Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue reports record wildfire deployments, new EMS programs and station rebuilds
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Summary
TVF&R Deputy Chief Patrick Fayol told the council about the district’s 2024 wildfire deployments, new community paramedic programs, a successful 2024 local option levy that will fund 36 firefighters, and planned station rebuilds including Station 20 in Newberg.
Patrick Fayol, deputy chief for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R), updated the Newberg City Council on April 21 about 2024 wildfire deployments, new emergency medical programs, recruitment, and capital projects funded by voter-approved measures.
The update included operational numbers, program launches and plans for station rebuilds that officials said are necessary to improve seismic resilience and firefighter safety.
Fayol said 2024 was a record wildfire year for Oregon. “2024 was a record year for the state of Oregon as far as wildfire. 1,900,000 acres burned,” he said, and TVF&R deployed personnel to state and interstate mobilizations. The district deployed 31 wildland team members between June and September and contributed personnel to strike teams that supported operations elsewhere in the region.
Fayol described EMS-focused initiatives the district has added in the last year: a community paramedic car (CAR 20) based in Newberg to work with frequent 911 users and link them to social and medical services; an Advanced Resource Medic pilot that pairs a paramedic with a physician assistant or nurse practitioner to work directly in care homes; and a nurse-navigation program in partnership with American Medical Response to triage lower-acuity 911 callers to non-emergency resources.
On funding and capacity, Fayol noted that a local option levy passed in May 2024 will produce 36 full‑time equivalent firefighter positions for the district. The district ran about 60,000 incidents over 310 square miles in 2024; roughly 42,000 were medical calls. Fayol said the district is adding bench strength because EMS calls now account for roughly seven of every ten incidents.
Fayol also described capital projects funded by a 2021 voter-approved bond: King City station demolition and rebuild, and a full rebuild of Station 20 in Newberg that staff say will be built to modern seismic standards and include decontamination zones and improved accommodations for female firefighters. He flagged rising construction costs: estimated station costs have grown from $8–9 million five years ago to about $14–15 million today.
Fayol addressed recruitment challenges and retention. He said the district is expanding outreach through social-media recruiting, school programs, community college partnerships and women’s fire camps. He also discussed health concerns among prospective recruits and described TVF&R’s post‑fire decontamination program and annual physicals designed to detect occupational cancer early.
Fayol closed with an outcome statistic for cardiac arrest care: TVF&R’s reported survival with good neurological outcome after witnessed cardiac arrest is 44.7 percent, which he credited to close cooperation with Newberg Police Department and rapid bystander/interagency response.
Councilors asked about recruitment and timelines for station rebuilds; Fayol said staff will return with renderings and construction schedules before work begins.
