Sheriffs from Baker and Union counties sign letter slamming proposed OSHA rules
By Joe Hathaway on Friday, June 28th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
NORTHEAST OREGON – The Sheriffs from Baker, Union, and other counties have joined forces to oppose new OSHA regulations, signing a letter from the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association (OSSA) that criticizes the rules as potentially devastating to rural search and rescue (SAR) operations.
The OSSA, representing all 36 county sheriffs in Oregon, voiced strong concerns about the proposed changes to the OSHA Emergency Response Standard . According to the OSSA, these changes would impose significant financial and operational burdens on rural SAR operations, which are largely volunteer-driven and already operating on minimal budgets.
Click here to read our initial report on the new OSHA rules.
“The proposed rule would effectively end these search and rescue operations across the state of Oregon,” the OSSA letter states. “This would be a catastrophe for those people camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing, bicycling, or otherwise using the approximately 32 million acres of public lands in Oregon who are unfortunate enough to get injured, sick, lost, or otherwise need assistance.”
Sheriff Travis Ash of Baker County, Sheriff Cody Bowen of Union County, along with other Sheriffs’ from Eastern Oregon endorsed the letter, highlighting the challenges faced by rural SAR teams. The letter explains that the new OSHA rules would require expensive equipment, additional training, and medical examinations that are beyond the financial reach of many rural counties.
The letter highlights Union County’s SAR program, which in particular faces significant challenges. With 39 volunteers and one SAR coordinator, Union County is responsible for search and rescue operations over 1,000 square miles of public land. The county’s SAR program operates on a budget of $10,350 for the fiscal year 2023/2024, primarily funded by the Sheriff’s Office. Most of this budget is consumed by vehicle fuel and maintenance, leaving little for equipment and training. “The proposed rule will imperil the very existence of county SAR operations in Oregon,” the OSSA letter warns.
Nick Vora, Union County’s emergency manager, echoed these concerns, stating that the implementation of the proposed OSHA rule would likely result in many small emergency response agencies ceasing to operate. Vora told Elkhorn Media Group that the financial and operational strain that the regulations would place on volunteer-based organizations, which are already considered employees under workers’ compensation requirements in Oregon.
Other first responders in Northeast Oregon have voiced similar concerns. Sean Lee, Chief of the Baker Rural Fire District, warned that the new OSHA rules could have devastating financial repercussions not just locally, but nationwide. The proposed standards, which mandate updates in personal protective equipment (PPE) and operational apparatus, could impose untenable costs on already financially strained rural districts.
“The reality is that search and rescue operations in Oregon operate on a shoestring budget,” the OSSA letter states. “This proposed rule will effectively eliminate the ability of county sheriffs to operate a search and rescue group, due to financial and administrative hurdles that are well beyond even the largest Oregon county SAR group.”
The OSSA’s letter urges OSHA to reconsider and exclude county SAR operations from the proposed rule, citing the potential for increased risk to public safety if rural SAR teams are forced to disband due to unmanageable regulatory requirements.
“We respectfully request that you exclude county SAR operations from this proposed rule and gather relevant evidence before attempting to regulate in this area,” the letter concludes.
