Fire District 4 places levy on ballot to keep firefighters

Shady Cove, Ore. — Jackson County voters will start receiving ballots Friday. The ballots are for the May 16th special election. Several small races are on the ballot, as well as two levies. One of those levies, could support Fire District 4.

The money from the levy would go straight into the salaries of four firefighters that Fire District 4 otherwise wouldn’t be able to pay. The four firefighters were added to the team in 2015, when Fire District 4 was approved for a FEMA grant. That grant expires in December. Now, those four fire fighters might find themselves unemployed.

Shady Cove may seem small, but don’t be deceived. The city and surrounding area makes enough 911 calls to keep local law enforcement busy.

“As the years have gone by, call volumes keep increasing every year. Keep getting busier and busier,” said Fire Chief Rod Edwards

So much so – in 2015, Jackson County Fire District 4 Chief Rod Edwards was approved for a federal grant that allowed him to hire four new firefighters.

“That staffing boost was incredible,” he said.

That grant expires in December, and now, Fire District 4 might not be able to pay for those positions any longer, and the chief said it’s extra help they just can’t afford to lose.

“We’ve noticed an increase in call volume over the past two-year period of about 23%,” he said.

Chief Edwards says that’s equal to running about 1,200 calls each year.

“We need the extra folks. We’re not real close to Medford, we’re not real close to the hospitals,” he said.

The chief also said even in emergency vehicles, it can take up to 30 to 45 minutes to get to the hospital from Shady Cove.

“Emergency medical care is a big deal up here,” he said.

A big deal that lead to the district deciding to place a levy on the May ballot. The levy would add 99 cents to every $1,000 of assessed property value. The levy would be for the next four years – strictly to fund the four firefighters.

“We can do that with the crew that we have now, if we can hold onto this crew and keep it intact, keep these positions funded, then we will be able to deliver our best service,” he said.

The proposed rate for the levy is projected to raise just under $1.8 million dollars for the full four years. Ballots for the May 16th special election are due by 8 p.m. that evening.

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