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The Columbia Press
January 15, 2021
WFD: Chief reports
on first year at helm
Continued from Page 1
procedures developed for the city
by Lexipol, a company that ensures
police and fire agencies keep up with
new safety rules and practices devel-
oped nationwide.
For the first time in years, the
department has reconnected with
CERT, the Community Emergency
Response Team, a group of trained
volunteers who step in to help first
responders during major emergen-
cies.
“I feel like we’ve done a pretty good
job bettering our public image,” Als-
bury said.
Firefighters competed 3,673
hours of training in 2020, with an
average of 175 hours each. Depart-
ment of Public Safety Standards
and Training requires firefighters
to undergo at least 60 hours of
training per year.
Other changes in the department
include a revision to the command
structure. Four volunteers were pro-
moted to lieutenant and two paid
staff members were named division
chiefs, giving Alsbury more time to
focus on administration.
The agency applied for and received
a $20,000 Oregon Department of
Forestry grant to purchase protective
gear to fight wildland fires.
And, at the end of the year, the
Warrenton Volunteer Firefighters
Association collected and provided
food for 81 families at Christmas
and raised $5,000 cash to fund fu-
ture Christmas basket efforts.
In his written report, Alsbury
summed up: “I would like to thank
everyone for this opportunity of a
lifetime, a dream I have had since
my father was a fire chief. That
dream: to have a department of my
own, to lead and guide through the
good times and bad times, to make
changes for the better and (to) help
build or inspire others to do more
for their community.”
Commissioners praised Alsbury at
the completion of his first year.
“Morale has improved,” Mayor
Henry Balensifer said. “I applaud
everything you’ve done.”
Rick Newton added: “What you’ve
done is miraculous, far and above
what was expected.”