Commitment to Serve: Alfalfa Fire District Pushes Forward Amid Challenges

(UPDATE: Adding more information on the Department.)

ALFALFA, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Alfalfa Rural Fire District has faced a series of challenges in recent months, including board member resignations, the departure of longtime Chief Chad Lavallee, and a failed levy.

But firefighters on the ground say the department remains focused on maintaining service to the community.

“I know that the board and departments made efforts to fix things if that’s needed to be fixing,” said Buddy Payne, a firefighter with Alfalfa Fire and Rescue. “But our main concern is running smoothly and keeping service going to the community.”

Calls for stability and community involvement

Payne said he hopes the recent turmoil will settle and allow the department to refocus on its mission, while also encouraging more community engagement.

“I would love to see the turmoil kind of just get everything running back smooth and have the community more involved,” he said. “That way there’s no misconception of what’s going on.”

“I hope the community knows that our volunteers, all of us, are very dedicated,” Payne added. “We love our community and we do the best we can, and we want to keep doing it here as long as they’ll let us.”

He also urged residents to stay informed and involved.

“I think what people can do is come to meetings and ask questions,” Payne said. “Our doors are open Monday through Friday. Come talk to someone.”

A small budget with big demands

Running a fire department comes with significant costs, from personnel to equipment.

Bend Fire & Rescue operates with an annual budget of about $38 million. In contrast, Alfalfa Fire works with roughly $265,000.

The department also recently lost a state summer grant that previously allowed it to hire two additional full-time EMTs.

“That would have meant that during the summer, we’d have two firefighter EMTs staffed here 24 hours a day,” Payne said. “That way somebody would be able to respond no matter what.”

He said that staffing would also allow crews to respond to regional fires while maintaining coverage locally.

“If we go out to help on fires and don’t have people here to cover medical calls, we can’t leave,” Payne said.

Staffing concerns during fire season

As fire season ramps up, staffing remains a major concern for the rural district.

Payne said the department typically has about 10 to 12 volunteers available on any given day, many of whom live outside the district and balance other jobs and family responsibilities.

“It’s a huge balancing act,” Payne said. “I haven’t shut my phone off at night for almost four years now because I can’t.”

He said the loss of additional staffing support will put more pressure on an already stretched team.

“We’re going to have to rely on just what we’re doing now, and it’s going to be multiplied by ten,” Payne said. “In the summertime, we’ve got more fires, more heat, more people out recreating. There’s more things bound to happen, and we’re not going to have the people.”

He added that the department is already short on EMTs, many of whom work outside the district and cannot always respond.

Reliance on volunteers and resourcefulness

The department depends heavily on volunteers, grants and donations to continue operating.

Payne said much of the department’s equipment — including medical gear, protective clothing and even a response vehicle — has come through grants or donations, including support from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

“I think more people need to check in and see what has been done to acquire the equipment that we have,” Payne said.

To cut costs, firefighters also take on maintenance and construction projects themselves.

Volunteers have built parts of the firehouse, completed interior work and continue to maintain equipment and facilities on their own time.

What happens when crews can’t respond

If Alfalfa Fire is unable to respond to an emergency, calls are routed to Bend Fire & Rescue.

That response can take about 30 minutes in the best-case scenario — a delay that could be critical.

“If we weren’t here in that two- to three-minute time frame and it’s something real serious, it could be detrimental,” Payne said. “So far, we’ve been lucky that we’ve been able to accommodate the calls.”

But he said that could change if staffing shortages continue.

“If we don’t have the staff, they’re going to have to wait for Bend,” Payne said.

Commitment to continued service

Despite the challenges, Payne said the department remains committed to serving the community as long as possible.

“Everybody is on the same page — we’re going to keep responding until somebody tells us we can’t anymore,” he said. “If we’re here and we’re able to, we’re going to respond no matter what.”

Search for new fire chief underway

The district has begun its search for a new fire chief and is reviewing several candidates. Sources within the department say a meet-and-greet with finalists is planned once the selection process narrows.

KTVZ News will continue to follow developments within the department and provide updates as more information becomes available.