Jefferson County Fire & EMS receives Port of Portland’s donated aircraft firefighting vehicle, just in time for airshow

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Jefferson County Fire & EMS has received a very special donation of an Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle from the Port of Portland Fire & Rescue, just in time for next week's Airshow of the Cascades at Madras Airport. 

Last Wednesday, the Jefferson County Fire & EMS took delivery of a 2001 Rosenbauer Fire Panther ARFF apparatus.  The ARFF vehicle was donated by the Port of Portland to enhance the ARFF services offered by Jefferson county Fire & EMS. 

Fire Chief Jeff Blake said he and staff were excited to receive the vehicle, a major upgrade for the department’s ARFF program.  The vehicle is 16 years newer than the department’s current 1985 Oshkosh P-13 vehicle. 

Both vehicles will be in service and operational for this week’s Airshow of the Cascades in Madras on Friday and Saturday.  The Port of Portland Fire & Rescue will assist Jefferson County Fire & EMS with staffing the ARFF apparatus and providing training over the weekend on the new vehicle. 

“Chief Rob Mathis and his staff from the Port of Portland have been great partners to work with and will be a valuable resource for our agency moving forward,” Blake stated. 

“The Madras Airport has become very busy in recent years, and with Erickson’s Air Museum and the Erickson’s Aero Tanker Maintenance Facility being located in Madras, we see a lot of heavy and light jet traffic. The city of Madras has big plans for the airport, therefore we see our role as a fire department increasing at the airport.” 

“We can’t thank the Port of Portland enough for their generous donation to this department,” Blake added.