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Dallas fire chief reports new firefighter interns, honors proposed for 12-year-old who helped rescue resident
Summary
The city’s fire department said it’s filled a vacancy, is partnering with Chemeketa Community College to host six firefighter interns for overnight shifts, plans a kitchen-safety prevention push after an uptick in house fires and proposed recognizing a 12‑year‑old who helped rescue an elderly man from a house fire.
The Dallas fire department reported progress on staffing and new training partnerships at the Oct. 27 Public Safety Committee meeting. A department representative told the committee the department has a potential candidate for a previously vacant position pending background clearance and that the candidate is a current part-time employee and certified firefighter‑paramedic.
The department announced a new partnership with Chemeketa Community College’s fire‑science program to place six firefighter interns with Dallas for overnight shifts. The interns will be scheduled roughly one night a week, must be paired 1‑to‑1 with a department firefighter while on duty, and will arrive already certified and equipped, the representative said. City officials limited placements to six because of sleeping‑quarters and supervision constraints.
The fire representative recounted a recent house fire east of Fervilla that was reported by a passerby and his 12‑year‑old daughter. According to the report, the daughter noticed smoke and their quick action helped coax an elderly occupant out of the smoke‑filled house; the department plans to bring the passerby and child before city council in November for potential life‑saving recognition. "If this passerby would not have stopped... this could have easily have been a fatality," the fire representative said.
Officials reported 3,791 calls for service so far this year (about 10 per day) and said the department has averaged at least one house fire a month since February, many cooking‑related or unattended. The department plans a kitchen‑safety prevention campaign. FireMed open enrollment is under way; the representative stated the in‑town resident fee is $75 and the city will begin mailing confirmation postcards to members in November.
In response to questions about transfers and overnight coverage, the representative said transfers are currently covered in a part‑time capacity and noted that roughly 23% of transfers occur overnight; the city manager is evaluating longer‑term solutions.
The department said it will return with more details on the proposed recognition and other staffing changes at upcoming council meetings.
