Groundbreaking ceremony held for new fire station
By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WESTON – Dignitaries, firefighters and community members came together Wednesday to witness the first steps of building a new fire station for East Umatilla Fire and Rescue on the corner of Bannister Road and Mill Street. The previous fire department, East Umatilla County Rural Fire Protection District, purchased the land in July 2011.
In 2017, EUCRFPD made an Intergovernmental agency agreement with Helix Fire Department to work as one department. In 2019 the communities voted to come together as one fire district under EUCRFPD. In May 2020, the communities were asked again to combine East Umatilla County Rural Fire Protection District, Helix Fire Department and Athena Fire Department as one entity called East Umatilla Fire and Rescue. There was a 3 to 1 vote to combine all three departments. Currently, there is an intergovernmental agreement between the new East Umatilla Fire and Rescue with East Umatilla County Ambulance Area Health District.
Chief Dave Baty had contacted Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer about a grant to loan the money for a new fire station. Shafer called Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena) with Baty in the room and they discussed the need of the new station. Hansell had the idea to use Capital Construction Funds (lottery funds) to get on a list and maybe get some money. He then met with the East Umatilla Fire and Rescue Board of Directors to try and “make things happen”. They needed about 5 million dollars to work with.
Sen. Bill Hansell explained that there was some federal American Rescue Plan Act grant money that was given to each district. $4 million was given to each Senator and $2 million was given to each House Representative. “This came from just an idea to where we are today,” Hansell said.
Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo) was approached by Hansell and asked if she was willing to donate half of her ARPA funds to this fire district. They took a tour of the facility, and she couldn’t believe there was a working fire station in some crazy conditions. First and foremost, trying to get fire trucks in and out of a steep incline to respond to each call.
Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer talked about that meeting with Chief Baty and calling Sen. Bill Hansell. Also, it was discussed that they needed to upgrade Bannister Road so some added turnouts for the fire trucks to get in and out of would be added to the upgrade. Commissioner Shafer commented, “Dave has a passion for this community and fire district.”
East Umatilla Fire and Rescue has more to do before the new building is started. McCormick Construction will begin work in February and there is still some planning to do to the exterior and interior of the building before everything can be finalized.
Photo via East Umatilla Fire and Rescue
