Oakland Fire and Rescue

10/08/2026

Today we stand with the men and women of the Council Bluffs Fire Department in mourning the loss and honoring the sacrifice of Firefighter/Paramedic Charles “Chuck” Jones. Chuck served as a preceptor and mentor for many of our members while doing ride time on an ambulance as part of their EMT training. He was also a welcome face and calming influence during tiers for ALS for our members. He was also a friend, brother to those of us who worked with him. We will miss him. Please keep his wife, daughters, family and fire family in your thoughts during this difficult time.

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Firefighter / Medic Charles Jones, who died Thursday, October 8, following a medical emergency after responding to a structure fire on Monday, October 5, 2026.

For 19 years, Firefighter Jones was a valued member of the Council Bluffs Fire Department, responding to emergencies and helping residents during some of their most difficult moments. He will be remembered for his contributions to the department and the many lives he touched along the way.

“Charles Jones dedicated 19 years of his life to protecting and serving this community. His passing is a tremendous loss for our entire department,” said Chief Robert Schoening. “We are grateful for his service, his friendship, and the lasting impact he made on those who had the privilege of working alongside him.”

“The loss of firefighter Charles Jones is heartbreaking for our entire Council Bluffs community,” said Mayor Jill Shudak. “Charles dedicated himself to serving and protecting others, answering a calling that requires courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to those around him.”

The City of Council Bluffs extends its deepest condolences to Charles’s wife, children, family, friends, and fellow firefighters and asks the community to keep his loved ones in their thoughts while respecting the family’s privacy during this difficult time.

Information regarding memorial services and opportunities for the community to honor Firefighter / Medic Jones will be shared when available and in coordination with his family.

09/12/2026

Earlier this week some of our members got together and climbed 110 floors in honor of the 343 firefighters, first responders and all those who lost their lives during the attack of 9/11. We will never forget! A big thank you to Riverside High School for letting us use their bleachers.

09/05/2026

Member spotlight! Meet Kaeden Mansfield, he’s been a volunteer on the Oakland Fire Dept. for 3 years. Kaeden began serving as a cadet in our cadet program and upon turning 18 was promoted to a probationary member. Kaeden has participated and shown proficiency in trainings and real-time emergency response involving vehicle extrication, pumping operations and live fire. Kaeden now serves as a probationary firefighter and will be made a full member upon completing the probationary period. We are glad to have him serve with us!

08/31/2026

It was a great day for training! We were fortunate to be able to train on an acquired structure today. Due to the instability of the main floor and roof, we weren’t able to do a lot of interior work, and no roof work. What we were able to do was valuable smoke reading, building construction and fire behavior training. This was valuable for our new and incumbent staff and we thank the Pierce family for allowing us to help them and get one final use out of this home. Kerri Hodges

08/18/2026

We are proud of our members who have volunteered to be a part of this valuable program.

Project Lifesaver Success Story:

First responders were recently called to help find a missing older adult enrolled in Project Lifesaver. Teams from Council Bluffs Police Department, Council Bluffs Fire Department, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and Oakland Volunteer Fire Department responded and began searching.

Project Lifesaver participants wear a small transmitter that emits a unique tracking signal. Using a specialized receiver, Council Bluffs Deputy Chief Alex Ford picked up that signal and followed it, helping locate the missing individual near Veterans Memorial Highway.

He was found just 27 minutes after the 911 call and was 2.5 miles from home! A great outcome made possible by technology, training, and teamwork.

That’s exactly what Project Lifesaver is designed to do. The program provides an extra layer of protection for individuals who may be prone to wandering due to dementia, autism, or other cognitive conditions, while giving their families a little more peace of mind. Currently, 42 people are registered in the Project Lifesaver program.

08/14/2026

The first of many, monthly member spotlights! Meet Gaven Hackett, he’s been a volunteer on the Oakland Fire Dept. for one year. Gaven started out as a Cadet in our Cadet program and upon turning 18 was approved for full membership. Gaven now serves as a probationary firefighter and will be starting EMT class this month to further support his community. We are glad to have him serve with us!

07/04/2026

Congratulations to Ken Peterson for winning the Henry r***e and Evan Jones for winning the Iowa/ISU football tickets in our raffle. Thank you to everyone who came to the pancake breakfast, donated and participated in the raffle. We appreciate your support!

06/25/2026

We are honored to receive this grant funding. We will be using it to purchase a new defibrillator and supplies for our quick response truck. Thank you to the foundation for your continued support.

🌟 Impact Grants Spotlight: Oakland Fire and Rescue 🌟

During the Community Foundation's latest Impact Grants funding cycle, the Oakland Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department received $3,475 to enhance emergency response capabilities in the communities they serve. 🚒

Grant funding from the Community Foundation helped support the purchase of an additional Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for the department’s rapid response vehicle, including a storage case and electrode pads. As surrounding departments face staffing challenges, Oakland Fire and Rescue is increasingly responding to 911 EMS calls outside their jurisdiction which could leave their ambulance and equipment unavailable for local calls. Adding an AED to the rapid response vehicle will ensure lifesaving care can still be delivered when every second counts. 🧑‍🚒❤️🚑

Thank you to the Oakland Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department for your dedication to protecting and serving the community, and for going above and beyond to meet growing emergency needs.

See our full list of 2026 Community Impact Grant recipients at: https://bit.ly/2026-ImpactGrants

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06/19/2026

Our Annual Pancake Feed is just around the corner! Join us the morning of July 4th, from 7:00-10:30 at the Oakland Fire Station for delicious pancakes, sausage and bacon.
This year we are excited to be raffling Iowa/Iowa State football tickets and a 45-70 lever action r***e. Tickets are one for $10 or three for $20. Tickets can be purchased via Venmo, at City Hall, or from any member of Oakland Fire Department. Can’t wait to see you there! Venmo

06/07/2026

Thank you to those that came and golfed in the Fireman’s tournament. We want to thank all of our hole sponsors and participants, your donations and support are a huge part of what keeps us going. Thank you to Heather Johnson and Vicki Palmer for the great photos! Also to Vicki for volunteering to assist on our hole-in-one prize. An even bigger thank you to her for managing the hole solo when our volunteers had to leave for a rescue call in our territory, the community support of our department does not go unnoticed.

Congratulations to the winning teams of
1. Joel Faga 1st place First Flight
2. Addison Brink 2nd place First Flight

We will see you all next year.