Cloverdale Fire District seeks bond funding

Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District is asking its constituents to approve a general obligation bond on November 4 to fund upgrades in vehicles and equipment as well as construction and remodeling of apparatus bays.

If approved, this measure, not to exceed $2,475,000 of general obligations bonds, provides funds for capital expenditures including:

•Replacement of front-line fire engines and emergency vehicles;

•Replacement of the Cloverdale Road fire station with a new fire station;

•Renovation of the George Cyrus Road fire station;

•Replacement of emergency response equipment.

Bonds would mature 20 years from the date of issuance.

The estimated cost to taxpayers is an average of 46 cents per thousand of assessed value each year. Estimated average cost would be $7.66 per month, for a home with a $200,000 assessed value.

The Cloverdale Fire District covers approximately 50 square miles between Sisters, Bend, and Redmond. The fire district operates from two fire stations and is staffed with 25 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel (who serve without pay), one full-time fire chief and one full-time training officer. The district provides structural and wildland firefighting, emergency medical, rescue and fire-prevention services.

The station on George Cyrus Road was built in 1967. The station at Cloverdale Road and Highway 20 was built in 1974. Neither fire station has been certified as meeting current building or seismic standards. Several vehicles have less than 18 inches clearance when in the bays. Garage doors and bays were sized for smaller equipment of 35 years ago and do not accommodate today's larger fire engines.

The replacement and renovation of the two fire stations would provide full-size apparatus bays that accommodate modern apparatus, a training room, indoor storage for equipment/supplies and emergency generators.

The district has two front-line fire engines which are 31 and 25 years old.

Because of age and condition, the district reports, they fail to meet current nationally recognized safety standards.

Another engine - 31 years old - was taken out of service due to safety and reliability issues.

Funding would provide two new replacement engines designed for structural and wildland firefighting, rescue, and all-weather/off-road operation.

The new engines would provide reliability and required safety features for the volunteers, (enclosed cabs, anti-lock brakes, three-point seat restraints, and all-wheel drive).

Funding would also provide two new command/utility vehicles used for emergency response and support, replacing vehicles 13 and 25 years old.

In addition, funding would also replace some of the primary safety equipment: two-way radios, which meet newly mandated FCC standards, and air bottles for self-contained breathing apparatus.