New Baker City Fire Chief Sworn In
By Joe Hathaway on Thursday, July 27th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY — The residents of Baker City have a new fire chief.
Todd Jaynes was sworn in as the new chief of the Baker City Fire Department during the City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 25.
Jaynes previously worked for the Jerome, Idaho Fire Department, but has worked in fire and emergency services roles for more than 30 years in multiple states and even Mexico.
Jaynes replaces Sean Lee, who retired as chief last year. Jaynes takes helm of a department facing financial hardships and a lack of firefighters.
He says his first goal is to get more staffing. “We have to get staffing up to be able to meet the needs of the people of Baker,” Jaynes said. “We also need staffing to make sure our ISO rating remains at a three, so that people’s homeowner’s insurance doesn’t go up.
ISO fire ratings determine how well local fire departments can protect communities and homes. Insurance companies use the score to help set home insurance rates, as a home that is less likely to be severely damaged or destroyed by fire is cheaper to insure. An ISO rating of 1 is the best, a 10 is the worst.
Jaynes says the city council approved the hiring of two new full-time firefighters, but that the department needs more staffing to keep shifts full. The Baker City Fire Department currently has five full-time firefighters.
He adds that he’s also looking to hire part-time firefighters and that anyone in the community interested in part-time roles should contact the Fire Department.
Jaynes says that he knows the fire department has been a hot-button issue in the town for a while and that if anyone has questions or concerns, that his door is always open.
“I want to talk to anyone in the public that wants to talk,” Jaynes said “I’m here and ready to serve and protect the community.”
