The citizens of Depoe Bay Fire District passed a levy in May 2015 allowing the District to hire six new career fire-fighters. Once on board, this creates sufficient staffing to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, properly protecting citizens and first responders. “After months of preparation,” according to Fire Chief Joshua
Williams, “we extended offers of employment to six people. We are pleased to say all of them are current Depoe Bay volunteers. The firefighters are presently undergoing pre-employment background and medical evaluations. The new employees will begin work the first week of February, attending an academy at the Gleneden Beach Fire Station
designed to help them begin the transition from volunteers to career firefighters.
Upon completion of the academy the firefighters will be assigned to one of three shifts, giving the Fire District 24 hour coverage. “The District would like to stress,” commented Chief Williams, “that volunteers remain an important part of our operation. There will be no changes to the current volunteer program.” Depoe Bay Rural Fire Protection District covers fourteen miles of the central Oregon coast from the Siletz Keys south to Otter Rock. Career staff and volunteers provide fire protection, rescue and emergency medical services from three stations. For more information about the District and how to become a volunteer, visit the website (www.depoebayfire.com)
Information and photo provided by Depoe Bay Fire
