JACKPOT FIRE FACILITY
One Woman's Vision
Twin Falls County resident Valerie Adnams Smith aimed to create a memorial to her late husband. He had been a firefighter in a well-equipped California city, but she had learned that the Jackpot Fire Department was less fortunate. Jackpot's small 40-year-old building didn’t shelter the town's equipment from the weather, and it even lacked a generator.
She resolved to build the larger firehouse Jackpot needed.
TFCF Involvement
Ms. Smith and her financial advisor approached TFCF in March of 2019 to sketch a strategy. She would transfer various securities and saleable real estate to the foundation. Jackpot Fire Chief Brian Hugill would develop the project, and TFCF would provide financial oversight and management.
A facility was designed that could be built for less than $400,000. But that simple plan got off to a rocky start.
Finding a willing contractor was the first challenge. Administrative hurdles and municipal approvals caused further delay. Then COVID-19 halted the project entirely.
By the time planning resumed, the legal environment had shifted. State law had redefined such a project as a "public work” subject to rules that would skyrocket the cost to over $1 million.
Still eager to help Jackpot, Ms. Smith pivoted. She learned that a versatile "rescue" truck was essential to the department's mission. As the first responders for 4,500 unpopulated square miles in three states, the Jackpot Fire Department answers wide- ranging distress calls, including missing hunters, vehicle breakdowns, and stranded kayakers.
She decided to fund a custom rescue vehicle, purpose-built for Jackpot's needs, to replace the department's worn-out, high-mileage 2003 unit.
With TFCF managing timely payments, southern Idaho vendors provided the basic vehicle, striping, and radio equipment. Some gear was recycled from the old unit. New items, including a 30- gallon water tank that would make 300 gallons of foam, were added to make the unique vehicle ready to roll.
Community Involvement
The need for a firehall persisted. In a testament to patience and creativity, Chief Hugill and the Jackpot town manager developed a new plan. A southern Idaho contractor confirmed that a pole-built garage could be added to the existing building at a reasonable cost. Deeding necessary real estate to Ms. Smith made the project a “private work.”
Construction of the addition and updating of the old building was completed in 2025. Yet, Ms. Smith, Jackpot, and TFCF weren't finished.
Careful management of Ms. Smith's original donation had left available funds. Under her specific direction, and with TFCF in charge of purchasing materials, the Jackpot community built a
mile-long fitness trail around the golf course. TFCF purchased the materials. Firefighters and volunteers labored alongside public works employees to move rock, clear the path, and (as specified by Ms. Smith) save the wild roses. The entire Jackpot community has enjoyed the new amenity.
As the Jackpot project winds down, another acquisition has been initiated. Chief Hugill needs more “turn-outs,” the high-tech safety wardrobe for firefighters. Donor funds with TFCF will purchase ten sets.
.jpg/:/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:7.89%25,w:84.22%25,h:84.22%25/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)