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Clackamas Fire tells Oregon City commission levy helped reopen nearby stations, expand wildfire capability
Summary
Clackamas Fire reported improved response reliability and wildfire capacity since its levy passed in 2023, including reopening Stations 12 and 13, hiring levy‑funded firefighters and adding wildland assets. Chief said the district now fields more wildland‑capable apparatus and maintains a Type 2 hand crew used statewide.
Clackamas Fire officials told the Oregon City City Commission on Nov. 5 that levy funding has bolstered staffing, reopened stations near Oregon City and expanded wildland response capacity.
The chief said the district responded to 8,985 calls in the third quarter, including 323 fires and 5,641 medical calls. He described a levy promise made during the May 2023 ballot measure to fund 62 firefighters, reopen Station 12 and Station 13 (the latter serves areas adjacent to Oregon City), and add quick response vehicles. "This threat is real," the chief said, describing multiple Level 3 evacuations in the district since 2020.
The chief reported the district hired roughly 70 firefighters over the past two and a half years and was at about 60 of the 62 levy‑funded positions with an academy scheduled to reach the promised staffing level. He highlighted improved response times after reopening Station 12 and Station 13 and said Station 13 has handled roughly 300 calls since it reopened, 40 of them fires.
Clackamas Fire also described increases in wildland capability: the district increased wildland‑capable apparatus from 13 before the levy to 33 and maintains a Type 2 hand crew (the only municipal department in Oregon with that crew type) that the district deploys across the state.
Commissioners asked about four‑person crew staffing, annexation by Gladstone and volunteer/board vacancies; the chief said some apparatus run four‑person crews when staffing permits but minimum staffing remains three on many apparatus. He also said Gladstone voters had recently voted to annex into Clackamas Fire and that citizen opportunities will be posted as vacancies arise.
No formal action was required of the commission; commissioners thanked the district for the update and staff agreed to share volunteer and budget‑committee vacancy information with the city’s communications staff.
