Idaho firefighter ambush prompts reflection, caution among local first responders

By Brandi Makuski

PORTAGE COUNTY – The apparent ambush of firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, last weekend has sent a wave of shock and reflection through the public safety community—including first responders in central Wisconsin.

Two firefighters were killed and several others wounded July 5 after a gunman opened fire as they responded to a wildland fire in northern Idaho. Early reports suggest the gunman may have intentionally set the blaze to lure in emergency responders.

While the nation has seen several police-related shootings in recent weeks—including one in Milwaukee—fire service leaders say the Idaho attack is uniquely disturbing.

“This one is different,” said Stevens Point Fire Chief Jb Moody. “This wasn’t an officer-involved shooting or crossfire—this appears to have been an intentional targeting of firefighters, and that hits differently.”

Moody said the tragedy prompted immediate questions within his department.

“As a chief, you’re always asking, ‘Are we prepared for this? Are we prepared for the next issue?’” he said. “You never know what you’re going to be sent into. If this had happened 25 years ago and you mentioned active shooter or Rescue Task Force [RTF] training, people would’ve laughed. Now, nothing is off the table.”

RTF training—specialized drills that prepare fire, EMS, and police to respond jointly to active shooter or high-risk scenarios—has become a regular part of local preparedness efforts.

Plover Fire Chief Mark Deaver said the Idaho ambush serves as a grim reminder of the growing risks faced by fire personnel.

“There’s always been danger in this job, but how do we fight fires differently than we have for so many years?” Deaver said. “People ask, ‘Are you going to start wearing bulletproof vests?’ For a wildland fire, it’s sort of hard to do that.”

Deaver said he’s grateful law enforcement routinely responds to fire scenes for support, including traffic control and scene security—something he says provides an added layer of safety for fire crews.

“It’s a crucial part of our response,” he said. “We had a fire last week, and law enforcement was great to have on scene. They help with interviews, investigations, and keeping everyone safe.”

Amherst Fire Chief Victor Voss said it’s a risk everyone in the fire service accepts.

“We sign up for dangerous work. That’s part of the job,” Voss said. “Now, we obviously don’t sign up to get shot at, like law enforcement does, but it’s still dangerous. We’re very lucky because here in Amherst and out in the county, deputies are almost always on the scene with us.”

Plover Police Officer Seth Pionke said the Idaho tragedy serves as a reminder of how quickly danger can arise, even in calls that might seem routine.

“I think it’s a good reminder,” Pionke said. “But we’ve always been doing RTF—we protect all the medical personnel that are there. We’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Plover Police Chief Ryan Fox agreed, saying the event doesn’t significantly alter how Portage County agencies operate.

“In Portage County, if it’s an active fire, cops are going,” he said. “We’re fortunate that law enforcement historically arrives first. Maybe in Idaho, it was so rural they couldn’t get there in time—or maybe their culture is different and police don’t respond to active fires.”

Fox emphasized that while the incident is a sobering reminder, it won’t lead to major procedural changes.

“It’s just a reminder to be vigilant,” he said. “No matter who you are—cop, EMS, or firefighter—it’s a dangerous job. But you’re not going to see firefighters start wearing bulletproof turnout gear. That’s not what this is.”

Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas echoed the need for constant awareness and security.

“We already do joint training with EMS and fire, including Rescue Task Force drills,” Lukas said. “But I think this reinforces that we’re in a time where heightened security has to apply to everyone—law enforcement, EMS, firefighters.”

Lt. Joe Johnson, public information officer for the Stevens Point Police Department, said tragic incidents like those in Idaho and Milwaukee have an emotional impact on responders everywhere.

“Any incident nationwide affects our officers in several different ways,” Johnson said. “It’s a stark reminder for our officers to remain vigilant on every call, big or small, and to not become complacent. These tragic incidents can happen at any moment.”

While Johnson said this year’s local training plans are already locked in, past incidents have shaped future sessions, and that approach is likely to continue.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected by the tragic events over the last week and a half, both in Idaho and Milwaukee,” Johnson said.

For Moody, there are still far more questions than answers, but one takeaway is already clear.

“If you don’t take anything away from an event like this, that’s when the problems happen,” he said. “We owe it to our people to keep learning and adapting. Because sadly, I’m just not surprised anymore.”

What is Rescue Task Force?

The Portage County Rescue Task Force (RTF) program was launched in 2015, modeled after a similar initiative in Milwaukee, and was the first of its kind in Wisconsin outside Milwaukee County. The idea stemmed from lessons learned after the 1999 Columbine school shooting, when medics were delayed in reaching victims due to safety concerns.

“Most of the people who survived that event were saved by a cop who threw them in the back of a squad [car] and raced to the hospital because the paramedics were kept far away from the scene,” said Capt. Ron Heibler of the Stevens Point Fire Department. “We knew that had to change.”

Heibler and retired Portage County Deputy Bob Wanta were among the original architects of the local program, which now includes participation from the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Department of Natural Resources, Stevens Point, Plover, and UW-Stevens Point police, area fire and EMS agencies, dispatchers, hospitals, and other public safety entities.

The RTF is designed for mass casualty or active shooter events, allowing medics to enter a scene under the protection of armed officers. While Portage County has never experienced an event on the scale of Columbine, the RTF model has been deployed locally—most notably during a 2016 standoff in Bancroft and a 2017 false alarm at Ben Franklin Jr. High.

In both cases, Heibler said, RTF training significantly shaped the response. “We never would have done it that way before,” he said. “We never even would have thought about it.”

RTF exercises are conducted annually in locations such as the Stevens Point Municipal Airport, area schools, Sentry Insurance, and other large facilities throughout the county.