Union County begins steps toward City of Union ambulance service transfer
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION – Following a May vote by Union residents to annex the City of Union fire and EMS service into the Union Rural Fire Protection District, both the city and county have begun steps to formalize the transfer of services. Though little will change physically as the two agencies share the same station, much of the same equipment, and many of the same crew, the legal transferring of services will still take time.
In particular, the transfer of ambulance services and licensure from one agency to another requires additional preparations as the Union Rural Fire Protection District is not currently an ambulance agency. The transfer of service will require additional oversight from Union County as per Oregon statute.
To ensure the transfer is conducted smoothly, Union County Emergency Services proposed the establishment of a five-person committee composed of local EMS members (who themselves do not have any conflicting interests in the county’s ambulance agencies) to review the transfer request in advance. This committee was approved by the Union County Commissioners during the regular meeting on June 26, 2024. The committee is comprised of the following persons:
- Michael Barry (Imbler Fire Chief)
- Joshua Brock (Former Union County ASA administrator)
- Craig Kretschmer (La Grande Rural Fire Chief)
- Kenneth Patterson (Imbler Assistant Fire Chief)
- Anthony Swales (La Grande Rural Fire Captain)
This committee will review the ASA transfer and make a recommendation to the Union County commissioners. If both the committee and board of commissioners approve, the Union Rural Fire protection district may apply for full ambulance service licensure. While the transfer process is ongoing, ambulance service will still continue in the City of Union and the greater Union ASA.
