What’s Inside

Vehicle Extrication (Page 5)

FIRE DISTRICT 3 INFORMATION The District’s vision is to reduce or eliminate the risk from fire, rescue, and medical events in the communities we serve. This vision is intended to make sure that you, our customer, receive the best possible service for your tax dollars. We strive to meet this vision in everything we do. The District provides fire suppression, emergency medical, and rescue services to the 48,000 residents living in the communities of Central Point, White City, Eagle Point, Gold Hill, Sams Valley, Dodge Bridge, and Agate Lake. 61 full-time employees and 30 volunteers working from three career stations and four volunteer stations provide the coverage to the 167 square miles that encompasses the District. The District responds to over 5,700 incidents each year. The District provides technical rescue services for those who are trapped or hurt on the river or when climbing or hiking in the rugged environment and is authorized by the State of Oregon to provide medical transport when Mercy Flights Ambulance is delayed. The following five strategic goals were adopted on February 16, 2012 by the Board of Directors: 1. Minimize the direct and indirect impacts associated

with fire, EMS, and rescue emergencies

2. Ensure sustainability of service delivery (people, facilities, fleet, and finance)

3. Promote, develop, and support craftsmanship, innovation, and excellence throughout the organization

4. Promote community involvement and satisfaction

5. Develop and strengthen collaborative strategic partnerships

Fire District 3 celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012. We began in 1952 with a small group of volunteer firefighters going door to door to raise money to purchase a fire engine for service to the rural community around Central Point. Today the Fire District serves 167 square miles including the cities of Central Point, Eagle Point, and Gold Hill. Our first Fire Chief, Richard Krupp, attended our celebration and shared some rich history of our beginnings. During the last year, staff has turned the Administration Office into a museum of photographs and artifacts that honor our history. We’d like to invite you to visit, you may see pictures of people you know. The District has made significant improvements in the rural areas in 2012. The Gold Hill station is our busiest volunteer station and was the pilot program for improving response reliability with volunteers. In 2011, the District delivered an average response time of 12:14 to the City of Gold Hill. In 2012, with the implementation of resident firefighters and scheduled volunteer staffing, the average response time was reduced to 7:06. The program is now being implemented at our Dodge Bridge, Agate Lake and Sams Valley volunteer stations. This will require additional volunteers, student intern firefighters, and facility improvements. The pilot test shows it can be achieved and we are very excited to make these improvements in 2013. In November, most local taxing districts experienced a loss of value in their communities. Fire District 3 saw a projected reduction of 2.6%, which amounts to a loss of $309,000 in revenue for fiscal year 2012/13. This unexpected shortfall was managed by eliminating a staff assistant position, delaying several projects, and utilizing the contingency fund that was increased from 6% to 9% last year to prepare for this type of unexpected event. Staff is working closely with the Jackson County Assessor to ensure a more accurate method in fore-casting our revenue returns. This newsletter has several articles that you will find educational and informative. To learn more about Fire District 3, the staff, and the services we deliver, please visit any of our stations or visit our website at jcfd3.com. If you have questions, observations, or just want to share an experience you have had with the Fire District or its members, please contact me at danp@jcfd3.com or stop by the Administrative Offices located at 8383 Agate Road in White City. My door is almost always open to discuss the activities of the District and I am especially proud of the work our people are doing for the community.

Sincerely, Dan Petersen, Fire Chief Jackson County Fire District 3

CHIEF’S CORNER

Rural Community/ Volunteers (Page 8)

Newsletter JACKSON COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 3

What you should know about smoke alarms.

(Page 3)

53

2,059

149

1,042

322

189

1,439

198

58

2,193

152

1,089

362

248

1,455

178

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Agate Lake

Central Point

Dodge Bridge

Eagle Point

Gold Hill

Sams Valley

White City

Mutual Aid

Station Response Area for 12 Month Periods

2011

2012

Incident Response Activities (Page 2)

Employee Corner (Page 4)

What is Renters Insurance? (Page 6)

Burn Permit (Page 7)

Tenders placed in service in 2012

Serving the Communities of Agate Lake, Central Point, Dodge Bridge, Gold Hill, Eagle Point, Sams Valley,

White City, and the VA-SORC

HOW WE STAFF The three career fire stations are located in Central Point, White City, and Eagle Point. Central Point staffs two engine companies and White City and Eagle Point each staff one engine company. The three career stations are supervised by a Battalion Chief working from the White City station 24/7. The four volunteer fire stations are located in Gold Hill, Sams Valley, Dodge Bridge, and Agate Lake. These stations are staffed with resident volunteers and volunteers who have signed up for shift blocks. Community volunteers respond from their personal residence. The four volunteer stations are supervised by a Battalion Chief working from the Gold Hill station Monday through Friday each week. The Fire Prevention department is staffed with a Fire Marshal and two Deputy Fire Marshals who inspect the commercial occupancies, investigate all fires, and provide public education. The department works closely with business and industry to promote growth and assist them with meeting the requirements of the fire code.

GOVERNANCE AND BUDGET Jackson County Fire District 3 is organized as a Special District under ORS Chapter 478. It was originally formed as the Central Point Rural Fire Protection District on July 28, 1952. The District is governed by an elected five-member Board of Directors who meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Administration Building in White City. The District has a permanent tax rate of $3.1194 per $1,000 of assessed value. Total budget revenue from taxes collected for fiscal year 2012/13 is $11,150,000. The District maintains a minimum of 6% of property tax revenue for contingency and 24% in ending fund balance. This provides the cash necessary to cover expenses at the beginning of the fiscal year until the first tax payments are collected and distributed by the County.

INCIDENT RESPONSE ACTIVITIES Overall incident response has increased and response times have improved. The following bullets highlight some of the measurements that reflect our service delivery: INCIDENT RESPONSE The District responded to 1,399 incidents during the fourth

quarter of 2012. This represents an increase of 8.5% when compared to the fourth quarter of 2011.

The District responded to 5,735 incidents for the 2012 year. This

represents an increase of 5.2% when compared to the 2011 year. Motor vehicle collisions increased by 26% in 2012 when

compared to 2011. This represented the largest percentage increase for emergent type of calls.

EMERGENT RESPONSE MEASUREMENTS URBAN ZONE: The average response time in the urban area

remained consistent with 4:59 in 2011 compared to 5:01 in 2012. The urban zone includes White City, Central Point, and Eagle Point.

SUBURBAN ZONE: The average response time in the

suburban area improved from 9:43 in 2011 to 6:53 in 2012. This improvement is directly related to the focus of placing resident Firefighters in the Gold Hill station. The suburban zone includes the City of Gold Hill and the higher density populated areas immediately adjacent to White City, Central Point, and Eagle Point.

RURAL ZONE: The average response time in the rural area

improved from 14:05 in 2011 to 13:47 in 2012. Staff is focused on implementing the resident Firefighter program in the three rural stations in 2013. The expected outcome is to have response times less than 12 minutes in these communities.

53

2,059

149

1,042

322

189

1,439

198

58

2,193

152

1,089

362

248

1,455

178

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Agate Lake

Central Point

Dodge Bridge

Eagle Point

Gold Hill

Sams Valley

White City

Mutual Aid

Station Response Area for 12 Month Periods

2011

2012

The District contributes to a Capital Fund to allow the purchase of apparatus, major equipment, and the construction of facilities. A minimum of $300,000 is transferred into this fund each year. For fiscal year 2012/13, the fund is budgeted to Purchase mobile data computers, one set of vehicle extrication tools, modification to the Technical Rescue Vehicle, and construction of a simulation house for the training center. The fund is projected to have $2,330,900 in reserve by the end of fiscal year 2012/13.

Incidents by Station Response Area for 12 Month Periods

WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES Battalion Chief Rural Brandon Mitchell - The Fire District is pleased to welcome Brandon Mitchell. Brandon comes to us having spent 19 years in the fire service in various capacities. Most recently Brandon, his wife and 3 children lived in Henry County, Georgia where Brandon was Battalion Captain and Technical Rescue Team coordinator. We are grateful to add the Mitchells to the Fire District 3 family and look forward to Brandon managing the Battalion Chief Rural position as well as the Student Internship/Volunteer program.

Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Northrop - The Fire District is also pleased to welcome Mark Northrop. Mark’s fire career began in 1987 as a volunteer. He was hired by Rogue River Fire District as a firefighter/paramedic and before being hired with Fire District 3, he held the position of Fire Marshal. Mark, his wife and 2 children are a great addition to the Fire District 3 family and the Fire and Life Safety team.

John Patterson Fire Marshal Promotion 02/01/2013

Brian Murdock

Deputy Fire Marshal Promotion 02/01/2013

Don Manning

Fire Captain Promotion 04/01/2012

Adam Chenoweth Fire Captain Promotion 04/01/2012

Aaron Backus

Fire Captain Promotion 04/01/2012

Pat Haynes

Fire Engineer Promotion 04/01/2012

Javier Lopez

Fire Engineer Promotion 07/01/2012

Cody Clark

Fire Engineer Promotion 07/01/2012

Dusty Hoffman

Facilities/Logistics Manager

Promotion 09/21/2012

PROMOTIONS - CONGRATULATIONS

Firefighter Kelly Harrington Firefighter Ben Kennedy Engineer Tom Kerley Firefighter Manny Gobel

T E A M T - Together E - Everyone A - Achieves M - More

RETIREES - THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE

WES CLAFLIN AWARD - BRIAN SIMONSEN, FIREFIGHTER Most Inspirational Member

SCARLET AWARD - JOHN PATTERSON, DFM Outstanding achievement in Fire Prevention

VALOR AWARD - MICHAEL SAUNDERS Single acts of heroism

LEADING LIGHT AWARD - TORI ALLEN Outstanding support to the District and/or community

INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD - DON MANNING, CAPTAIN Ongoing commitment through education

CAREER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - DAN PETERSEN, FIRE CHIEF Meritorious achievement, act, or service

VOLUNTEER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - RICK SHERIDAN Meritorious achievement, act, or service

2012 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Jim Tuttle Chief Mechanic

Hired - 11/22/1999 Retired - 06/27/2012

Arlen Blenkush Battalion Chief Hired - 06/06/2005

Retired - 11/30/2012

Hugh Holden Fire Marshal

Hired - 04/21/2008 Retired - 01/31/2013

E M P L O Y E E C O R N E RE M P L O Y E E C O R N E R

Firefighters attending to victim Fire Officer giving assignments Instructor explaining how best to secure the vehicle from movement

Cutting away the body of vehicle to allow extrication of the victim Removing the roof of the vehicle

Removing the victim on a backboard to keep stabilized

Incidents involving motor vehicle crashes with victims trapped in the vehicle are not uncommon. Firefighters train each year on how to get people out of their crumpled cars while simultaneously administering emergency medical treatment. This past summer the Fire District provided in-depth extrication training to its firefighters. This training simulated a vehicle crash with the victim trapped inside.

This training was put to good use under difficult conditions on January 15, 2012 at 7:53 p.m. when the Jackson County Fire District 3 received a request for technical rescue assistance from the Lake Creek Rural Fire District for a vehicle that had gone off Highway 140 near Big Elk Meadow. When JCFD3 Technical Rescue Team (TRT) arrived on scene, they found an SUV that had slid down the slope and wrapped around a tree trapping two victims and two dogs. The tree was keeping the SUV from tumbling another 200 feet down the slope. The TRT was dealing with darkness, falling snow and temperatures hovering around 32° f.

Firefighters made the SUV secure from moving further down the slope and provided medical treatment to the victims while cutting away the body of the SUV from around them. They then removed the victims and brought them up to the road for medical transport.

VEHICLE EXTRICATION

Renters insurance is an insurance policy that protects you from a variety of perils that might occur primarily to apartment-dwellers. Think about it this way: When you own a home, you purchase homeowner’s insurance. When you rent, you get renters insurance. Insure.com provides the following list of losses that are included in an HO-4 policy, which cover renters (HO-6 policies cover condo owners): Fire or lightning Windstorm or hail Explosion Riot or civil commotion Aircraft Vehicles Smoke Vandalism or malicious mischief Theft Damage by glass or safety-glazing material that is part of a building Volcanic eruption Falling objects Weight of ice, snow, or sleet Water-related damage from home utilities Electrical surge damage If you live in an area where flood, hurricane or earthquakes are a possibility, you will need to purchase a separate policy or a rider in order to protect yourself against these threats. WHAT DO I GET FOR MY MONEY? A good place to start looking for coverage is with your current auto insurance provider. You will often get a better rate for owning multiple policies. First, you need to decide how much coverage you want. Typically, depending on your location, you can purchase a policy that covers at least $15,000 in personal belongings and several hundred thousand in liability for a couple hundred dollars a year. The next major consideration is the type of policy you are being offered: Actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost. ACV coverage will only pay you for what your belongings were worth at the time they were sto-len or damaged. You will pay higher premiums with replacement cost coverage, but if something happens you will be paid the amount that it will actually cost to replace your items. You’ll also need to let your insurer know of any particularly valuable items you own, like a piece of jewelry or expensive electronic equipment. If you purchase a separate rider for these items, they will be covered individually. Most policies do include liability coverage that will cover the costs for any injury to yourself or visitors to your apartment. Policies can also include specials provisions (i.e. waterbed liability that covers any water damage resulting from a broken bed). If you have something like this in your home, double check your policy to make sure it is included.

If you or your landlord has installed smoke detectors, fire extinguishers or burglar alarms, you may be eligible for a discount, so be sure to mention these when you purchase your policy.

Another important provision included in most policies is coverage for additional living expenses. This means that your insurer will cover your living expenses in another location if your apartment becomes uninhabitable. The typical limit is 30 to 50 percent of the total value of the policy. You will be limited to what your company considers a reasonable length of time for rebuilding or relocating — often twelve months.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO PROTECT MYSELF? After you move in, take inventory of all the items in your apartment. Insurers state that most people underestimate the value of their possessions and therefore don’t have enough personal property coverage. Experts recommend making an inventory of each item, including its value and serial number. You should also photograph or videotape each room and be sure all the items of value are clearly visible. If you make any major purchases, keep the receipts. Be sure to store all the documentation in a fireproof box, on a digital file with online access or in a bank safety deposit box so that your proof is not destroyed in the event of a fire or natural disaster. If you own a dog, be careful—some breeds are often not covered by insurers. Remember that like other types of insurance, your premium depends on factors like where you live, your company, your deductible and any additional coverage you purchase. If you want to pay less for your policy, consider choosing a higher deductible. This is the amount you have to pay if you do have to use your policy. For example, if you have a kitchen fire, you may have to pay a $1,000 deductible before your company will contribute money for additional damages. Renters insurance is one of the most overlooked types of policies. However, those who have had to use it know its value. Buying a policy insures not only your belongings but also gives you peace of mind—and that’s something hard to put a premium on.

Alternatives to Open Burning

Chip tree limbs and branches: Wood chips make a great landscape mulch material. Benefits include conserving soil moisture, reducing weeds, and cooling the soil. While wood chips make great pathways, remember they are a source of fuel for fire so intersperse with rock, pavers or gravel. Compost leaves: Leaves are excellent for composting! If you don't want to compost, but have leaves, sign up with the Leaf Ex-change. The Leaf Exchange Program serves to connect people who want leaves for com-posting with people who need to get rid of leaves. Go to Jackson County Recycling Partnership website at www.jcrecycle.org for more information on composting. Wood waste: Many companies throughout our region now accept woody debris and wood waste for recycling. In many cases, the wood waste is used as primary fuel to generate electricity, essentially recycling the material. Woody yard debris and clippings are mixed with bio-solids and turned into com-post. More and more options for woody waste recycling are becoming available. Check your phonebook for a company in your area, or visit the air quality page on your county's website.

Wood Waste Drop Off

Biomass One -(541) 826-9422 2350 Ave. G White City, OR

Hilton Landscape Supply -(541) 664-3374 8087 Blackwell Rd. Central Point, OR

Rogue Transfer & Recycling -(541) 779-4161 8001 Table Rock Rd. Central Point, OR

WHAT IS RENTERS INSURANCE?

Executive Team Fire Chief - Dan Petersen Deputy Chief/Operations - Jeff Bontemps Fire Marshal - John Patterson Division Chief/Training - Dave Blakely Chief Finance Officer - Stacy Maxwell

Board of Directors President - Jim Gillin Vice President - Colin Fagan Secretary/Treasurer - Cindy Hauser Director - Harvey Tonn Director - John Dimick

Jackson County Fire District 3 8383 Agate Road White City, OR 97503 Business Office: (541) 826-7100

We have stratified the volunteer department to allow several levels of service for the district. Through the efforts of the volunteer members we have reduced response time in the rural community considerably. We are currently preparing for a volunteer firefighter academy to train prospective volunteers. The district is actively seeking volunteers and we accept applications year round for volunteers at all levels of the program. Please visit our website and view the information listed in the Volunteer Department. Applications are posted on our website for your convenience. If you have any questions or need more information please contact Brandon Mitchell, Battalion Chief/Rural Communities via email brandonm@jcfd3.com or telephone (541) 831-2755.

RURAL COMMUNITY

VOLUNTEERS

The last year brought many changes and improvement to our service delivery in the rural community. Through the strategic plan we have expanded an existing Battalion Chief position to one that encompasses both emergency response and prevention activities in the rural community. We have developed a monthly safety column with the assistance of the Upper Rogue Independent newspaper. We project approximately 971 contacts with our citizens residing in the rural community. Community meetings will begin in late March and continue into April. These meetings will focus on the rural fire problems, preventing fires, and other emergency response preparedness information.

Residential Residential Burn Permit Burn Permit

InsideInside

Please visit Please visit jcfd3.comjcfd3.com to complete our to complete our

satisfaction surveysatisfaction survey

Designed by Steve Darnell