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Washington County signals move to study Blanton Fire Station as interim medical examiner facility amid transport provider collapse
Summary
County staff told commissioners the county lacks cold storage and an exam room for decedents and that the primary regional transport contractor will close June 30, prompting the board on May 12 to direct staff to advance a Phase 3 study of Blanton Fire Station as a right‑sized retrofit while staff pursues separate transport options.
Washington County commissioners on May 12 heard that the county’s Medical Examiner operations lack dedicated storage, a county‑controlled exam room and reliable transport services — and staff recommended moving forward to study a retrofit of the Blanton Fire Station as a short‑term facility solution.
Dr. Kim Repp, who supervises the county Medical Examiner’s Office, told the board the office handled about 1,100 jurisdictions in 2024 and that roughly 140 of those cases (about 19%) received autopsies. Repp said the state’s forensic pathologists work out of Clackamas County and that the state office has curtailed capacity in recent years, increasing operational risk for Washington County. "We are required to be functioning 24/7," Repp said, citing state responsibility; she warned transport and storage constraints are now acute.
The urg…
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