News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The people who live to the north of Sisters can rest a little easier knowing that fire crews can respond quickly from the new Squaw Creek substation located at 17233 Buffalo Drive in Squaw Creek Canyon Estates.
Fire officials began recruiting volunteers to man the station on May 3 and the fire district will host an open house Saturday, May 8, from noon to 6 p.m.
Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District chief Don Rowe, hopes to recruit at least 10 volunteers for the substation, including two who can stay at the station. One paid firefighter and one district volunteer already live at Squaw Creek Canyon Estates.
The station will house a structural fire engine with a 1,000-gallon tank and a 750-gallon-per-minute pump and a small water tender.
"We won't have an ambulance in that station," Rowe noted. "We just don't have the people, the crew, to man an ambulance."
The new substation will protect the rural residents north of Sisters and those living in the subdivisions of Squaw Creek Canyon Estates, Sno-Cap Vista and Junipine Acres.
"We should be able to cut 10 minutes off the response time (to that area)," Rowe said.
Current response time from Sisters is 15 minutes at best, according to Rowe.
Firefighters from Sisters will still respond to incidents in the area, Rowe said, but having equipment and volunteers close by will give crews a big jump on any fire. According to Rowe, the substation will serve much as the substations in Tollgate and Camp Sherman.
According to Greg Brown, chairman of the board of the Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD, the Squaw Creek Fire Station was built for $272,000 by Vern Bishop Construction, who was the low bidder on the project.
The fire district paid for the station and, Brown said, like all other buildings and equipment it is debt-free.
"We are probably one of the few fire districts in the state to be totally debt free and we have no plans for any future bonds," Brown said.
Those interested in becoming a fire district volunteer may call 549-0771 or visit the Sisters Firehall to pick up an application.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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