About Us
Clackamas Fire District #1 is one of the largest fire protection districts in Oregon. We proudly serve and protect nearly 265,000 permanent residents. Our 24 fire stations are strategically located throughout our nearly 300-square-mile service area, ensuring a quick and immediate response to any situation.
Our service area includes the following cities and unincorporated areas: Barton, Beavercreek, Boring, Carus, Carver, Central Point, Clackamas, Clarkes, Damascus, Eagle Creek, Happy Valley, Holcomb, Johnson City, Milwaukie, Oak Lodge, Oregon City, Redland, South End, Sunnyside, and Westwood. In addition to the above areas, the fire district also has intergovernmental agreements with the City of Gladstone and Sandy Fire District #72 to operate fire stations and provide fire protection services.
History
Prior to 1933, cities were not authorized to provide fire protection outside of city limits; therefore, there was little or no fire protection. In the 1930s, the Oregon Legislature authorized the formation of Rural Fire Protection Districts to provide services in unincorporated areas. The unprotected gaps were called Fire Management Zones and were served by counties. The commissioners formed Clackamas Fire District #54 in the area surrounding Oregon City.
Milwaukie Fire Protection District #56 served the areas surrounding Milwaukie and north into Multnomah County. Together with Multnomah County Fire District #12, the agencies served an area that extended up to 82nd Avenue and SE Division Street in unincorporated Multnomah County.
In 1976, what remained of the two districts merged and formed Clackamas County Fire District #1. Yet, city annexations continued – forcing other districts to merge to preserve service levels. In 1988, Happy Valley Fire District #65, Clackamas Fire District #71 and Clackamas Fire District #54 merged and within two years consolidated their services further by joining with Clackamas County Fire District #1, which is commonly referred to as Clackamas Fire District #1. The new fire agency was now large enough to provide expanded service levels and to provide the expanded scope of services with the economies of scale typical of modern fire agencies.
In the early 1990s, Clackamas Fire District #1 merged with Beavercreek Fire District #55. During the next decade, it merged with Oak Lodge Fire District #51 and Clarkes Fire District #68 and began providing services by contract to the Cities of Milwaukie and Oregon City.
In 2005, Clackamas Fire District #1 held an election to annex the territories within the City of Milwaukie, followed by a 2007 election to annex the City of Oregon City into the fire district.
In 2014, both Boards of Directors from Clackamas Fire District #1 and Boring Fire District #59 unanimously approved a five-year contract for service to provide fire protection, fire prevention, and emergency medical services to the citizens of Boring Fire District #59.
In November 2016, voters approved the annexation of Boring Fire District #59 into Clackamas Fire District #1. In February 2017, Clackamas Fire District #1 finalized the legal integration in the form of an annexation with Boring Fire District #59. The annexation provided an increase in staffing at Damascus Station 19 (NKA Centennial Park Station 21) from 40-hours a week to 24-hours per day, seven days a week. As part of our commitment to the annexation, Clackamas Fire District #1 provided a new fire apparatus that helped enhance the services provided across those communities. In April 2019, the new Damascus Station 19 opened, which is located at 19750 SE Damascus Lane in Damascus.
In June 2022, the fire district began providing fire suppression and emergency medical services to the City of Gladstone through a contract for service in the form of an intergovernmental agreement. The agreement is for one-year with two, two-year automatic renewals. In July 2023, Clackamas Fire District #1 began providing fire suppression and emergency medical services to the citizens of Sandy Fire District #72 through a seven-year contract for service in the form of an intergovernmental agreement.
All of these mergers, consolidations, and contracts have resulted in the Clackamas Fire District #1 we know today of a full-service organization providing emergency medical and fire response, community paramedic, building inspections, public education, and much more.