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Clackamas Fire officials and Sandy leaders press case for annexation to secure 24‑hour rescue staffing
Summary
Clackamas Fire and Sandy Fire officials presented data showing faster, more reliable emergency response under the Clackamas contract and urged voters to approve annexation that would fund a full 24‑hour staffed rescue unit via a 22¢ per $1,000 tax adjustment; Sandy and Clackamas representatives said annexation improves effective response force and board representation.
Officials from Clackamas Fire and the Sandy Fire District told the council that a proposed annexation would permanently fund improved staffing and rescue coverage for Sandy through a modest tax adjustment and inclusion in Clackamas Fire governance.
Clackamas Fire representatives presented response‑time data and said staffing a second rescue 24 hours a day materially increases reliability on multiple, simultaneous calls. One presenter said roughly 20% of calls in the area have required a second unit, and that the contract model already reduced the average effective response force time for structure fires from “about 25 minutes” under pure mutual aid to about 15 minutes and 38 seconds. The annexation, they said, would put a 24‑hour rescue in place and allow Sandy residents to elect representation on the Clackamas Fire board. Officials said the change would be funded by a 22¢ per $1,000 assessed‑value increase to align Sandy into the existing Clackamas Fire tax structure.
Sandy Fire board members supported the move, saying the partnership eliminates duplicative administration, stabilizes staffing and preserves service levels that the district otherwise could not maintain on its own. Jim Searing, a board member and long‑time Clackamas Fire official, said if the annexation passes the effective staffing on duty would increase from a minimum of three firefighters to eight on duty 24 hours a day for some configurations — a figure he described as a large percentage increase in staffed responders on shift. Audience members and councilors asked about governance, the risk of a future board changing direction, and alternatives such as restoring local administration; presenters said both parties can terminate contracts if needed and that annexation is intended to place the service decision in voters’ hands.
The council heard the presentation and public testimony; the annexation itself is a ballot question to be decided by voters and the presenters urged the council and residents to communicate the service benefits to the community.
