Gladstone Fire And Clackamas Fire District #1 Partner To Provide Emergency Medical Services To The City Of Gladstone (Photo) -04/19/22

Beginning on June 1, 2022, Clackamas Fire District #1 will begin providing fire suppression and emergency medical services to the City of Gladstone through a contract for service in the form of an intergovernmental agreement. The agreement is for one-year with two two-year automatic renewals. The community members of both agencies will benefit from the consistent emergency response, community risk reduction, and support activities provided under this agreement. 

Over the past decade, the City of Gladstone’s ability to provide a consistent level of fire and emergency services has been increasingly challenged by growing service demands and recruitment difficulties. To address these concerns, the Council conducted two work sessions (September 28, 2021 and February 22, 2022) to discuss the challenges of providing fire and emergency services within the city. The February session concluded with the City Council providing direction to draft a contract for service for consideration. 

Since September, the City of Gladstone and Clackamas Fire met twice and discussed the services in joint interagency committee meetings. The committee consisted of elected officials, the city administrator, the fire chiefs, and other staff. On April 12, the City of Gladstone City Council approved a contract for service with a 5-1 vote, which paves the way for Clackamas Fire to provide all fire and rescue services to the City of Gladstone. The Clackamas Fire Board of Directors approved the contract with a 5-0 vote on April 18. 

Clackamas Fire will staff the Gladstone Fire Station, located at 555 Portland Avenue, with three career firefighters, including at least one paramedic, on a fire engine. This 24/7, year-round staffing improves response to all types of calls – the paramedic bringing the highest-level of prehospital care and treatment available. Clackamas Fire will also provide the same inspection, plan review, specialty rescue teams (i.e., hazardous materials, water rescue, and technical rescue), and community involvement that it provides across the fire district. 

During the contract, the joint interagency committee will evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the services for both agencies. 

The contract enhances service delivery across Gladstone, Oak Lodge, Oregon City, and Clackamas by providing high-level service, consistently trained and experienced personnel, and seamless operations on first-arriving and subsequent-arriving apparatus.  

###