Kootenai County Fire And Rescue

Kootenai County Fire & Rescue is an independent fire district formed in 2002 through the merger of Kootenai County Fire Protective District #1 and the Post Falls Fire Department. Rather than operating under city or county government, the district is governed by a locally elected Board of Fire Commissioners, giving it its own dedicated tax base and administrative structure.

The district's 84 career personnel operate out of four 24-hour emergency response stations across Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, covering more than 45,000 residents across 113 square miles; a fifth station is under construction and slated to open in June 2026. Crews provide structural and wildland fire suppression, extrication, technical rescue, and advanced life support ambulance transport, and the department serves as the sponsoring agency for the Idaho State Region 1 Hazardous Materials Response Team, coordinating HazMat response across Idaho's five northern counties.

Career firefighters are represented by IAFF Local 2856. Beyond emergency response, the department runs community risk-reduction programs including school presentations, hands-only CPR instruction for local businesses, and youth fire-safety education, and recently established the Frank Harwood Award to recognize exceptional service and mentorship within the department.

Kootenai County Fire & Rescue periodically runs hiring processes for career firefighter positions. As of the department's most recent posting, its hiring process had closed and the department was not accepting applications. Prospective candidates are directed to monitor the department's website and social media accounts for future recruitment announcements.