About the District
Total Incident Response
Response details
Klamath County Fire District 1 (KCFD1) is an all hazard special district located in south-central Oregon, which provides structural and wildland fire protection, emergency advanced life support, ambulance transport, inter-facility ambulance transport, hazardous materials response and emergency rescue.
KCFD1 employs 63 operational personnel, 48 which are career firefighters 15 of which are dedicated to providing emergency rescue response. They are assigned to three shifts working the 48/96 schedule, and respond from four stations that are staffed 24/7. The remaining personnel are comprised of a Fire Chief, two Deputy Chiefs, Division Chief Fire Marshal, Division Chief of Training and seven civilian support staff.
The fire service in Klamath Falls existed prior to the incorporation of the city from a merger of two rival hose companies in 1903. The City of Klamath Falls Fire Department was established with the formation of the City of Klamath Falls in 1905. Because this was the city fire department, they did not respond to areas outside of the city boundaries. In 1931 the Central Fire Station was built on Broad Street. It currently houses the Administration. Additional city fire stations were built in 1963-1964. These stations are located at 1661 Mitchell Street (Station 3) and 2580 Dahlia Street (Station 4).
The Suburban Volunteer Department formed in 1946 and became a rural fire protection district in 1947. Their main station was constructed in 1947 at 2342 Gettle Street (Station 1). During the 1970's and 1980's the areas outside the City of Klamath Falls were added to the Suburban district. Due to the growth of the suburban area, additional stations were constructed at 7110 Hilyard Avenue (Station 2) in 1978 and 4801 Hwy 97 North (currently occupied by the Klamath County Sheriff Dive Rescue team) in 1982. The Suburban Volunteer Department would eventually change their name to Klamath County Fire District 1 to better reflect the entire area they served.
Klamath County Fire District 1 exists today from the merger of these two fire departments. In 1992 the City of Klamath Falls and Klamath County Fire District 1 signed an agreement to merge. This was approved by the voters in November 1994. In 2008, Fire District 1 constructed a new fire station at 4950 Lakeshore Drive (Station 5).
In 1998, Klamath County Fire District 1 purchased the ambulance service from Merle West Medical Center (currently Sky Lakes Medical Center) and became the ambulance service provider for the fire district and portions of the surrounding area.
Mission
We at Klamath County Fire District 1, are devoted to safeguarding the lives and property of our community, visitors and neighbors by providing professional emergency services, with compassion, courtesy, integrity and fiscal responsibility.
Vision
Deliver the best fire and emergency medical service possible with the funding provided, while creating and supporting a work environment that attracts and maintains excellence.
Our Values
Customer Service – We are committed to providing the community with the highest level of professional and courteous customer service. We demonstrate absolute respect for each other and members of the public. We maintain a level of operational readiness to assure a decisive and effective response to emergencies for maximum life safety and protection of the environment through incident stabilization.
Integrity – We are honest and fair in our dealings with our customers and each other. We are honorable and respectful to our profession. We expect each other to promote trustworthiness, openness, and sincerity.
Teamwork – We promote teamwork through respect and courtesy, while upholding professional standards. We are accountable to each other and to the customers we serve.
Sense of Family - We are committed to promoting respect for one another, working together, and being caring, compassionate, and loyal to our families both at home and within the organization.
Fiscal Responsibility – We take very seriously the stewardship of public funds. Therefore, we practice ethical and fiscally prudent spending in order to maintain operational readiness that fosters public trust.
About the Area
Klamath Falls is the transportation and service center of the Klamath Basin. The Basin is one of the most biologically and geologically diverse areas on earth. We are located on the high, dry, eastern side of the beautiful Cascade Mountain range in southeastern Oregon. Klamath County is the home to Crater Lake National Park and is known for the abundance of woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife.
The county has six wildlife refuges, sits on the Pacific Flyway providing a rest stop for millions of migrating birds, and is the home to the largest winter population of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. Klamath Falls is centrally located and served by Highways 39, 97, and 140. We are 90 minutes east of Medford, 2.5 hours south of Bend, 3 hours southeast of Eugene and 5 hours southeast of Portland and 5 hours north of Reno. Klamath Falls receives transportation services from both Amtrak and Horizon Airlines. Scenic Moore Park is located on the southern shore of Upper Klamath Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the Northwest. Klamath County abounds with golfing, camping, biking, hiking, fishing, and hunting opportunities.
Klamath County Fire District 1
143 North Broad Street, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601, United States
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