PILOT ROCK — The Pilot Rock Rural Fire Protection District received overwhelming support on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 2, to maintain services.

The district asked voters in and around Pilot Rock to approve a local option tax of 82 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. And voters answered, passing the tax 369-72.

Herschel Rostov, the district’s new chief, said the high numbers in favor were good to see and shows how much the community supports the fire department.

The district, according to a city of Pilot Rock website,“provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention and rescue to the city of Pilot Rock and the surrounding area with a population of about 3,000.

The district two weeks ago become fully independent from the Umatilla County Fire District No. 1, according to a representative from the UCFD1. In July 2018, Pilot Rock Rural Fire merged with Umatilla County Fire District No. 1, which provided a fire chief, fire marshal, training chief, emergency medical service chief and fire mechanic, the website states.

Rostov, 53, said he stepped into the role as the Pilot Rock Rural Fire Protection District chief Oct. 1.

“I just got started,” he said.

Rostov came from the fire department at Mercer Island, Washington, and before that the North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, a district in Bellingham, Washington.

“I came here really looking to provide a high level of experience, and especially for a rural community,” he said, because rural communities tend to be underserved in areas of training and more.

Rostov also said the district did not seek to raise the tax but keep it the same, recognizing the financial difficulties many have endured. Still, maintaining the level of funding means the district keeps its quick response team.

That’s a secondary service for the district, he said, but it’s vital to the community because it means Pilot Rock Rural Fire can send emergency medical service to the field and start providing life-saving support while Pendleton’s fuller ambulance service is en route.