History of Lane County Fire District #1
Lane County Fire District #1 began in the 1960s as a collection of four small rural fire protection districts-Crow Valley, Elmira-Noti, Veneta and Walton. The motivation for the creation of each of these rural fire protection districts had a common denominator. A tragic fire or horrible accident, often accompanied by the loss of life, jolted each of these communities into the realization that formal organization of volunteer personnel and appropriate equipment were needed to effectively respond to emergencies. However, they were hampered in their efforts by the modest sums of money they were able to raise through a combination of tax levies and fund raising activities-which included bar-be-ques and garage sales.

Early firefighting equipment was second and even third-hand. Crow Valley's first fire engine, acquired in 1966, was a thirty-year-old 1936 Seagraves pumper, purchased from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Elmira-Noti's first engine was a 1946 Mack. In spite of their respective ages, these vehicles were used as front-line engines well into the 1970s. Other equipment, including "turnouts" (fire protection clothing), hoses, nozzles and axes were also second-hand and breathing apparatus, required today for entering hazardous environments, was rare or non-existent. Medical equipment and training were also minimal.
The first buildings to house fire apparatus in each of District #1’s original fire districts were generally built by volunteers.  Some of them had the semblance of fire stations, with multiple bays and meeting rooms.  Others were just small sheet metal structures, with barely enough room to house a fire apparatus.


In 1974, a major change in the level of medical services provided by District #1's original rural fire protection districts occurred. That year, volunteers were first given the opportunity to take coursework leading to becoming an Emergency Medical Technician. Not only did the EMT training improve the quality of medical care provided in each district, it also had another major impact. The types of medical calls each of these districts responded to increased dramatically. Consequently, patrons saw their volunteer neighbors in action more frequently, reinforcing the perceived worth of these rural fire protection districts and improving their willingness to approve revenue increases in tax elections.

For the next fifteen years, each of District #1's original rural fire protection districts concentrated on building their own respective departments. Improved patron support enabled several of these departments to finally be able to purchase new equipment. For example, in 1989, Crow Valley was able to buy four Pierce fire engines.

Then in 1990, all tax supported government agencies in Oregon faced a major obstacle. In November of that year, the voters passed a state constitutional amendment limiting the amount of money that could be raised from property taxes. No longer could rural fire protection districts rely on voter approved tax increases to fund the rising costs associated with obtaining needed equipment. One solution was to merge districts, thereby pooling resources and broadening the depth of the tax-base that the fire department could rely on.

Veneta and Elmira-Noti merged in 1990, forming the Fernridge Rural Fire Department. This merger provided both the example and the motivation for exploring mergers with other neighboring districts including Crow Valley and Walton. Merger talks began in 1992, and Walton became part of the Fernridge District that same year. In 1995, the merging of Fernridge and Crow Valley was approved by voters, creating Lane County Fire District #1.

Since the merger, District #1 has begun a program of upgrading its equipment and vehicles to better protect our volunteers and improve our service to our patrons. We've been able to acquire new turnouts (fire protection clothing), new breathing apparatus (used when fighting interior fires and fires with heavy smoke), four new rescues, six new 3,000 gallon tenders-giving us the capability of maintaining a steady supply of water at most major fires- two new heavy rescues (for medical calls and motor vehicle collisions) and in 2006, our first new pumper. We've also purchased upgraded tools for removing victims from motor vehicle accidents, and upgraded several of our stations including adding a major addition to our main station in Veneta. In the future, as they approach being in service for over twenty years, we will need to replace a number of additional pumpers.
One of the six new tenders, purchased in 2002
New rescue at our main station, purchased in 2005
New pumper at our main station, purchased in 2006

We respond to over 1200 calls per year, which range from fire and medical emergencies to motor vehicle accidents and general public assistance. Because the communities served by District One are growing rapidly, we expect the number of these calls to substantially increase in the coming years.

In addition to emergency fire and medical services, District #1's members provide assistance to our patrons in many other ways. We have a comprehensive fire safety and prevention education program. We offer free installation of smoke alarms in homes and child safety seats in vehicles. District #1 sponsors a "Safety on Wheels" program that includes an annual bicycle rodeo and provides free bicycle helmets. District #1 conducts numerous school tours of our stations. Our EMTs often volunteer at civic events including high school football games and large school outings. In December, we help collect and distribute food boxes to families and individuals in need. And we annually participate in a number of regional parades, including the 4th of July Parade in Harrisburg and the Veneta Holiday Light Parade.
Annual Bicycle Rodeo /
Safety on Wheels
School Tour
Annual Holiday Food Drive
Elmira Elementary Family Fun Day
Veneta Holiday Light Parade