Gresham City Council recently voted to allocate an additional $240,000 of
American Rescue Plan Act dollars (ARPA) for the Gresham Fire Department to
install new HVAC systems in the four fire stations owned by the City of
Gresham. In total, the City has designated $1.78 million in ARPA funding to the
Fire Department since 2021.
“The health and safety of our public safety personnel is paramount. We
recognize that the growth of our community has exacerbated the operational and
capital needs of our Fire Department,” said Gresham City Manager Nina Vetter.
“While I’m grateful for the historic investments by our current Council, and
the improvements we’ve made over the past few years, our Fire Department’s
needs and the safety of our community is one of the fundamental drivers behind
the City going back out for a Safety Levy in the May 2024 election.”
To date, the following actions have been taken to alleviate the most
immediate safety concerns within the Gresham Fire Department:
- In collaboration with IAFF, annual voluntary cardiac
and cancer screenings have been implemented for fire personnel.
- A radon mitigation service was performed at Station
74.
- Filtration systems for drinking and cooking water at
two fire stations have been installed.
- City Council approved ARPA funding for new HVAC fans to
remove vehicle exhaust from stations.
- City Council
approved ARPA funding for four firefighting personnel positions.
“It’s important to know that the actions taken so far were to resolve the
most urgent risks to our staff. We understand that many of Gresham’s fire
stations are in disrepair and in need of being rebuilt,” said Gresham Fire
Chief Scott Lewis. “I’m encouraged by the options and strategies City
leadership continues to explore in order to develop the long-term solutions we
need.”
In addition to the repairs and hires made to date, City staff are looking to
renegotiate current contracts impacting fire services, pursuing the Gresham
Safety Levy in the May 2024 election, and analyzing a potential bond for
capital needs in 2025.
Learn more about ARPA funding.