Emergency Texters, A National Issue

The Idaho House of Representatives is about to consider a “no texting bill” that passed the Senate Wednesday.
Interestingly, we don’t see any exemptions for coppers and firefighters. The Fed transportation people, AAA, and just about everyone who has watched a car weaving slowly down the road agree that reading and writing on computers while [...]

Bruneau Dunes Could Be Abuzz with ATVs

During the Vietnam War an Army officer explained a village had to be burned “in order to save it.”

Idaho Parks Director Nancy Merrill finds herself in that same situation today as she considers allowing dune buggies to chew up the tallest free standing sand dune on the continent to possibly make a few bucks to [...]

Boise Fire Beyond The Limits

THIS IS A REVISED STORY WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING I-84 RESPONSES. SOME COMMENTS BELOW MAY NO LONGER APPLY.

We have to side up with Boise FD Chief Dennis Doan and the City Attorney when it comes to collecting $15,000 from the owner of a $500,000 house outside the city which caught fire in 2007.

Boise [...]

GUARDIAN Reader Cheats Death–Repeatedly

This true yarn comes from a guy who loves life and has been a friend for more than 40 years. He was an airman, copper, patriot, parent, grandparent–and we now learn a great story teller. It is a long post, but worth reading and sharing.
By ANDY KIMBRELL
So, Wednesday morning I got up, made [...]

Third Canyon Gov’t Woman Charged

Canyon County ladies in government aren’t doing much to foster trust among citizens.
Last year two gals in the DMV office took a fall for skimming funds and now a third one is charged according to the DAILY PAPER.
This one handled finances for the Sheriff’s mounted posse–a search and rescue group. The DAILY says they [...]

BFD Ambulance Issue Probably Not Dead

Despite direction from the Boise City Council, it appears the issue of who will operate the ambulances–and call the shots for medical calls–is still up for grabs if the BFD union Bros and Sis have a voice.
And based on what we hear from at least one candidate for VP of the union, he would like [...]

GUARDIAN Top 2009 Stories By Month

As the legacy media does its annual TOP TEN stories to fill space between the holidays, the GUARDIAN has done the same thing based on what we have posted in the past year.
In rereading some of the posts and comments, it appears we have an inordinate number of comments on police and fire stories. [...]

GUARDIAN Christmas Wish List

For those who believe in Santa Clause, we have a Christmas wish list which has plenty of room for additional items.

A toy train for Dave Bieter so he will stop trying to force a trolley and AMTRAK upon the kind, decent inhabitants of the City of Trees.
A toy ambulance for the Boise FD so they [...]

Boise FD and Ada EMS Play Santa

We can’t help but note both the Ada County Paramedics and the Boise Fire Department are visiting the Hospitals, playing Santa to the kids. Even when they are doing charity gigs, it seems like they are competing.
The Firefighters are now making it a point to bill themselves as “Boise Fire & Medics.” (could also [...]

Councilor Jordan Averts New EMS-BFD Battle

Gotta hand it to Councilor Maryanne Jordan.
Careful reading of an ordinance proposed four months ago regarding the attempt by the Boise FD to go into the ambulance business has averted another confrontation between Boise City and the Ada County EMS.
There was a move on the part of the Boise FD to get an ordinance passed–last [...]

Politicos Seek To Mandate FAA Decisions

A story in the DAILY PAPER today by Joe Estrella says the Federal Aviation Administration is scurrying to get ahead of the politicos in their desire to move the local approach radar facility from Boise to Salt Lake City.
Idaho and Boise politicians cite “economic and safety concerns” in their opposition to the move. After [...]

Boise FD Expands Service Area With Takeover

When Boise Fire Department closed #6 station at Liberty and Fairview 15 or more years ago, they turned around and PAID what is now the North Ada District to provide fire service to that station and the surrounding area along Fairview.

Now, after years of “fee for service,” the BFD is doing a flip flop and [...]

Like A Rudderless Ship, Fire Truck Crashes

It seems impossible to hear of a fire truck leaving the station without a driver, but that’s what happened Thursday when Boise’s Truck-5 responded to an alarm at Adams School, but forgot the “tillerman”–the guy who steers the back half of the 100 foot aerial ladder.

When the truck–with only half the driving team–rounded the corner [...]

Who Can Drive Safely AND Text?

Lots of buzz today about proposed laws to ban texting while driving. One source claimed truck drivers were 23 times more likely to crash while texting than not texting.
The Idaho branch of the American Automobile Association, AAA, endorses the idea of Idaho joining 13 other states banning texting while driving. [...]

Boise FD To Sell Services To North Ada District

Another “business plan” to come out of Thursday’s “strategic planning” meeting with city officials is the planned expansion of the Boise Fire Department by two dozen personnel in a “take over” deal which will have Boise selling fire protection to Garden City, Hidden Springs, and the rest of the North Ada County Fire Rescue (NACFR) [...]

Council Cools Fire Ambulance Plans

Boise City councilors worked on “strategic planning” Thursday, engaging in some give-and-take with department heads to exchange ideas and goals and offer direction from the council.
If that sounds like “corporate speak” with the young and restless bouncing their dreams off the board of directors, you got the picture.
The meetings are open to the public, [...]

Quick Thinking Girl Saves Sister

A summer blackberry picking outing on August 20 resulted in a near tragedy when 8-year-old MaKayla Moss fell into a West Boise Canal canal.
MaKayla and her sister Brianna,13, were “adventuring” along the canal, picking berries when the younger girl reached out to a duckling swimming past. In an instant she found herself in [...]

Town Hall Meeting Video On Line

The unedited video of the GUARDIAN’S Monday Town Hall Meeting to discuss the ambulance issue is available on the ADA COUNTY website. Click on the notice appropriate listing. It is about an hour and a half with a 10 minute intro by the fat bald GUARDIAN editor.
No allegations of bias please, we would [...]

Boise City Ambulance Plan On “Hold”

In a letter to Ada Commish chair Fred Tilman ( with the Commish’s name spelled incorrectly), Boise Mayor Dave Bieter said he and the council have put their plans to get an ambulance transport license on “hold.”
They cryptically refer to the GUARDIAN revelations (and subsequent legacy media coverage) over the past three [...]

Boise Officials “No Show” At Town Hall Meet

About 60 concerned citizens and a handful of Ada County EMS paramedics got together for the GUARDIAN Town Hall meeting at the library Monday to discuss the status of ambulance service in the county and city.
Sadly, the Boise Firefighters union accused the GUARDIAN of bias on the issue and boycotted the meeting after previously [...]