PROTECTING OREGON COMMUNITIES FROM WILDFIRE
In its second year, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant continued to help and protect communities in Oregon.
BOOSTING FIREFIGHTER CAPACITY
In June, the Oregon State Fire Marshal opened applications for the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant for the Oregon fire service as part of the agency’s Response Ready Oregon initiative. This is the second year for the grant that had such a profound impact in 2022.
The intent of the one-time grant is to increase staffing capacity at the local level and allow fire agencies to hire additional staff through the summer months. The grant funding also boosted capacity within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS), which is what the OSFM uses to mobilize resources at the regional and statewide levels. Below are just a sampling of the stories the OSFM has received from grant recipients.
ABOUT THE 2023 GRANT
In the spring, the OSFM awarded $6 million to 185 local structural fire agencies across Oregon to hire seasonal firefighters. This one-time funding boosts on-duty capacity with the goal of getting firefighters to emergency calls more quickly.
All 306 local fire agencies in Oregon were eligible to request up to $35,000 to support staffing through the grant.
This additional funding increased on-duty capacity throughout the fire season and allowed agencies to mobilize quickly to fires at the local, regional, and state (conflagration) levels. Having more on-duty firefighters helped keep fires small before they impacted communities.
MAP OF RECIPIENTS
In 2023, recipients were prioritized based on the size of the agency. Many Oregon towns and cities depend on volunteer firefighters, boosting capacity in these communities can mean the difference between life and death.
Below is a map of grant recipients.
CORNELIUS FIRE DEPARTMENT
This video shows firefighters working to put out a brush fire in Cornelius. The Cornelius Fire Department was able to have two units on scene within minutes of being dispatched. It enabled them to quickly extinguish the fire, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.
This was all made possible through the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal. With the grant, the department was able to fund a position to staff a brush rig for 10 hours every day throughout the fire season. Cornelius Fire partnered with Forest Grove Fire & Rescue to jointly staff the unit with two people, allowing both departments to increase their capability for the fire season.
“Without this program, we would have only had one unit on scene initially to work on extinguishing the flames while we had additional mutual aid resources respond to assist us.”
JEFFERSON COUNTY FIRE & EMS
“I wanted to share a success story with you all. We’ve had many, but this one is the most recent. Central Oregon has been in a heat advisory with temperatures over 100 degrees all week. Jefferson County Fire and EMS decided to up staff for wildland firefighting responses. On Monday, August 14, in late afternoon, we were dispatched to a brush fire in a high-hazard area. The OSFM grant funds allowed us to staff up and we stopped the fire at one acre. Because of the temperatures, topography, and fuel type, the fire had significant growth potential. We just wanted to say thank you and share our success story.” - Chief Jeff Blake
PAISLEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Firefighters from Paisley Volunteer Fire Department stop fire on July 11, 2023.
On July 11, Paisley Fire responded to a motor vehicle fire. Thanks to the OSFM Capacity and 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grants from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, the first unit was headed to the call in under two minutes because firefighters were already at the fire station.
For context, it used to take 10 to 15 minutes for the first engine to roll by the time volunteers arrived at the station. On this call, Paisley Volunteer Fire Department responded with two engines, one tender, and six personnel. The agency was assisted by one engine from the High Desert Rangeland Protection Association. The fire was contained thanks to programs offered by the OSFM.
SWEET HOME FIRE
KEIZER FIRE DISTRICT
Keizer firefighters responded to a fast-moving brush fire in Marion County on July 18. Engine 355 responded as part of the initial assignment and Brush 358 responded as part of a Marion County task force.
Thanks to the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Keizer Fire District was able to hire seasonal firefighters. The agency says it is better equipped to respond to these types of situations within our community and the surrounding area. While Brush 358 was committed to the task force, in-district units were able to handle nearly 20 calls for service.
Keizer Fire District firefighters work on a mutual aid assignment to help stop a brush fire on July 18.
“We are thankful for this grant, as it has allowed us to improve staffing while facing record call volumes within Keizer.”
DUNDEE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Heavy Brush 32 deployed as part of Yamhill County Task Force to the Tyree Complex in Douglas County.
Dundee Fire was a recipient of the Oregon State Fire Marshal 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant. This seasonal grant allowed Dundee Fire Department to deploy to these fires due to their increased staffing levels.
The added capacity not only has a benefit locally but within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System.
ECHO RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT
This is an in-depth story of the success the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant has had for the Echo Rural Fire Department. Click the story to read it in its entirety.
TENMILE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT
On June 6, 2023, just after 6 p.m., Tenmile Rural Fire District received a phone call to the station regarding a tractor on fire. Firefighters were already at the station for drill and quickly raced to scene. The crew consisting of seasonal staff and volunteers, quickly went to work pulling a hose line and got a quick knock down before the flames swallowed the tractor or spread to surrounding grass and brush. Tractor damage was confined to the engine compartment.
This was the second day on shift for the agencies seasonal crew, hired through the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant. Six personnel responded in an engine, a tender, and a command vehicle.
Firefighters with Tenmile Rural Fire District work to put out a tractor fire.
GEARHART VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
On August 23, 2023, at 12:30 p.m., Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department had a fire in the dune grass at the north end of Surf Pines. The fire was about 150 yards west of the homes on Ocean Drive and moving towards those homes.
Thanks to the Oregon State Fire Marshal 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant, the agency had extra firefighters to help extinguish the fire and provide coverage for the fire district during the call. Because of the additional staffing, Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department were able to keep this fire small at about one-tenth of an acre and away from the homes on Ocean Road.
Firefighters with Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department stop a beach grass fire in August.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
Moving forward the OSFM is looking at options for continued investments into this grant program to keep pace with protecting Oregonians and communities. If sustained funding is not acquired, the OSFM cannot maintain an adequate level of response and service to Oregon communities and the efforts to improve wildfire risk reduction statewide.
The OSFM will likely need to appear in future legislative sessions to adequately support Response Ready Oregon and the community risk reduction fund.