Citizen Portal
Sign In

Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Claim Your Spot

Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Rockaway Beach fire chief reports ISO improvement, training surge and seasonal call increase

Rockaway Beach City Council · April 8, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Chief Doug Hesse reported 65 calls in March, new live-burn and beach-rescue trainings, an EMR class beginning April 22, and an ISO protection-class improvement from 5 to 4 effective Aug. 1.

Fire Chief Doug Hesse presented the department’s March report, saying the department responded to 65 calls (about two per day) and has increased training and preparedness ahead of tourist season.

Hesse said the department conducted a live-burn exercise on March 14 and beach-rescue training tied to spring-break activity; three members received live-fire instructor certification. He said "we went from a protection class 5 to a protection class 4," adding the protection class change takes effect Aug. 1 and could affect insurance premiums for residents. Hesse also described data tracking the busiest days and times for calls (Tuesdays and 7 p.m., respectively), upcoming EMR training beginning April 22, and community preparedness events including a successful open house and pancake breakfast.

Councilors thanked the chief for the work and the department’s community engagement; staff said the ISO change reflects investments in equipment, staffing and training.

CivIQMessage your representative