On Oct. 27, the boards of directors of Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue (SVFR) and Western Lane Ambulance District (WLAD) held a joint meeting at the main fire station for the purpose of preparing a 2017 Strategic Plan and updating an implementation plan for their intergovernmental agreement (IGA).

“The workshop lasted just under four hours, was extremely productive and provided our management team with a lot of important feedback,” said Chief Director Jim Langborg. “The division chiefs and myself will take the comments from the meeting and use them to create a set of updated goals for the next year.”

During the meeting, directors received reports from WLAD Operations Chief Matt House, SVFR Operations Chief Jim Dickerson, Administrative Chief Julie Brown and Langborg.

These reports detailed the accomplishments of the respective organizations over the past year. Suggested improvements and areas of concern were also included.

Langborg provided a summary of the IGA process and a series of recommendations to address what he considers to be the most pressing concerns from his perspective as administrative leader of both organizations.

Information at the meeting included feedback from SVFR and WLAD employees, volunteers, management and administrative teams. It highlighted concerns, problems encountered and positive changes observed in the past year under the IGA.

Highlights from House’s presentation included updates on ambulance district staffing, district promotions, software upgrades and facility improvements.

He said one significant development is the recent EMT training class coordinated by the district, a class that hasn’t been taught since 1994.

“With the help of SVFR, we have 17 students currently enrolled in an EMT-Basic Class,” House said. “Earlier this year, Chief Dickerson taught an EMR class in Mapleton and we are planning on more of these important training opportunities in 2018.”

An EMR class trains personnel to deliver basic first aid and care.

Dickerson’s SVFR update included information on upgrades to the department’s security systems, purchases of new bunker gear and changes to the intake process for volunteers and employees.

Dickerson also reported on a grant received by the SVFR.

“We were awarded an Assistance to Firefighters grant for the purchase of over 40,000 feet of fire hose that will be shared with Mapleton RFD and Swisshome and Deadwood RFD. SVFR will also be purchasing large-diameter supply hose which has been the industry standard for years,” Dickerson said.

Comments from the employees of both districts were part of the day’s presentation and included recommendations and observations for board members to consider.

Most notably, firefighters said they want to increase the district’s focus on wildland hazards and the training needed to become more proficient in the field.

The firefighters also requested more training exercises with mutual aid partners, additional training in pump operations and an increase in emergency medical service (EMS) training.

WLAD employees suggested renewing operations meetings and improving internal communications. They also suggested having another open house as a way of communicating more directly with the public.

Later in the day, Langborg presented a summation of the reports from both departments and made recommendations to the directors that focused on the future of the two organizations.

Saturday, Nov. 1 - “The fire district needs to take a greater role in EMS,” Langborg said. “The members of SVFR want this and our community expects it. It is unusual for a fire district not to be more actively involved in the delivery of EMS. It is time that SVFR reconsider our involvement and determine what our role should be.”

Another major concern for Langborg is the inadequacy of the WLAD facility near PeaceHealth Medical Center on Ninth St.

This concern was repeated in comments from both WLAD and SVFR employees, and the stakeholders identified the facility as a priority.

“The ambulance district does not meet our current needs,” Langborg said. “The replacement and/or remodel of this facility has been discussed for years.”

He added that SVFR Station 2, located next to Florence City Hall in Historic Old Town Florence, is also inadequate for current needs.

According to Langborg, the station houses critical equipment that will be needed in the event of a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. However, since it resides in the tsunami zone along the Siuslaw River, it is ineligible for necessary seismic retrofitting.

“It is my recommendation that both districts work together to address these problems by creating a joint facility,” Langborg said.

In his report, the chief director evaluated the ongoing integration of SVFR and WLAD under the IGA.

“It is my opinion that the IGA is successful,” he said. “Both districts have made tremendous gains this past year and service levels are improving.”

Recommendations from the management teams from both organizations were included in the information given to the directors, including one final, significant point — it was time to begin conversations about the eventual merging of the two districts.

The current IGA establishes a shared administration for the fire and ambulance districts, but operations remain separate.

Langborg said, “I believe it is time to begin discussing our future and determine what our future could look like if the two districts were to move towards an operational merger.”