June 1, 2023

Sean Hartley, Fire Chief

Outdoor Debris Burning is set to close on June 1st, this includes using burn barrels and propane weed burners. While we have received rain in May, the grasses are drying out quickly with the warmer temperatures we are experiencing. When outdoor burning is prohibited, recreational campfires are allowed after sunset on a day-to-day basis. Remember to call the Burn Line at 541-923-4633 for the latest information and before starting a campfire.

We are excited to announce that we have received two more grants from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office. These two grants are both related to increasing our staffing to improve response capabilities to emergencies.

The first is the 2023 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant. This grant allows us to hire temporary firefighters during the summer months. We also received this same grant last summer and were able to add one firefighter per 24-hour shift. This helped us keep wildfires small and respond to simultaneous calls effectively.

The second grant we were awarded was the Oregon Fire Service Capacity Program grant. The goal of this program is for small- to medium-sized agencies to assist with adding permanent firefighters. We have been awarded funds to hire two firefighter/paramedics which would increase our permanent staffing to two firefighter/paramedics on two of our three shifts for the next three years. The District will also be funding a third firefighter/paramedic position with current budget funds to meet a long standing strategic goal of having two permanent firefighter/paramedics across all three shifts. This change will allow us to have more flexible staffing when responding to emergency calls.

With the additional firefighter/paramedics being hired the District needs to form a Civil Service Commission. This commission provides a third-party review of the District’s employment practices and can function as an appeal board for employment matters.  We are currently seeking three members of the public to serve on this commission. If you would be interested in serving on or would like more information regarding the Civil Service Commission for the District please contact the fire station at 541-923-6776.

For more information about Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, please visit our website (www.crrfire.org/about-us), check us out on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram.  The public is always welcome to attend Fire Board meetings on the third Thursday of each month.  Board meetings take place at the fire station at 6:30pm.  More information is available on our website (crrfire.org/public-meetings).