY
In 1908 the first Station No. 9 was constructed at 8th Ave and Monroe St. to serve Spokane’s newest neighborhood, the growing South Hill. No. 9 housed one combination truck and chemical engine, one 3rd class Silsby engine, one hose wagon, cotton hose, fifteen men, and eight horses to pull the steamer and hook and ladder truck.
No. 9 served downtown as well as the South Hill. Before the introduction of motorized equipment, “Nine” answered all the calls downtown. In 1912, “Nine” held the Fifth Avenue side of the old Lewis and Clark High School when it went ablaze.
In 1930, it was determined that Station No. 9 was in need of renovation and modernization. The firefighters at the time were excited to get new facilities, but were simultaneously disheartened to see the old station demolished after just twenty-two years of service. One completed, Station No. 9 would be the last station built to intentionally resemble the architectural craftsmanship of the surrounding neighborhood.
According to a Chronicle news article reported on August 20, 1930, while the wreckers worked on demolishing the old station, the firefighters moved all of their belongings into the rear garage for temporary quarters. They watched the wreckage as dust overcame the once spotlessly shined equipment, the pinochle table, and the signal equipment arranged along the wall. The old brass pole they once slid down to answer calls was saved to go into the new station, “they knew it would take a long time to get a new pole shined up to just the right degree of slickness.”
The old pole was something more than just brass and polish; it was endearing and symbolic to the firefighters and their service at Station No. 9 and continues to be emblematic to
By Caitlin M. Shain, “Spokane Fire Station No. 9: Old Nine,” Spokane Historical, accessed May 3, 2021, https://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/260.