Josephine County OR - ?????

[PeterSz]

I have a couple of quick questions about Josephine County Oregon.

1. Grants Pass FD operates on 154.385 - right?

2. Grants Pass Rural FD operates on 154.37 - right?

3. What is the difference between those 2 FDs?

4. Rural Metro FD also operates in the area on 154.175R - right?

5. Does the Rural Metro FD share stations with the Grants Pass Rural FD?

6. Does Grants Pass 911 Center dispatch all of these agencies?

7. What is 153.95 used for in Josephine County? It shows 1 base station on Mount Sexton plus 80 mobiles.

8. Can anyone supply a list of stations for these various agencies? (this might be the easiest way to sort this all out)

=============================

Apparently -

Grants Pass has 17 fulltime firemen in 2 station assisted by volunteers from Rural Metro and a couple of police commanders who are fire trained.

Residents who live outside the City of Grants Pass have to subscribe to either the Rural Metro FD or the Grants Pass Rural FD. Both of these agencies reportedly protect 288 square miles from 4 stations and 50 staff.

AMR provides EMS in the area on 155.265R.

Very interesting area - Peter Sz

 

[oregontreehugger]

I have a couple of quick questions about Josephine County Oregon.

1. Grants Pass FD operates on 154.385 - right?

2. Grants Pass Rural FD operates on 154.37 - right?

3. What is the difference between those 2 FDs?

4. Rural Metro FD also operates in the area on 154.175R - right?

5. Does the Rural Metro FD share stations with the Grants Pass Rural FD?

6. Does Grants Pass 911 Center dispatch all of these agencies?

7. What is 153.95 used for in Josephine County? It shows 1 base station on Mount Sexton plus 80 mobiles.

8. Can anyone supply a list of stations for these various agencies? (this might be the easiest way to sort this all out)

=============================

Apparently -

Grants Pass has 17 fulltime firemen in 2 station assisted by volunteers from Rural Metro and a couple of police commanders who are fire trained.

Residents who live outside the City of Grants Pass have to subscribe to either the Rural Metro FD or the Grants Pass Rural FD. Both of these agencies reportedly protect 288 square miles from 4 stations and 50 staff.

AMR provides EMS in the area on 155.265R.

Very interesting area - Peter Sz

1. Correct.
2. Correct.
3. Grants Pass FD is public, Grants Pass Rural FD is a private business.
4. Correct. Also a private business.
5. No.
6. Yes.
7. Don't know. (Also, if you view the various city and county licenses, you'll see that the license indicates most frequencies are now digital. Not sure if this means digital is coming in the future or not...)

 

[oregontreehugger]

Also, don't forget to check out the database:

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=2221

 

[kgasso]

In regards to the two private fire services, Rural/Metro (used to be Valley Fire Service) is by far the most popular by number of subscribers despite the fact that it's more expensive.

Regarding the KKC610/153.9500 license, I've never actually heard any traffic on that frequency.

-Kameron

 

[PeterSz]

A. So it seems that Rural Metro FD and Grants Pass Rural FD serve the exact same area (a 288 square mile area around Grants Pass) - but operate entirely seperate from each other. Right?

B. When a person reports a fire or emergency from the area around Grants Pass (outside the city limits), the dispatcher must ask if they are a Rural Metro FD subscriber or a Grants Pass Rural FD subscriber. If they are neither, I would assume that 911 would send the closest station (whether it be Grants Pass Rural FD or Rural Metro FD).

C. I wonder if there are any firefighters who serve with Rural Metro, Grants Pass Rural, and Grants Pass City? 3 pagers + 3 portables - yikes!

(Per the Josephine County Fire Plan, which is online, Rural Metro FD has stations at North Valley, South Grants Pass, Murphy, Fort Vannoy, Merlin, Sunny Valley, and Wilderville. Grants Pass Rural FD has 4 stations. Both agencies seem to have approx 40 vols each. Rural Metro FD also has 5 FT people, and 2 of their stations are staffed 24/7)

12,000 of the 17,000 households in this area have subscriptions.

From the 2004 State Fire Marshall Resource Directory (which is online) - Grants Pass DPS 154.385 PL123.0 - Illinois Valley FD 153.89in 154.19R PL167.9 - Rural Metro FD 154.175 PL 000 for Base, PL123.0 from mobiles + Channel 2 154.07 with PL 000 + Channel 3 is 151.955

Now that I understand that GPRFD and Rural Metro FD both cover the same area, things are much easier to understand. Thanks alot for your help - Peter Sz

 

[oregontreehugger]

A. Yes.
B. Yes.
C. Highly doubt it.

 

[DickH]

... B. When a person reports a fire or emergency from the area around Grants Pass (outside the city limits), the dispatcher must ask if they are a Rural Metro FD subscriber or a Grants Pass Rural FD subscriber. If they are neither, I would assume that 911 would send the closest station (whether it be Grants Pass Rural FD or Rural Metro FD). ...

That sounds like a dandy arrangement. If someone is unable to tell them and they send the wrong one, do they just stand there and call the other? Talk about Rube Goldberg!

Dick

 

[oregontreehugger]

Eh, one way or another the fire gets put out.

 

[jbailey618]

Not quite....

... B. When a person reports a fire or emergency from the area around Grants Pass (outside the city limits), the dispatcher must ask if they are a Rural Metro FD subscriber or a Grants Pass Rural FD subscriber. If they are neither, I would assume that 911 would send the closest station (whether it be Grants Pass Rural FD or Rural Metro FD). ...

That sounds like a dandy arrangement. If someone is unable to tell them and they send the wrong one, do they just stand there and call the other? Talk about Rube Goldberg!

Dick

This is an OLD thread, but I'll try to shine some light on it. There are now 3 private fire agencies in Josephine County, but only Rural Metro FD is radio dispatched directly from 911 (they are the only agency that pays 911 for that service, which is one of the reasons their rates are higher). When any fire in the County is reported to 911, Rural Metro is immediately radio dispatched regardless of whose "contract" it is. Also Rural Metro has mutual aid agreements with all of the municipal departments in the Rogue Valley meaning if Rural Metro needs more resources engines from Grants Pass City, or other departments are immediately dispatched as well. As for Grants Pass Rural, and "County Fire" they receive a courtesy telephone call as soon as 911 has a moment to contact them, then those two agencies dispatch themselves. To be perfectly honest there is only one real fire department in the north county (Rural Metro Fire Department). The other two are... well.. take a drive by their stations, talk to their "personnel" and judge for yourself. Also, Rural Metro is the only one of the three private departments that will respond to your home when you call 911 for chest pains, breathing difficulties etc... They respond to vehicle accidents, water rescue, etc etc etc... Just like any other fire department in the country. Grants Pass Rural isn't even allowed to run "code 3" (lights and sirens). I'll just say we're very fortunate to have Rural Metro Fire Department as well as ODF and the surrounding municipal and county volunteer departments.

 

[Wilrobnson]

Worst fire department in the United States? - YouTube

 

[PMJ2kx]

This is an OLD thread, but I'll try to shine some light on it.

Did Inland Fire (CIFDPA) go out of business? Rumors were floating around that was the case, but I have no evidence to suggest it

 

[OregonScanner]

A broken down fire truck is no good at a fire. Grants Pass Rural Fire Josephine County Oregon - YouTube

The video mentions that GPRFD is not recognized by the State of Oregon as a fire department. I checked and Grants Pass RFD does not appear on the OSFM list of fire departments.

 

[DickH]

This is an OLD thread, but I'll try to shine some light on it. There are now 3 private fire agencies in Josephine County, but only Rural Metro FD is radio dispatched directly from 911 (they are the only agency that pays 911 for that service, which is one of the reasons their rates are higher). When any fire in the County is reported to 911, Rural Metro is immediately radio dispatched regardless of whose "contract" it is. Also Rural Metro has mutual aid agreements with all of the municipal departments in the Rogue Valley meaning if Rural Metro needs more resources engines from Grants Pass City, or other departments are immediately dispatched as well. As for Grants Pass Rural, and "County Fire" they receive a courtesy telephone call as soon as 911 has a moment to contact them, then those two agencies dispatch themselves. To be perfectly honest there is only one real fire department in the north county (Rural Metro Fire Department). The other two are... well.. take a drive by their stations, talk to their "personnel" and judge for yourself. Also, Rural Metro is the only one of the three private departments that will respond to your home when you call 911 for chest pains, breathing difficulties etc... They respond to vehicle accidents, water rescue, etc etc etc... Just like any other fire department in the country. Grants Pass Rural isn't even allowed to run "code 3" (lights and sirens). I'll just say we're very fortunate to have Rural Metro Fire Department as well as ODF and the surrounding municipal and county volunteer departments.

Ah, the joys of country living !

 

[oregontreehugger]

Did Inland Fire (CIFDPA) go out of business? Rumors were floating around that was the case, but I have no evidence to suggest it

Yep, AFAIK.

 

[oregontreehugger]

A broken down fire truck is no good at a fire. Grants Pass Rural Fire Josephine County Oregon - YouTube

The video mentions that GPRFD is not recognized by the State of Oregon as a fire department. I checked and Grants Pass RFD does not appear on the OSFM list of fire departments.

Correct, AFAIK. Still in operation, but not formally recognized by the SFM. In fact, just saw one of their "engines" driving around the other day. Scary.

 

[OregonScanner]

Did Inland Fire (CIFDPA) go out of business?

Yep. Article and video here:
Grants Pass Fire Company Closes | KDRV

 

[jbailey618]

Inland Fire -

Inland is gone, but was replaced (bought out?) by a local family and it is now being called County Fire. I don't know these people, but I will say this. If you live in Josephine County, you would be wise to subscribe to Rural Metro Fire Department. RMFD isn't just the best of the three options, they are a very competent professional fire department. Pretty simple.

 

[PaulNDaOC]

Emergency Fire Services | Merlin, OR

 

[DickH]

Emergency Fire Services | Merlin, OR

The concept looks good for a rural area. If the implementation works as advertised it could be OK, although there is little detail provided about their "emergency fire service".

 

[oregontreehugger]

New Fire Protection Company In Merlin | KDRV

It will be interesting to see how this company works out. It has been a revolving door with having a 3rd private subscription-based fire department in Josephine Co. Like DickH said, they are a little short of details about their fire responses. And they will certainly have some competition with the security patrols angle, as a bumper crop of newer security companies have popped up in the wake of decreased public safety funding. Only time will tell...