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community
march19
2020
State of Our Fire District: Part 2 continued from page 3
now that we needed 15 years ago,” says
Chief Smith. “The people that live in
Vernonia are gone during the day at
work, they’re out of town or at sporting
events or other activities on weekends
and evenings,” adds Davis. “They don’t
have time to volunteer.”
The Benefits of a Training Captain
Chief Smith says having Stein-
weg as a paid Training Captain on staff
has allowed the VRFPD to coordinate,
improve, and meet the training needs of
their volunteers; speed up the process to
get them certified; and create and main-
tain a flexible, consistent, and growing
training program.
Davis, after working in numer-
ous other fire districts, says having a
paid Training Captain position is para-
mount for the Vernonia Fire District to
survive. “You have to have someone
dedicated to training,” he says. He notes
that, in order to teach classes you have
to be certified in that class, and getting
some of those certifications can be time
consuming, especially when you have to
travel outside the District to do it. “Ask-
ing a volunteer Training Officer to do
that can be too much. But with a paid
Training Officer, now we’re getting to a
point where we can expand our training
and put on some higher level classes.”
When Steinweg started at the
VRFPD the only certifications the Dis-
trict could teach were Firefighter I, Driv-
er, and Pumper. Today Vernonia volun-
teers can get certified in Firefighter I &
II, Wildland Firefighter I & II, Driver and
Pump Operator, Technical Rope Rescue,
and Engine Boss, all without leaving
Vernonia. “There’s a lot more we can
do in-house,” says Steinweg. “Having
training here really helps us be account-
able to our volunteers and respect their
time and their families,” adds Smith.
In addition, Steinweg is sharing
other training opportunities with volun-
teers and getting them excited to go out-
side the District for other trainings and
certifications not available here – this
year four volunteers attended Winter
Fire School, a full weekend training.
The VRFPD is taking other
measures to address hours worked by
the paid officers and a shortage of vol-
unteers. Longtime volunteers Loren
Loomis and Dan Hanson were recently
promoted from Lieutenant to Battalion
Chief, along with new volunteer David
Senz. Opening up lower officer posi-
tions encourages newer recruits and vol-
unteers to take on additional responsi-
bilities and duties.
“In my opinion, if we were
to lose the Training Captain position
now, we might as well just close up the
doors,” says Davis. “The Chief doesn’t
have the time – not with the number of
calls we run, not with all the other things
going on here every day on a regular ba-
sis.”
If the levy doesn’t pass, Davis’s position will most likely go
away, as will Steinweg’s next June. “Unfortunately, the
service the community sees will start to diminish,” says
Smith. “We’re at the point where we just can’t continue to
do what we’ve been doing. We can’t continue to work 300
to 400 hours a month. It’s just not fair of the community to
ask that of us, let alone our families.”
Other Financial Issues
Hours worked and a lack of vol-
unteers aren’t the only issues for the paid
staff at VRPFD. Aging and out of com-
pliance rescue equipment, protective
gear, and fire apparatus is also a serious
issue.
The VRFPD has two Command
Rigs, one is a 2012 Dodge, which is paid
for and is set up with 100 gallons of wa-
ter and rescue tools. “It’s set up, because
of our low response numbers, to be able
to initiate some kind of mitigation to
an emergency and buy us some time,”
says Smith. The second Command Rig,
a 2017 Dodge, is being paid for with a
loan, and does not have a water suppres-
sion system yet. There are also two rigs
for Duty Officers and other personnel
to respond in, a 2000 Chevy Suburban
and a 2001 Jeep. A 2006 brush rig with
a 400 gallon water tank is equipped for
responding to wildland fires. A former
ambulance has been converted into a
logistical support vehicle, and carries
supplies for extended calls. The first out
fire engine is a 2000 Freightliner which
holds 1,000 gallons of water and can seat
five personnel. The second out engine is
a 1994 Freightliner. A new 2017 water
tender was purchased with a 10 year bond
approved by voters in 2015. According
to NFPA standards, a fire engine should
be retired after 20 years of service. “By
NFPA standards our fire engines should
be out of service, but we have no way to
replace them,” says Smith. A new en-
gine today would cost about $600,000.
Breathing equipment for fire-
fighters is not much better. The 40 oxy-
gen bottles the District uses were just
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recertified, but for the last time and will
age out in five years. Bottles cost about
$1,000 each. The rest of the breathing
equipment is three revisions behind the
standard, and needs to be replaced, but
are still functional. Turnouts – the pro-
tective pants, jacket, helmet, gloves, and
boots firefighters wear, are aging out.
VRFPD just bought four new sets at
10x20 $99
$3,000 each and also bought 15 new hel-
mets and some better boots for several
more volunteers. With five new recruits
just starting fire academy, the VRFPD
will need to spend $15,000 to get them
equipped when they are ready. “It be-
comes a balancing act because we have
to think about how many volunteers we
can bring in and afford to outfit,” says
Davis. “We need more volunteers, but
we can’t afford to outfit them.”
Pass the Levy
VRFPD is getting ready to start
their annual budget process, which must
be completed by June 30, and is uncer-
tain, given that voters will not decide
the fate of the levy request until May
19. One thing Smith said he will try to
do is continue Davis’s position as Vol-
unteer Recruitment and Retention Offi-
cer. “We’re in such a state of disarray
right now it’s hard to plan ahead for next
position will most likely go away, as will
Steinweg’s next June. “Unfortunately,
the service the community sees will start
to diminish,” says Smith. “We’re at the
point where we just can’t continue to do
what we’ve been doing. We can’t con-
tinue to work 300 to 400 hours a month.
It’s just not fair of the community to ask
that of us, let alone our families.”
Why They Stay
With all that is being asked of
them – responding to calls at 4:00 am,
working seven days a week and 400
hours a month, giving up time with their
families – I asked all three VRFPD paid
officers why they stay and continue to
try and serve the community.
“I grew up in this area and
started in the fire service in Mist,” says
Steinweg. “I have a love for training.
I’m a nerd for fire science – it fascinates
me and I like to know how it operates.
I’ve had a lot of great people in my life
teach me about firefighting and I’ve en-
joyed developing my officer style from
the people I learned from, both bad and
good. I like sharing my knowledge with
the next generation of firefighters and I
get real joy from teaching new firefight-
ers, as well as firefighters that have been
here longer than I have. It’s a great feel-
ing to see people listening and learning
and then taking the skills you’ve taught
them into practice and being success-
ful.”
“I’m having fun doing this and
I like seeing the progress we’re making
and that we’re moving forward,” says
Davis. “I like being able to make a dif-
ference. I still enjoying getting on a rig
and going on a call – there’s nothing bet-
ter than going out and helping the com-
munity.”
“I like sharing my knowledge with the next generation
of firefighters and I get real joy from teaching new
firefighters, as well as firefighters that have been here
longer than I have. It’s a great feeling to see people
listening and learning and then taking the skills you’ve
taught them into practice and being successful.”
year’s budget,” says Smith. “Instead
we’re just having to react to what’s right
in front of us.”
If the Levy passes in May,
VRFPD would use that funding to hire
one additional full-time responder,
retain the Training Captain position
Steinweg is currently filling, and build
some type of quarters to house out-of-
district volunteers and fire students.
Some of the funding will be used to start
reserve accounts to replace equipment
and apparatus. Having three full-time
staff members will help relieve some
of the stress and time pressure on Chief
Smith and Steinweg, but it’s still not a
complete solution.
If the levy doesn’t pass, Davis’s
“I just have a heart for this com-
munity,” says Smith.
While all three continue to
maintain a positive attitude, the current
situation is unsustainable and something
needs to change. The upcoming levy is
a step in the right direction. “What the
community needs to understand is that
we have to pass this levy,” says Davis.
“We have to add staffing to continue to
provide the service we have in the past.
We have to reduce the hours that Chief
Smith and Will are working. And we
have to start setting aside money for the
future so we can afford to upgrade our
equipment.”
Part 3: The Volunteers
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Look for our next issue on April 2.