Bayside Volunteer Fire Department

06/12/2026

Incident count for the BFD as of June 11th, 2026

-Total Calls for Service 201.
11 Fire Related Calls
89 EMS / Medical Aid Calls
34 Mutual Aid Calls / Assist other Agencies
24 Open Burning - Smoke Investigation Calls
**43 Service and Public Assistance Calls.
**(Includes Automatic Fire Alarms with no Fire)

Incident count for the BFD as of June 11th 2025

-Total Calls for Service 141

Members of the BFD have attended to all calls and continued to turn out for the community. Your BFD Firefighters have answered the call without hesitation, even with a year to date increase of 42% for incident calls from this time last year.

The System works thanks to your firefighters and the continued support of the community!

06/12/2026

The 26-01 FireFighter I & II / Haz Mat Operations Course; 8 new onboards, 2 of which were laterals with extensive career and volunteer fire experience, fully certified to senior firefighter and Driver Operator levels; New Equipment to enhance operations and interoperability; Our Cadet force of 8 continues to train hard and achieve great things in High School; Public Events and just having fun as members continue to serve and protect the Kodiak Community.

06/03/2026

It is with heavy hearts the BFD is announcing there will not be a Summer Fire Camp this year. Due to departure of key staff (they are off doing great things in Emergency Services on the mainland) and lack of summer temporary staff and the Chief’s family (extended family as well thanks Gage and Tiff for last year!!!) not on island, we are just not able to pull off all that goes into running a week long summer camp for 40 kiddos age 6-12 and also staffing a full service Fire Department 24-7-365. We are working already on overcoming challenges to restore the camp for the 2027 summer.
We are planning and have scheduled family events on certain Sunday afternoons this Summer. Look for coming announcements regarding those free all day family events. If you know when Smokey Bear’s 82nd Birthday is, you already know one of ‘em……shhhh it’s a surprise, but you all are invited :)
Thankyou all for your understanding and continued support. -Your BFD Firefighters-

06/03/2026

Recently, your BFD Firefighters placed in service multiple sets of oxygen and ventilation delivery devices to be used for our furry friends who may be victims of structure fires. While it is true your BFD firefighters definitely prioritize the bi pedal members of our community during structural search and rescue operations (we will come for you). We also aggressively seek out our four legged friends during our primary search operations in a structure fire. Until now, when your firefighters removed a family pet from the home who was suffering from smoke inhalation our only option was to crudely adapt oxygen and ventilation delivery devices intended for humans to attempt to resuscitate your furry family member. Now our firefighters will be able to use purpose constructed devices intended for the resuscitation and respiratory support of our snouted friends. These will be assigned in special packs with our EMS gear on Squad 11 and Engine 11.
And a friendly reminder from your BFD firefighters, if you have a special place in your heart for our furry companions and would like to learn more about how our firefighters protect all members of our community, and would like to come stand with us and be part of our team, reach out to the station via email ([email protected]) or stop down Monday nights between 6 and 10 or Wednesdays between 6 and 9 or any day During the week between eight and five. A member of our leadership team can begin the on boarding process with you right down the spot.

***A quick note: due to existing Alaska State Law (a recent bill removing this provision was vetoed by the Governor) our Firefighters who are licensed EMS professionals are barred from rendered any medical aid to animals. It is viewed as an out of scope practice of our skills by the current State Law. Have no worry, our members who are not currently licensed EMS professionals are well trained in the use of these devices as “bystanders” and Fido, Scrap, Dakota, Morris, and Spot will be well attended to, and in full compliance with existing AK Law 🤨 ***

04/29/2026

Join Americans all across the Nation in honoring our Fallen Firefighters. Did you know the Lead National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Advocate in Alaska is a member of the Bayside Fire Department? It 2025 seventy seven (77) firefighters died in the line of duty in the USA. In Kodiak we remember our own Frank Cannon of USCG Base Kodiak Fire Department, who died in the line of duty on October 24th, 1976.

Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters is part of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend sponsored by the NFFF.

04/29/2026

Come Stand With Us as we protect our Kodiak Community. Follow the link to print and fill out an application. Stop by and drop it off in person and look around.
https://www.kodiakak.us/DocumentCenter/View/42/Volunteer-Application

01/07/2026

Remember to check on Family & Neighbors who may not be very mobile, elders, or medically fragile. Your BFD is always prepared and ready to assist our community during good weather and bad

01/07/2026

Well Kodiak, it appears this one may shape up to be a true "Get the Milk & Bread" storm. Forecast Models have continued to line up predicting a 24-36 hour event with 8-16 inches of snow with 50MPH winds creating white out conditions and significant drifting.
Emergency Services & City / Borough Government Leadership are meeting presently to finalize preparedness for the storm. Updates will be forthcoming.

WHAT IS THE BFD DOING?
-We are staffing apparatus in quarters with our members starting at 6pm on Thursday.
-We are ensuring adequate logistics are in place to properly serve the community, including assistance from public safety and government partners.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING?
-Preparing to be without power and home bound for up to 24-48 hours.
-Charge all Devices & Ensure Flashlights have fresh batteries.
-Preparing to maintain access to egress points around your home and keeping vents and exhausts free of snow (especially for fuel fired appliances)
-Keep alternative heating devices away from combustibles and ensure proper and safe operation.
-Ensure elderly or medically fragile family or neighbors have enough medicine / supplies for 24-48 hours.

https://www.almanac.com/are-you-prepared-next-blizzardlkol

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_r5_winter-ready-toolkit_2024.pdf

12/25/2025

“For, more than just a day, Christmas is a state of mind. It is found throughout the year whenever faith overcomes doubt, hope conquers despair, and love triumphs over hate.”

-President Ronald Reagan Christmas Message

The Members of your Bayside Fire Department wish our community, friends, & neighbors a most Joyous & Merry Christmas. We remind all to never forget to view our world through the eyes of a child, even just for a moment on one day each year.

“There is nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. … Time, self-pity, apathy, bitterness and exhaustion can take the Christmas out of the child, but you cannot take the child out of Christmas.”

12/08/2025

The Great Yankee Ball Player and Coach Yogi Berra said "IT'S TOUGH TO MAKE PREDICTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FUTURE" 🤣 Well we will give it a go anyway; according to the weather station high atop the Firehouse we can expect snow to continue through 4pm today with winds sustained between 15-20 mph with gusts at 25-30 mph. Temps will remain around 28F with a windchill value around 16F. The roads in our district appeared to be well cleared (Let us know if they are not) and BFD crews will be out checking hydrants and access to fire protection systems. PLEASE Help out your firefighters by clearing fire hydrants that may be in front of your residence or business. Also for commercial property owners who have fire protection systems with fire department connections (Fire sprinkler Systems) please keep those clear for us as well. Finally homeowners who may have medically fragile family, please keep access to the home clear for our EMS crews and stretchers. We are prepared to handle it ourselves, but it speeds the care we can provide when we don't have to shovel our way to the patient.

The below excerpt is from a 1926 Fire Engineering Magazine Article about New England Cities using horse drawn Sleighs as fire apparatus after several Nor'Easters hit the region. The Chief has assured us he has no first hand knowledge of Horse Drawn Fire Sleigh's, but he admits he has seen photos 🤪