SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office has awarded $6 million in grants to nearly 200 fire agencies statewide in order to boost the number of firefighters ahead of the 2024 wildfire season, according to state officials.
The state fire marshal’s office said that the grant program is in its third year and local agencies in the Oregon structural fire service were eligible to apply for up to $35,000. The grant funding allows agencies to hire more firefighters or increase on-duty hours during the fire season, fire officials said.
“The staffing grant program has been a huge success for the Oregon fire service and our district,” Sublimity Fire District Chief Alan Hume said. “It allowed us to staff our station during the busiest time of the year, which we previously couldn’t do. This resulted in quicker responses with adequate staffing for not only our district, but our neighboring agencies. Last year we had several fires in our area with the potential to develop into larger, extended duration fires. We were able, as region, to keep those fires smaller.”
In 2023, the grant program added more than 1,500 paid firefighters to the Oregon fire service which allowed fire agencies to attack fires and keep them small as well as provide more resources for other calls that can ultimately save lives, state officials said.
The state fire marshal’s office said a complete listing of agencies receiving funding can be found online. The grant program is part of the OSFM’s Response Ready Oregon Initiative and is part of a multi-pronged approach to combat wildfire in Oregon, fire officials said.