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Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue

1 day ago

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue responded to 419 calls in March of 2021. We responded to 423 calls in March of 2020. ...

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue

2 weeks ago

Thank you Dirk Carner for your service.

Kelso, WA – Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Lead Mechanic Dirk Carner is retiring after a long 25-year career. Carner was a cornerstone in developing and maintaining the successful apparatus and equipment program that serves Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue, and other outside agencies. Carner earned an Associate Degree in Diesel Technology from Clark College in 1976 and started his career as a Lead Mechanic for Interstate Wood Products for 18 years prior to joining Cowlitz 2 in January of 1996.

During his career at Cowlitz 2, Carner was awarded a life save award (1997), the department’s distinguished service award (1999), and staff member of the year award (2018) for exemplary service.

In his off time, Dirk enjoys motorcycle road trips, camping, and hobby farming. Once Dirk’s wife retires he plans on traveling with her, including a motorcycle ride across the United States. In the meantime, some home projects will occupy Carner’s time upon retirement.

Dirk expands on his career at Cowlitz 2, “My career was challenging and rewarding. I always felt we needed to keep our equipment in the best condition possible, make it operational to our needs, and keep the costs within our budget. I think we did this. I enjoyed that we could maintain our equipment, build some of our own equipment, or modify equipment to meet our needs. I have had the opportunity, with some guidance from Chief LaFave, to develop a maintenance program, organize and implement NFPA testing, modernize and expand our equipment, and witness the building of two new fully staffed fire stations.” ...

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue

2 weeks ago

In addition to Fire Chief LaFave retiring from Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief Becky Ribelin and Lead Mechanic Dirk Carner, pillars of the organization, are retiring after long and productive careers serving the community. Thank you both for your service and contributions; they have led to where the organization is today. Congratulations!

Kelso, WA – Deputy Chief Becky Ribelin is retiring from Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue after a nearly 22 year-long career. Ribelin, a registered nurse (R.N.), worked at Peace Health St. John’s Medical Center for 30 years (mostly in the emergency department) prior to and transitioning into her position as EMS Coordinator at Cowlitz 2. Ribelin earned her R.N from Lower Columbia College in 1978 and later returned to college earning her B.S. in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Linfield University in 1999. After graduating from Linfield, she applied for and was hired by Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue later that year. In 2013 she was promoted to Deputy Chief continuing to oversee the department’s medical charting, transport operations, and work with other industry heads.



Chief Ribelin maintained her RN nursing license her entire career and added other emergency certifications relevant to pre-hospital work, oftentimes taught others as an instructor.



Becky enjoys shoe shopping, rowing, and spending time with her grandkids. She plans on traveling and relaxing in her new house, currently being built.



Ribelin reflects on her career, “I have found that working here provided a great use of both my previous ED experience and the social work degree. Really, I have learned so much about fire/EMS service and the rules and regulations governing both. It has been a lot of fun and I can honestly say that I have never dreaded coming to work one day. I have formed friendships here that will last the rest of my life. It has been a great way to end the last 20+ years of what started out to be a “hands-on” nursing career.”



Chief Ribelin’s duties will be assigned and distributed to other Deputy Chiefs within the organization. ...

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue

3 weeks ago

PeaceHealth is creating a scholarship in memory of Liliya Zagariya. Please consider donating at www.peacehealth.org/LiliyaFund ...

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue

3 weeks ago

A21-568 Assault / A21-597 Arson Investigations – Suspect in Custody
March 18, 2021

At 2245 hours of March 14, 2021 Cowlitz County deputies responded to a report of a road rage incident. The reporting parties told deputies a male driving a blue Ford Ranger on Interstate 5 near Lexington cut them off and caused a collision near Lexington. The suspect reportedly exited his vehicle, pointed a pistol at the occupants of the other vehicle, and fired shots into a wooded area nearby. The driver of the second vehicle recognized the suspect as John Threlfall, age 41 of Kelso. Threlfall is the registered owner of a matching vehicle.

Deputies held probable cause to arrest Threlfall and had been actively searching for him. Attempts to locate Threlfall at his home on Hometown Dr had been unsuccessful.

At 2341 hours of March 17, 2021 Cowlitz 911 received several calls from residents on Hometown Dr, reporting John Threlfall had returned to his home. Threlfall was reportedly armed with a rifle and actively firing shots outside. Deputies responded to the scene and witnessed Threlfall retreat inside the home, where he then detonated multiple explosives, believed to be fireworks mortars, inside the home. Threlfall ignored commands and fired additional gunshots while deputies were on scene.

The Lower Columbia SWAT team responded to the scene and an emergency notification was sent to the neighborhood. Adjacent homes were evacuated as Threlfall’s residence became fully engulfed in flames. Threlfall ignored commands to surrender until SWAT deployed chemical munitions. SWAT members located Threlfall hiding under a canopy in the back yard of the residence and took him into custody. Cowlitz 2 Fire responded to the scene once the suspect was in custody, but the house and a vehicle in the driveway were destroyed in the fire.

John Threlfall was booked into Cowlitz County Jail on charges of Arson 1st Degree, Aiming or Discharging Firearms / Dangerous Weapons and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, related to the incident on Hometown Dr, case A21-597. Threlfall was also booked on two counts of Assault 2nd Degree, Drive by Shooting and Hit and Run Attended, for the March 14th incident on Interstate 5. Deputies will be present at the Hometown Dr scene throughout the day for scene processing.

Deputies received information that a female associate had been with Threlfall when the incident started at his home, and would like to speak with that person about the incident. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 360-577-3092.

Troy Brightbill
Chief Criminal Deputy
Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office
360-577-3092 x 7243

(Attached photo - View of Fire from Incident Command Post) ...