Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2009)
JULY 15,2009 Smoke Signals 3 Triilbe, IFnir Dnsftorktt agir(Sinmeinifi By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Grand Ronde Tribal Council and West Valley Fire District have agreed to an intergovernmental agreement to provide around-the-clock and faster fire and emergency medical coverage in the Grand Ronde area, including Spirit Moun tain Casino and Lodge, the Tribe's government campus and Tribal Housing areas. "The most important piece for me is guaranteeing protection in Grand Ronde," said Tribal Council Vice Chair Reyn Leno from Washington, D.C. "That 20-minute commute (from the Fire District's Willamina main station) is the biggest con cern. I think it's good for the casino and the community." West Valley Fire District Chief Chuck Eddings said response times in the Grand Ronde area for emer gency medical and fire calls will de crease from more than 10 minutes to almost immediately. The Grand Ronde area, Eddings said, accounts for almost 60 percent of the Fire District's calls. Tribal Council accepted the agreement in a July 10 directive and the West Valley Fire District board unanimously approved the intergovernmental agreement the same day. According to the agreement, the Tribe will design and build a new fire substation in Grand Ronde on 2.5 acres of Tribal land at the southeast corner of Grand Ronde and McPherson roads. The 5,700-square-foot, single-story structure will feature three vehi- Li..Al::,n.L.,.,,.i,tff,iMV,.,...,.,tt..1..., ..l......,,,.....,, -...,,..w ..L.r..1....-Jw...,.. ...... ... , ,..w., ,. A- ...... lm -y jy,,., ... mVlHYMT" 'if ' --itl ll'll'llfll Photo by Michelle Alaimo The West Valley Fire District and the Tribe have reached an agreement to build a new fire station in Grand Ronde. It will be located at the corner of Grand Ronde Road and McPherson Road. cle bays and living space, including three dormitories. The building will be owned by the Tribe. In addition, the Tribe agreed to buy one quint (a fire engine that serves the dual purposes of an engine and a ladder truck) and equipment for three firefighters paramedics, three firefighters emergency medical technicians and six volunteer firefighters. Eddings said the importance of the quint is to access to the upper stories and roof for firefighters. Tribal member and Tribal Direc tor of Development Peter Wakeland said the quint also could provide an aerial stream of water to the lodge's upper floors. The Tribe also will pay the Fire District before Aug. 1 the balance of the ambulance and associated equipment purchased by the dis- i , ( ' Photo by Stobhan Taylor Tribal Council member Chris Mtrcler, (left), presents a pine needle basket to Chinook Chairman Ray Gardner at the annual Chinook Salmon Ceremony held at Fort Columbia, Wash. trict with a 2007 grant from the Tribe's Spirit Mountain Commu nity Fund. The ambulance will be owned by the Fire District and located at the substation. The agreement calls for the Tribe to fund six full-time employees, at least three of which will be firefightersparamedics and any remaining positions will be fire figthersEMTs. In return, the West Valley Fire District "shall provide fire suppres sion and emergency medical ser vices on Tribal Lands upon request of the Tribe or through notification and activation of 9-1-1 on the same basis as those services are provided to other lands within the District's service area." "This boosts our manpower pool and increases our abilities at that end of the district," Eddings said, adding that the Fire District will go from having five to 11 employees. The Fire District also agrees to keep three resident volunteer fire fighting positions open for Grand Ronde Tribal members for basic firefighting training. The substation will be operated and managed by the Fire District and will have two firefighters as signed per shift "with the intent to provide fire and emergency medical services to Tribal Lands 24 hours a day, seven days a week." Eddings said he hopes the six new Fire District employees will be staffing the substation by March 2010. The "large garage" owned by the Fire District next to the Grand Ronde post office will become ob solete, Eddings said. The Fire District also will provide a fire engine for the substation. The Tribe and Fire District agreed to work together to "recruit Grand Ronde Tribal members for full-time positions at the substation." The agreement also requires the two entities to meet quarterly to discuss fire and emergency medi cal needs. "This has been a long time com ing and has required a lot of work to successfully produce this agree ment," Wakeland said. "As a result, the western portion of the district and the Tribal community will be much better served where fire and emergency services are con cerned." "I think this is a positive thing for the Tribe and the community," Leno said. "It's being a good neigh bor." a CX)NrTJ)ERTl TRIBES OF CR.KND RONDE TRIBAL COURT i v rnisc, wait, cm rr f rx wn k rr Tlr piuposc of tin? lYaccmnkrr Pixnciam piwik a itmHKhtrvuial way to irshr iUsj wires. Tlw lYamitakrr Puwain is intern hi I to rrflevt tlr Tnlr's audition tensing irsimcd mnulmi if llr mtiuinauty to Iral rotiflnt among Ms nmnlwrv Trained rVntrtiiAkm f.Hilitntc tlx xMimiakiiig nxr to gukk tlr vuirt in nxiuiig to a mutually .Tjprralde inwdutum to ilnnr rmfl1. For nmr iatftmiwition nUnit tltis IV up am k-'ac nmt.mt dw ThUd (nut IhtitQaitt Sirtidi.M at llto mkhr Ul Ukwr. Ihimanktnd h,u mn Mtnvn iht vh of lt. H't orw but on ihfvxi hm it, Whtr thklh rh, m h to onrwhrx, .ill 0unjp art bt htgrthnr. AN ihinjrt ommvf. O.WnV. 134 jiUEnnrjutntr TRiivvLnmrr rRtx-.RVMs sunvt jst t;R.VNU Rosm RO. c;r,nd rondf. or 97.147 mosrj.v:iii.i r".V:.VWV7l2Jr J 1 (Ur . U w U n 4t p m m b n kW M trvalvd by Getxqe VVkt
