If you picture the Helena Fire Department responding mostly to structure fires, the department's leadership would like a word. Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief sat down recently to explain what actually fills HFD's call log — and fires are a fraction of it.
The conversation came as part of Helena This Week's Labor Day edition, which also noted the city handed out its second Spirit of Helena award and reported that a water main break caused enough road damage to make the pavement visibly weep. The fire department discussion fits into a recurring challenge for municipal departments: communicating to residents and budget-setters what the job actually is, beyond the dramatic calls that make the news.
The Helena Area Community Foundation is also moving nearly $70,000 in grant funding toward local organizations, according to the same newsletter. The foundation's granting cycle affects nonprofits across the valley, and the dollar amount — while not finalized — represents a meaningful injection into Helena's civic sector heading into fall.