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Operations |
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"Serving Our Communities with Dedication"
Operations
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Columbia
River Fire & Rescue is divided into three operational shifts that handle
the emergency responses of the District. Each shift works for a 24-hour
period and then is off duty for 48 hours. Staffing for a shift includes Duty
Chief (on call) one Station Captain, two Lieutenants, at least five
Firefighter/Paramedics and up to three Firefighters. Two members may be off
on any combination of vacation or sick leave before staffing is filled with
off duty coverage. Shifts are responsible for responding to emergencies
(presently running at an average of ten responses per day). The shifts are
also responsible for routine duties such as apparatus checks to ensure they
are ready to respond, station Columbia
River Fire & Rescue has adopted training standards, from the Oregon
Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). DPSST is
responsible for adopting training standards for Oregon’s, Police Officers,
Firefighters, Emergency Dispatchers, Corrections Officers, and private
security officials among others. The Oregon State Health Division Emergency
Medical Services Section certifies Emergency Medical Technicians. Both DPSST
and OSHD in turn adopt standards from national sources. A
firefighter will start their training career at the Entry Level Firefighter
(ELF) academy. Columbia River Fire & Rescue includes Wildland
Firefighter, and Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations training in
their academy. Once a firefighter, has completed this academy they are
cleared to begin responding on emergency responses, and they have one year to
complete the Firefighter 1 training requirements (2 years for volunteers).
Many career firefighters will obtain an Associates of Science (AS) degree in
fire science before they begin their career or shortly thereafter. Because
emergency responses are so heavily dependent on teamwork career and volunteer
firefighters are held to the same standards though volunteers may be allowed
longer time frames to complete their training. Emergency
Medical Technicians (EMTs) must be certified by the State of Oregon before
they can work as EMTs. Columbia River Fire & Rescue requires all its
career personnel to be at least an EMT Basic. In Oregon the Paramedic level
now requires an Associate of Arts or Sciences (AA or AS) degree. EMT Basic
and EMT Intermediate courses are also required to be associated with a
Community College. While Columbia River Fire & Rescue does not require
its volunteer firefighters to become EMTs many elect to become EMTs because
so many of our responses are emergency medical related (70%). Almost all
volunteer firefighters will take the Medical First Responder courses when
they are offered. |
See more
about the Lee Broadbent Training Center at the Training Center Blog page.