MISSION: Row River Fire Response is committed to create a safe community through prevention, preparedness, and effective fire, medical, or other emergency
response.
April, 2023
Greetings to the locals in the Row River Valley!
Thank you so
much for all of your support! We are working toward a Fire District created and managed by our community members for our community. We are glad to share Fire Response news.
GOOD NEWS:
It has been a lot of ups and downs trying
to form a professional-organized fire department in the Row River Valley. Late March, 2023, Row River Fire Response (RRFR), our community’s fire non-profit, received a 145K Grant to fund all the expensed to get a Special Rural Fire Protection District initiated, boundaries defined, and completion of other legal processes and requirements to create a district proposal to bring to voters of our community in May election 2024.
Lane County provided this money and condition of the agreement is that the money can only be used for district formation. The funds cannot be used for operational
response.
Lane County is also offering a number of properties for RRFR to consider for Firehouse Stations. As our valley is long and narrow, our goal is to strategically place fire halls to assist rapid deployment for all areas. This will also make sure that our residents not only receive faster service, but can take advantage of lower insurance
costs.
GREAT NEWS:
RRFR has been in talks with South Lane
Fire (SLFR) and rescue about the 2023 Fire Season. Together, we are establishing a public/private fire service response for the Row River Valley community. Our hope is to have the details hammered out to enact this
summer.
RRFR will provide community volunteers and all of our responders and operations will be
operated as a RRFR/SLFR Auxiliary unit here in our valley! Here are some highlights:
RRFR Volunteers training in wildland, structural, CPR,
engine operation, and more.
Emergency Radios and Communication Equipment for use.
Policies and Procedures administration and mentorship.
Engines, a water truck, and other equipment with training to be operated by our
local volunteer first responders. (Stationed in the Row River Valley)
Assistance to acquire other initial equipment.
911 training/equipment for notifications and communications for the RRFR team to act as first responders to the scene, supported by professional training, communication, and equipment.
Mutual aid. (Meaning SLFR will automatically respond to the same initial 911 dispatch call.) Upon SLFR arrival they will assume incident command and lead the operation, and/or support our volunteer operation command.
Fire service will be faster, improved success, and ultimately more protection for everyone by preventing fires from spreading through the community.
Noteworthy information:
SLFR will initially cover all the operational costs associated with the RRFR/SLFR Auxiliary department, but we will need to provide some initial funding and gradually assume our share of the expenses as we transition into the RRFR District.
SLFR will mentor our program in preparation for our district being completely formed and funded. At that time, the RRFR District will become a community-managed Fire District.
Equipment we acquire (like our recently donated fire engine) will serve during the SLFR operations. All of this equipment will be used but serviceable, and top of the line in safety, effectiveness, and reliability.
Once an independent District, RRFR District then can determine our own destiny, needs, and operational response to meet the needs of our community, and enact mutual aid agreements with other fire districts (ODF, SLFR, others) and pursue grant funding and equipment that we don’t have access to as a non-district
RRFR.
SLFR has requested that we get our group of fire response volunteers together to start training in the next few months!! We have a starting list of volunteers! If you’re interested, please CLICK HERE to fill out a volunteer form.
WAYS TO HELP:
DONATE:
We urgently need your financial support to establish this much-needed Public/Private Fire Response Service before the 2023 fire season.
Even though SLFR is shouldering the majority of the initial costs we will still need to contribute financially to the opportunity. Most of these expenses below are required to be a non-profit or contract fire service organization. Your funds will help with the expenses that allow RRFR to be supported by SLFR as an Auxiliary Unit, such as:
Liability Insurance
costs for RRFR
Workman’s Comprehensive Insurance.
Active 911 alert system for 911 info to be dispatched to volunteer cell phones.
Diesel and other equipment
supplies/expenses.
Contracting and legal expenses.
Speciality training for RRFR outside of SLFR contract, (TBD: incident command, leadership, business administration, etc)
Office expenses, flyers, volunteer training materials, required dues, etc.
Bookkeeping and accounting
expenses.
Engine or equipment acquisition in the form of ‘matching funds’.
(We are applying for many grants, but they take time.
Your contributions are very appreciated!)
TAKE THE
SURVEY:
If you have not taken it already, this survey includes questions about your home insurance. Your information is confidential. We are collecting and compiling the data to identify insurance pricing
issues.
Take advantage of all the goodies that the Sunshine Club has to offer. Show up to support RRFR with your purchases. We will have a lot of donated goods.
Saturday, May 6th
10am - 2pm
Row River Christian
Fellowship Church
(If you would like to donate goods, please bring them Friday, May 5th from 10am - 1pm.
email us with questions at: info@rowrivervalley.org)
NEXT COMMUNITY FIRE MEETING:
Join us to to keep up-to-date on all the latest developments.
Sunday, June 25th
3pm - 5pm
Dorena School Gym
VOLUNTEER:
We are looking for committed volunteers to help with assorted responsibilities. Please CLICK HERE to fill out a volunteer form. We will contact your shortly.
