Take a look around and you’ll notice western Umatilla County is growing fast. It’s important that our emergency response capability is able to keep up.

You can also track the growth in our area through the number of calls for fires and emergency response. At more than 5,000 calls for service in the past 12 months, the current vehicle fleet is running nearly nonstop. We need a plan to make sure we’re able to replace these vehicles as they reach the end of their expected lifespans.

Measure 30-148 invests in facilities, vehicles, and equipment for Umatilla County Fire District No. 1. It will provide our first responders with modern tools while saving expensive maintenance costs to keep outdated vehicles on the road. It also makes sure they have the most up-to-date safety equipment.

In the end, making this wise investment today will lead to cost savings down the line while giving our local fire district the tools it needs to continue providing a high level of service. I’ll be voting in support of Measure 30-148.

Bruce Jones

Hermiston

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