Boonville Fire Department

08/17/2026

Congratulations on Your Retirement, Captain Mark Waibel!

The City of Boonville and the Boonville Fire Department would like to congratulate Captain Mark Waibel on his retirement after 28 years of dedicated service to our department and community.

For nearly three decades, Mark has answered the call, serving the citizens of Boonville with dedication, professionalism, and commitment. Throughout his career, he has been a firefighter, leader, mentor, and friend to many who have had the privilege of serving alongside him.

Twenty-eight years in the fire service represents countless calls, long nights, missed holidays, training hours, and moments that most people will never see. Mark's service has made a lasting impact on the Boonville Fire Department and the community he has served.

Captain Waibel, thank you for your 28 years of service to the City of Boonville. We wish you a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement!

Congratulations, Captain — you've earned it!

Left to right. Engineer Chris King, Captain Mark Waibel

07/21/2026

Please join us in congratulating Nathan Brandes and Patrick Higgins on successfully graduating from EMT school!

Becoming an EMT is no small accomplishment. The program requires months of classroom instruction, hands-on practical skills, clinical rotations, ambulance ride time, and successful completion of both written and practical examinations. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice to earn the privilege of providing emergency medical care to those in need.

Some of you may have noticed Nathan and Patrick appearing in social media posts from other emergency service agencies during their training. That's because, here in Cooper County, our emergency services work together as one team. Several of our Boonville Fire Department personnel also participate with the Cooper County Fire Protection District, while several of our firefighters work part-time for the Cooper County Ambulance District. Likewise, several Cooper County Ambulance District employees serve part-time with the Boonville Fire Department.

This partnership is one of our community's greatest strengths. By training together and working alongside one another across multiple agencies, we build relationships and trust long before an emergency happens. When the tones drop, we already know each other's capabilities, communication styles, and expectations. That familiarity leads to better coordination, faster decision-making, and ultimately better service for the citizens we all serve.

In a small community, collaboration is essential. Sharing personnel and supporting one another allows all of our agencies to maximize resources, maintain highly trained responders, and provide the highest level of emergency care possible.

Congratulations again to Nathan and Patrick! We are proud of your commitment to serving our community and look forward to seeing the positive impact you'll continue to make. Please join us in wishing them well on this significant milestone in their careers!

06/24/2026

Yesterday afternoon, the Boonville Fire Department responded to a reported hazardous materials incident at the Pilot Travel Center involving a leaking tanker truck.

Upon arrival, firefighters identified a release from a tanker carrying a corrosive and toxic liquid. Crews immediately established an incident command system, isolated the area, and implemented safety measures to protect the public, responders, and the environment. A safety perimeter was established, access to the affected area was restricted, and monitoring operations were conducted throughout the incident.

Working alongside Pilot Travel Center staff, Cooper County Joint Communications, Cooper County Emergency Management, Boonville PD, Cooper County Sherriff's Office, The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Columbia Fire Department, the situation was safely contained and mitigated without injury to the public or emergency responders.

Incidents involving hazardous materials require specialized training, equipment, and coordination between multiple agencies. We are proud of the professionalism displayed by everyone involved and appreciate the cooperation of the public during the event.

While crews were committed to this incident, the department also managed 4 additional emergency calls within the community, highlighting the dedication of our firefighters and the importance of strong mutual aid partnerships.

Thank you to all responding agencies and personnel who assisted in ensuring the safety of our community.

A special thank you to Columbia Fire Department and their Regional Specialized Hazardous Materials Response team. This is a great resource for the smaller departments like us to have available to request. Thank you!

06/03/2026

05/20/2026

Training Notice for the Community

Today, residents may notice Boonville Fire Department personnel and a ladder truck operating at the Selwyn Apartments located at 301 First Street. Please be advised this is only a scheduled training exercise.

These trainings allow our firefighters to practice critical skills in a real-world environment so we can better serve our community during emergencies. There is no emergency at the apartment complex.

We would like to thank the management and residents of Selwyn Apartments for allowing us to utilize the property for this valuable training opportunity.

As always, we appreciate the continued support from our community!

04/28/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boonville Fire Department Responds to Residential Fire on Locust Street

On Saturday evening at approximately 7:51 PM, the Boonville Fire Department responded to the 1000 block of Locust Street for a reported residential fire.

Upon arrival, crews observed a small fire on the front porch with moderate smoke showing. Firefighters quickly extinguished the exterior fire before forcing entry into the residence to conduct a primary search. The home was confirmed to be unoccupied at the time, as it was undergoing remodeling.

While operating inside, crews encountered moderate smoke conditions and discovered that the fire had extended into the interior of the structure. Utilizing thermal imaging cameras, firefighters located a small amount of fire within an exterior wall and conducted overhaul operations to ensure complete extinguishment. Ventilation fans were then deployed to remove smoke from the residence.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is listed as undetermined at this time.

The Boonville Fire Department would like to thank our mutual aid partners, including Cooper County Joint Communications, Cooper County Fire Protection District, Cooper County Ambulance District, and the Boonville Police Department, for their assistance on this incident.

For additional information, please contact the Boonville Fire Department.

04/16/2026

Did You Know?

When you call the Boonville Police Department for an emergency that is NOT law enforcement related—such as a fire, medical emergency, or rescue situation—your call does not go directly to Cooper County 911.

Instead, the Police Department must first take your information and then relay it to Cooper County 911. During this extra step:
Critical details can be unintentionally lost or miscommunicated.
Valuable seconds or even minutes can be delayed.
The response may not be as efficient as it could be.

When you dial 911 directly, you are immediately connected to trained emergency dispatchers who specialize in:
Medical, fire, and rescue call processing
Asking critical, life-saving questions
Determining the appropriate level of response
Providing pre-arrival instructions when needed

In addition, 911 dispatchers have advanced technology that allows them to:
More accurately pinpoint your location
Use mapping systems to guide responders quickly and efficiently
Dispatch the closest and most appropriate resources without delay

In an emergency, EVERY second matters!

For any emergency—fire, medical, or rescue—always call 911 first.

Help us spread the word and ensure our community gets the fastest, most effective emergency response possible.

04/10/2026

Temporary Station Relocation Notice

The Boonville Fire Department has relocated operations to 320 W. Ashley Road while renovations are completed at our main station. This move will allow us to continue providing the same level of service to our community without interruption during this improvement project.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Cooper County Sheriff’s Department and the Cooper County Commission for their generosity and support in allowing us to utilize their building during this time. Their partnership ensures we can remain ready to respond when our community needs us most.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve our facilities and better serve Boonville.

— Boonville Fire Department