ABOUT BEND'S FIRE DEPARTMENT

Bend, the largest community in Central Oregon, is located near Mt. Bachelor, one of the best known ski areas in the northwest. Elevation is 3,600 feet, with mild summers and low temperatures punctuated by large snowstorms in winter. Most of the precipitation occurs during winter months.  Bend's population is approximately 75,000 with an outlying rural population of an additional 20,000.  Due to the abundance of recreational facilities, the population rises drastically during the peak vacation seasons.  

Bend and Central Oregon are known as one of the most desirable areas in the state in which to live. During the 1970's Deschutes County and the Bend area were the fastest growing areas in the state. With the recession, growth slowed, but it is now coming back and we anticipate continued growth throughout the rest of the decade.

Department Budget:  $14,500,000.00

Target Hazards: The major industries in the area are tourism and manufacturing. The major industry some years back was considered to be lumber; however, with the decrease in available timber sales, this industry has all but disappeared in Bend. The department is responsible for the city of Bend and the Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District No. 2, which contracts for protection.  It also has large fire contracts that include resorts, High Desert Museum, the Mt Bachelor ski area and private residences. Total fire protection area is 164 square miles.

In addition to fire protection, the department's Emergency Medical Service Division is responsible for more than 1450 square miles. In 1984, the department was chosen to receive the ALS Provider of the Year award by the Oregon State Emergency Medical Technician's Association.

Personnel:  83 career and 15 part-time members.

The Management staff is made up of the Fire Chief, three Deputy Chiefs, one EMS Chief, one Training Chief and three Battalion Chiefs, one for each shift, six fire inspectors, one Administrative Assistant and two Administration Support Staff. 

Line Personnel - 68

The department runs three shifts (A, B, and C) that work 48 hours on followed by 96 hours off-duty resulting in a 56 hour work week. Each shift has three members each at the West, South, East, and North station. Tumalo has two members assigned to it. In addition each shift has at least two members who are floaters. A floater is an individual who moves from station to station to fill in vacancies that may come up due to sick leave, vacation or school leave. Each shift consists of a battalion chief, five captains, five engineers and five-six fire fighters, as assigned in accordance with Bend Fire Departments policy.

In addition to the 56 hour career staff, the department has three employees who work on the Peak Demand Unit (PDU). They work 10 hour shifts and take 56% of the medical calls during their time on duty. They operate out of the North Station.

Training: The training program is headed by Training Chief Jeff Bontemps. The program is accredited by DPSST. All personnel are certified by the Oregon Health Division.

Department has it's own training facility complete with one large classroom that has a partition so the room can be divided in half and used as two class rooms. 

Communications: The department is dispatched by the Deschutes County Emergency Communications Agency. The 9-1-1 Center dispatches for 14 emergency services in the county. It has been on line since 1985.

Mutual Aid: Mutual aid agreements are maintained with all surrounding communities as well as the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Forestry, and US Forest Service. During the summer season automatic response agreements are in effect with the state and US Forestry, due to forest overlap areas within the district.

APPARATUS

All five stations have compliments of different apparatus, such as pumper, water tenders, brush/interface pumpers, and ambulances. All personnel respond from their assigned station based on the call for their response area.  This system is called "Districting." Personnel are cross trained for both fire and ambulance, each responding crew has advance life support trained paramedics staffing the ambulance. The department also has a medical transport team ambulance, used for non-emergent transports or a reserve ambulance seven days a week 8am to 5pm.