PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, OCTOBER 15, 2021
SAFER grant allows MCFD1 to hire nine fi refi ghters
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Marion County Fire District #1
(MCFD1) received a much-needed
boost when their local option levy
was passed in May, which allowed the
organization to rehire nine fi refi ghter/
paramedic positions and add a dedi-
cated three-person engine company.
Last month, the district received further
assistance in their goal of improving
response times.
In September, MCFD1 was awarded
a grant from Staffi ng for Adequate Fire
and Emergency Response (SAFER),
which allows the district to hire nine
fi refi ghters. These positions are funded
for three years and applications are
being accepted until Nov. 12.
The grant is paid for by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
“It will give us the ability to restore
an additional engine company and
add three on-duty fi refi ghters per
day, which will reduce response times
across the district,” MCFD1 Fire Chief
Kyle McMann said.
After having multiple levies fail in
2020, MCFD1 was forced to cut $2.4
million from their $19.7 million bud-
get — MCFD1 is an independent taxing
district and receives no revenue from
Marion County, the state or federal
government. Due to the budget cuts,
MCFD1 was forced to layoff 12 full-time
fi refi ghter/paramedics, close down fi re
stations in Macleay and Labish Center
and take emergency apparatus out of
service.
Due to the lack of personnel, there
have been instances over the last
year where MCFD1 has been unable
to respond to 911 calls — during the
ice storm in February, the district was
unable to respond to 20 calls for ser-
vice. But with the new levy, plus the
grant, McMann likes the direction that
MCFD1 is heading.
“After two years of pretty subpar
times at the fi re district, I feel like we
have turned the corner,” McMann said.
McMann admitted that the district
applied for the grant multiple times
over the last decade, but were denied.
He believes this year was diff erent
because the need was greater.
“It was most likely accepted because
we showed that we really needed the
funding,” McMann said.
Even though grant funding only
lasts for three years, MCFD1 is hoping
to retain all nine fi refi ghters that are
hired — McMann is hoping that the
hiring process will be completed this
spring.
“We plan to fi gure out a way to retain
them. We obviously don’t want to let
them all go after three years," McMann
said.
While the levy allowed the district
to bring in a three-person engine com-
pany for the Middle Grove location, the
FEMA grant will allow MCFD1’s main
station (Four Corners) to be back in-ser-
vice 24 hours per day with a medic and
engine company — the location will
continue to be in-service with a swing
company until the spring.
“To add another unit we didn’t think
we were going to be able to do for years
is going to help our fi refi ghters and our
citizens at the same time,” McMann said.
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