Umatilla County Fire District 1 is addressing staffing shortages and improving response times with the help of a $6.9 million federal grant that will add 16 firefighter paramedics and EMTs to its ranks.
The district received the FEMA SAFER grant in 2024 to help staff Station 23 on Westland Road and improve coverage across its 200-square-mile service area, which includes Hermiston, Stanfield, Umatilla, Echo and parts of Morrow County. Fire Chief Scott Stanton said the district faces significant challenges meeting demand, with crews responding to more than 6,000 calls annually while serving nearly 48,000 people.
“Twelve percent of the time we have five calls going at one time. We can’t staff five calls at the same. We don’t have enough people,” Stanton said. “So that’s when we have to rely on our mutual aid partners out of Umatilla, Echo, Boardman Fire or Pendleton Fire with their ambulances. So I think that’s the critical piece.”
The district operates five stations, three of which are staffed 24 hours a day. It also provides ambulance service to multiple communities in the region.
Communications Coordinator Timber Hunt said the grant addresses a critical staffing need that has hampered the district’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
“In 2024, Umatilla County Fire District one was awarded $6.9 million for a FEMA SAFER grant,” Hunt said. “And what that does is allows us to hire 16 firefighter paramedics and EMTs, to help us staff Station 23 out on Westland Road. That helps us lower our response times and improve our coverage throughout the district.”
