Fire department protects growing city

It could have been a lot worse.

If the fire started by a candle left burning overnight at The Gallimaufry had got into more fuel it could have created a conflagration that might have swept through three businesses and threatened an entire city block.

Its that kind of scenario that keeps fire professionals up at night.

To prepare for the possibility of a major urban fire - a possibility that grows with the city - the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) has upgraded equipment and pushed the City of Sisters to enhance its water system capacity.

"When the city really started growing, we bought (a) structure engine basically for town," said Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler.

That engine can take six crew members and is loaded up with 1-3/4-inch "attack hose" which is used specifically to fight structure fires.

The district also upgraded its hose to include 1,000 feet of six-inch hose that can flow 1,000 gallons per minute.

"With that we can lay just one line in the road and that's it," Wheeler said. "And it can flow a lot of water."

Such preparation is critical given the changing cityscape.

"Anymore here in town, it's the density more than anything else that's going to cause us problems," Wheeler said.

At urban densities, commercial or residential fires can readily spread from one structure to the next.

"Instead of just fighting that structure fire, we're going to have to protect the structures around it," Wheeler said.

Situated as it is on the edge of the forest, Sisters also faces the threat of a wildfire encroaching into the urban area.

That threat has driven the fire department's quest to see the city's water capacity upgraded. The city simply doesn't have enough water flow currently to cope with a major conflagration.

"We can flow probably 3,500-4,000 gallons (per minute) out of the trucks, but we can't get it out of the system," Wheeler said.

The new well that is being drilled on Sun Ranch Business Park is expected to double the city's water capacity.

The city also needs to site a new reservoir somewhere on the northeast side of town.

"That would help us considerably, too," Wheeler said. "Especially if we had a wildfire coming toward town or if we had a block of Sisters on fire."

Wheeler said the city's hydrant system is adequate to the city's needs.

The fire district is also planning to bring on a third ambulance and plans are in development to add more permanent staff once the district's new fire hall is built.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD will continue to rely upon volunteers to protect the community - and folks who can make the commitment are not easy to find.

"We have a lot of volunteers right now who are very active, which helps," Wheeler said. "But we can always use volunteers. Always."

For more information call the Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD at 549-0771.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

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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