New EMTs make Gresham Fire and Rescue better manned

Since 1906, Gresham Fire and Rescue has served its community, which includes their town of around 220 people and four counties.

The department is entirely made up of volunteers and recently got six new emergency medical technicians, bringing their total to 17 in addition to 13 firefighters.

Rescue Captain Tera Dey said the additional EMTs allows them to be more flexible.

"Not everybody’s available," Dey said.  "There’s people that work, there’s people that are busy farming.  We all have a place to be… So we’re just not always able to be in one place at one time.  So having 17 EMTs available, this gives us the flexibility to be able to take care of those things."

EMTs are certified by the state to take care of patients en route to a hospital.

In order to become an EMT, they must go through more than 180 hours of training.  It’s important for the area GFR has to cover.

"As an EMT in this area, we spend about an average of three hours to a call, depending on the amount of calls we have a year," Dey said.  "So anywhere between 28 to 35 calls a year, averaging…three hours at a time."

Bob Tonniges has volunteered with GFR for 58 years.  He said it’s important to have young blood join them and follow the frequent changes in life–saving protocols.

"Every two years, they change the scenario of how you do things and it’s hard to keep up," Tonniges said.  "But these guys are younger, so their memory’s a lot better and remember all the new techniques and stuff, which is important."

GFR said the average starting wage for firefighters is around $40,000 per year, so by volunteering, the 30 men and women at GFR are saving their community around $1.2 million annually.