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9/11/2001 red, white & blue ribbon
we remember red, white & blue ribbon

Welcome to the
Custer Country Rural Volunteer Fire Company
Home Page
We are a volunteer 501(c)3 not-for-profit fire company of "Neighbors Helping Neighbors since 1951" serving property owners to a radius of 25 miles outside the city limits of Miles City, Montana with an operating budget of $40,000. The Custer County Rural Volunteer Fire Company (CCRVFC) traces its roots in the Miles City area back to 1951 with the formation of the Rural Fire Association (RFA), after a series of fires struck the outskirts of town not protected by the city department and arrangements could not be made with existing local departments.
The original board members that founded the RFA (officially called the "Rural Fire Association of Miles City" at the time) did this to be "Neighbors Helping Neighbors". Those people were Bob Lynam as Chairman, Gwen Wallace, W. F. Bickle, John R. Anderson, Charles Bundy, Mrs. Ed Siewert and John Pauley. These board members were also our first fire fighters as well. By the end of 1951 the RFA served the area with 19 firefighters, with Charles Jesse, Sr., as chief, utilizing 1 truck. A 1 stall building was built in 1952 to house the fire truck on land (then outside the city limits) donated by Custer Post No. 5 of the American Legion. This building, with later expansions, is the same (now three stall) building we use today. Over the ensuing years we have had many joys, challenges, and tragedies effect our volunteers and members. We have seen many new technologies evolve and change the way we fight fire and promote fire safety and knowledge. We have also seen many people and families (Two of which, we are proud to say, are in their third generation of involvement.) with many different abilities and many different ages involved with the RFA and CCRFVC.
We currently have 7 board members and our Secretary and Treasurer: President Bill Ellis, Vice President Ed Heinle, Secretary Sandy Hatcher, Treasurer Valerie Gabel, and Directors Mike Toennis, Tim Hatcher (who currently serves as our chief), Jack Larson, and Jay Ochsner covering a service area of over 1900 square miles utilizing 15 active and 7 reserve firefighters based in two stations: We also maintain a fleet of six fire trucks and one command vehicle consisting of:

These six fire trucks and one command vehicle give us one of the largest mobile water supplies in the state of Montana.

We can be reached in one of two ways:


This page also has links to:  both view and sign our guest book & to the US Forest Service's Current Wildfire and Fire Danger Listings Page.
Also on this page is a link to our fire links page with many different fire-related sites. There are two that we wish to highlight here. The first is a link to a very good NFPA web page on the history of Fire Prevention Week. The second link is to a page from the City of Mason (OH) Fire Department Web Pages showing the origin of the Maltese Cross.
What started out with those 7 people 57 years ago has evolved into the Custer County Rural Volunteer Fire Company and we, as its current caretakers, hope to help it last for at least another 57 and continue to be a company of "Neighbors Helping Neighbors."
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700 Block of Main Street Burning
(photo courtesy of the  Miles City Star, our town newspaper, of the CCRVFC's response
to the major fire that destroyed much of the 700 block of Main Street here in Miles City)

As many of you have heard by now, today (March 23, 2009) Miles City lost 10 businesses with more suffering water and smoke damages. This conflagration also destroyed many historic buildings in the 700 block of Main Street. Along with the CCRVFC, firefighters and trucks from Miles City Fire & Rescue, Forsyth Fire, Terry Fire, Glendive Fire and a firefighter from Arlee (who happened to be visiting his sister) responded to the fire. This fire has left a major hole in Main Street and left many people without jobs. We would like all our readers to keep all persons effected by this fire in their thoughts and prayers.
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May we never forget those who fell as a result of 9/11.
CCRVFC Hall picture courtesy of Steve Allison of the Miles City Star.

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Original Board Members picture
(photo originally published in  Miles City Star, our town newspaper, on January 31, 1971,
commemorating the RFA's twentieth anniversary. This image was obtained with the gracious help
of the librarians at the Miles City Public Library, our town library and a Carnegie library.)

This over 57 year old picture is a picture of our founding board members (and first firefighters) and the first truck purchased for the then "Rural Fire Association of Miles City." While the quality may not be the greatest, this shows what the-now CCRVFC started with and has grown to become.


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Fire Fighter's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God wherever flames may rage,
give me strength to save a life, whatever be its age. 

Help me to embrace a little child before it's too late, 
or save an older person from the horror of that fate. 

Enable me to be alert to hear the weakest shout, 
and quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. 

I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me, 
to guard my neighbor and protect his property.

And if according to your will I have to lose my life, 
bless with your protecting hand my loving family from strife. 

Miles City Weather Forecast, MT (59301)

9/11/2001 red, white & blue ribbon
CCRVFC logo
we remember red, white & blue ribbon

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Last edited on 03/23/09
by Douglas J. Ochsner, Webmaster
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