Boonville Fire Department

10/15/2026

PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING CAPTAIN NATHAN BRANDES!

The Boonville Fire Department is proud to announce the promotion of Nathan Brandes to the rank of Captain!

Nathan recently completed a comprehensive and competitive promotional testing process designed to evaluate the knowledge, leadership abilities, decision-making skills, and operational readiness required of a Captain.

The process consisted of four equally weighted components:

100-Question Written Examination – Testing knowledge of fireground operations, leadership, department procedures, and fire officer responsibilities.

Role-Playing Exercise – Evaluating interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, personnel management, and leadership skills through a realistic supervisory scenario.

Residential Fire Tabletop Exercise – Challenging candidates to manage a simulated structure fire, including initial size-up, establishing incident command, developing an incident action plan, deploying resources, and making critical decisions as emergency conditions evolved.

Oral Interview – Assessing leadership philosophy, judgment, communication skills, and preparedness to assume the responsibilities of a company officer.

To ensure a fair and objective evaluation, the department utilized experienced outside evaluators.

Nathan earned the highest overall score in the promotional process, demonstrating his commitment to professional development and his readiness to take on additional leadership responsibilities.

As a Fire Captain, Nathan will be responsible for supervising personnel, directing emergency operations, maintaining operational readiness, and helping ensure the safety of both our firefighters and the citizens we serve.

We also want to recognize and thank all candidates who stepped forward to participate in this challenging process. Their willingness to pursue leadership opportunities speaks to their dedication to the department and our community.

Congratulations, Captain Brandes! We look forward to seeing you grow in your new role and continue serving the citizens of Boonville.

Please join us in congratulating Nathan on this well-earned accomplishment!

- Chief Cooper

10/12/2026

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE!

The Boonville Fire Department would like to invite our community, friends, family, and fellow firefighters to join us as we celebrate the retirement of Engineer Chris King!

Chris has dedicated 20 years of service to the Boonville Fire Department and the citizens of Boonville. Throughout those years, he has answered countless calls, served his community, and been a valued member of our department.

We invite everyone who has had the pleasure of knowing, working with, or serving alongside Chris over the years to stop by, share a story, shake his hand, and help us send him off into a well-deserved retirement!

Retirement Celebration for Engineer Chris King

Monday, October 19, 2026

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Boonville Fire Department
500 Bingham Drive, Boonville, MO

Whether you've known Chris for 20 years or just crossed paths with him along the way, we'd love to see you there!

Chris, thank you for your 20 years of dedication, commitment, and service to our community. Congratulations on your retirement!

10/02/2026

Residential Fire on Rainbow Road Displaces Two Residents
BOONVILLE, MO – On Thursday, October 1, at approximately 8:27 p.m., the Boonville Fire Department (BFD), along with automatic aid partners, Cooper County Fire Protection District and Cooper County Ambulance District, responded to the 1200 block of Rainbow Road for a reported residential structure fire.
Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy smoke pushing from the residence and discovered downed electrical lines in the backyard after a large tree branch had fallen onto the lines. Ameren was immediately requested to respond to the scene, with utility crews traveling from Mexico, Missouri.
Firefighters made entry into the residence and located the fire in the kitchen. A primary search confirmed that all occupants had safely evacuated. Crews quickly extinguished the kitchen fire and began extensive overhaul operations in the kitchen and adjoining living areas to locate and extinguish any remaining fire.
Fire suppression and overhaul operations were complicated by electrical lines that had fallen onto the residence, creating a dangerous electrical hazard and the potential for electrical back feed into the structure. During operations, one firefighter received an electrical shock and was evaluated on scene.
Due to the ongoing electrical hazard, firefighters were unable to safely complete a thorough overhaul of the affected areas until Ameren crews arrived and removed the downed power line from the residence.
Crews remained on scene for approximately four hours. The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical in nature.
One resident was treated on scene for minor smoke inhalation, and two residents were displaced as a result of the fire. The American Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance to those affected.
The Boonville Fire Department would like to thank Cooper County Joint Communications, Cooper County Fire Protection District, Cooper County Ambulance District, Ameren, and the American Red Cross for their assistance during this incident.

This incident serves as an important reminder of the dangers associated with downed power lines. Residents should always assume fallen electrical lines are energized, stay well clear of them, and immediately contact 911. Never attempt to move or touch a downed line or anything it may be contacting, including trees, fences, or structures.

09/15/2026

09/02/2026

Fire Alarm Response – Hannah Cole Primary School

Earlier today, the Boonville Fire Department responded to Hannah Cole Primary School for a report of a fire alarm sounding with smoke reported inside the building.

Upon our arrival, nothing was showing from the exterior of the building. Students and staff had already safely evacuated, and school officials confirmed that everyone was accounted for.

Fire crews entered the building and located light smoke in one of the classrooms. After further investigation, crews determined that a heat pump had experienced a seized shaft along with several burned electrical wires.

Fire crews, working with school maintenance staff, were able to isolate the affected unit and ventilate the remaining smoke from the building. No injuries were reported, and all students and staff were able to safely return to class.

While this fortunately turned out to be a relatively minor mechanical issue, calls involving smoke inside an occupied school are taken very seriously. We greatly appreciate the quick evacuation by the school staff and the response and assistance of all of our mutual-aid and public-safety partners.

A special thank you to:
Cooper County Joint Communications
Boonville PD Dispatch
Cooper County Fire Protection District
Cooper County Ambulance District
Boonville Police Department
Cooper County Sheriff’s Office
Hannah Cole Primary School Maintenance Staff

Incidents like this are a great example of multiple agencies working together to ensure the safety of our students, school staff, and community.

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!

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!