Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage Search Site

Public Meetings


Public meetings hosted by the Oregon State Fire Marshal follow public meeting laws. Public meeting details like date, time, location, and registration links may be found on the Oregon Transparency site. 

Below are meeting materials and information on active public meetings hosted by the OSFM. 

Public Meeting Materials

Senate Bill 454 Advisory Committee

The OSFM established an advisory committee to review services, funding options, and funding limits for rural fire protection districts. The committee will make recommendations to help ensure districts have adequate and sustainable funding. Findings and recommendations will be submitted to the legislature by December 31, 2026.

View meetings here.

Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 1-5 p.m.

Agenda:

  • Welcome and Introductions
    • Background
    • Importance of the Committee and expectations
  •  Committee Member Introductions and Perspectives
  • Oregon Fire Service History

Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 a.m. - noon

Agenda:

  • Welcome and Reflections
  • Public Comment  (0830 – 0845)
  • Impacts to Fire Service Funding & Services
  • Next Steps
  • Roundtable Discussion
  • Close-Out​

​Thursday, February 19, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, March 19, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, April 16, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, June 18, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 16, 2026, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, August 20, 2026, 1-4 p.m.


Name of Team: State RFPD Funding & Services Advisory Committee (SB 454)
Rev. Date: 11/24/2025

​Chartering Group: Governor's Fire Service Policy Council (GFSPC)

Sponsor: Department of the State Fire Marshal

Committee Co-Chairs: Chief Brian Smith, Chief Brian Stewart

Team Kick Off Date: 1/14/26

Proposed Team Sunset: 1/2/27

Mission Statement

  • Conduct a comprehensive review of the services provided by, funding mechanisms available to, and funding limitations for rural fire protection districts.
  • Develop recommendations to fund rural fire protection districts ensuring adequate and sustainable services.
  • Identify future work and any additional recommendations to fund or sustain Oregon's fire service operations. 

Problem Statement

Oregon's population is growing. Oregon's fire service partners are responding to an increasing number of emergencies and variety of social needs. Funding mechanisms have not kept pace with increasing needs. Review of services provided, and revenue options are necessary.

Goals & Objectives

  1. Create a shared understanding of the current state of rural fire protection districts.
  2. Identify services provided by the Oregon fire service (e.g., EMS, code enforcement, fire suppression, hazmat, training).
  3. Identify best practices across the fire service.
  4. Identify problems, gaps, and challenges, including increasing costs, inflation, workforce issues, and other pressures.
  5. Identify current funding mechanisms and tools used by fire protection districts.
  6. Identify potential new funding options for sustainable operations.
  7. Identify funding limitations, such as compression, Measures 5 and 50, tax increment financing (TIF), enterprise zones, and related constraints.
  8. Develop proposals for lawmakers to improve fire service funding and sustainability.
  9. Develop a communications plan for fire service members.

Customers

Direct: Rural fire protection districts, Oregonians, and visitors to Oregon.

Indirect: Oregon fire service, cities, counties, districts, unincorporated areas, and state and private businesses.

Feedback Plan

  1. Reports will be shared at the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council quarterly meetings and during regular operational meetings.
  2. Recommendations will be shared through a report to the Oregon Legislature per the requirements in Senate Bill 454 (2025).

Scope/Priority

The work of the advisory committee (Governor's Fire Service Policy Council subcommittee) is a high priority and shall meet deadlines established in Senate Bill 454. The rural fire protection district services and funding task force shall report to the relevant public safety committee or interim committee of the Legislative Assembly on or before December 31, 2026.

Procedures/Meeting Frequency

The advisory committee plans to meet monthly, however more frequent meetings maybe required. Tasks will be assigned and are expected to be worked on between meetings.

Decision Making Process

The taskforce strives for consensus, but should there be disagreements, shall reach recommendations by majority vote based on Robert's Rules of Order meeting process.

Decision Ratifying Body

State fire marshal with advisement from the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council.

Boundary Conditions to Decisions Made

The Committee may make recommendations; however, the final decision to move forward any or all recommendations will be made by the state fire marshal.

How Decisions are Communicated

Approved recommendations will be communicated to the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council and the state fire marshal through a variety of means including but not limited to memorandum, email, website, conference calls, and meetings. Report out to the relevant public safety committee or interim committee of the Legislative Assembly on or before December 31, 2026.

Committee Members (18) and Executive Sponsor (1)

Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Executive Sponsor

Brian Stewart, Assistant Fire Chief, Clackamas, Taskforce Co-Chair

Brian Smith, Director of Strategic Services, TVF&R, Taskforce Co-Chair

Ben Stange, Fire Chief, Polk County /Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (OFCA)

Karl Koenig, President, Oregon State Fire Fighters Council (OSFFC)

Devon Brown, Deputy Fire Chief , City of Medford / Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (OFCA)

Amy Hanifan, Division Chief of Operations, McMinnville Fire District

Trish Connolly, Deputy Chief of Administration, League of Oregon Cities (LOC)

Genoa Ingram    OFDDA Executive Director, Oregon Fire District Directors Association (OFDDA)

Brad King, Junction City Board President & OFDDA Board Member, Oregon Fire District Directors Association (OFDDA)

Travis Medema, Chief Deputy, Department of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM)

Clint Benson, Fire Chief, Ontario Fire & Rescue

Erick Holsey, Fire Chief, La Pine Rural Fire Protection District

Kyle McMann, Fire Chief, Marion County Fire District #1

Chris Wolfard, Fire Chief, Applegate Fire District

Russ Deboodt, Fire Marshal, Crook County Fire & Rescue

John Tacy, Fire Chief, Lebanon Fire District

Dave Lapof, Fire Chief, Siletz Fire District & Toledo Fire Department

Brandon Hamilton, Fire Chief/Interim City Administrator, City of Dundee

Small RFPD Panel Members (8)

Greg Brody, Fire Chief, Vernonia RFPD

Joe Kaczenski, Fire Chief, Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD

Shane Cartwright, Fire Captain, Rocky Point Fire & EMS

Sean Lee, Fire Chief, Baker RFPD

David Feinberg, Fire Chief, Blodgett-Summit RFPD

John Holmes, Fire Chief, Illinois Valley Fire District

Levi Eckhardt, Fire Chief , Jefferson Fire District

Tom Davidson, Fire Chief, Evans Valley Fire District #6

Committee Staff (6)

Adam Meyer, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Task force Policy

Claire McGrew, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Subject Matter Expert

Amber Wagler, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Taskforce Administrator

Sydney Smith, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Analytics and Intelligence

Mariah Rawlins, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Subject Matter Expert

Kassie Keller, Department of the State Fire Marshal, Communications

Technical Advisor

Mark Whitaker, Chief Financial Officer, Clackamas Fire District

Sunset Clause

On or before January 2, 2027.

Sustaining Plan

Future work or groups identified by the committee on or after January 2, 2027.

​Here are two PowerPoint presentations that were given at the January meetings.

Download a print-only version of the Introduction to Oregon RFPD's and Funding presentation here.

Overview​

This document introduces Oregon's Fire Service structure, funding mechanisms, and challenges, with a focus on Rural Fire Protection Districts (RFPDs) and the importance of Senate Bill 454.

Sections

1. Oregon Fire Service Structure

  • 301 structural fire agencies statewide:
    • 257 Rural Fire Protection Districts (RFPDs)
    • 37 Municipal Fire Departments
    • 3 Subscription-based agencies
    • 2 Tribal agencies
    • 2 Water District agencies

2. Funding and Budgets

  • RFPD Budgets:
    • 20% have budgets under $100K
    • 69% under $1M
    • 95% under $10M
    • Only 1% exceed $20M
  • Tax Revenue Challenges:
    • Data inconsistencies across counties
    • Measure 5 compression affects reported values
    • 16% of districts span multiple counties

3. Levy and Bond Usage

  • Bond Levies:
    • 14.1% of districts have bond levies
  • Local Option Levies:
    • 32.7% of districts use them
    • In 15 cases, levy exceeds permanent tax rate
  • Combined Impact:
    • 41.1% of districts have either a bond or local option levy
    • 14.5% have both

4. Staffing and Financial Pressures

  • Paid staffing often depends on levies:
    • 71.2% of districts with 4+ staff use bond or local option levies

5. Medical Transport Costs

  • Ambulance billing varies by agency:
    • ALS (Advanced Life Support) in-city: $1,827 average
    • BLS (Basic Life Support) in-city: $1,703 average
    • Mileage: $26.53 average
  • Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements are significantly lower than actual costs

6. Impact of Measures 47/50

  • Real Market Value (RMV) vs. Taxable Assessed Value:
    • RMV: $541B
    • Taxable Value: $250B (48.7% of RMV)

7. Why SB 454 Matters

  • Addresses essential funding and operational challenges for fire districts
  • Supports sustainability of emergency services​

Download a print-only version of the RFPD Funding and Potential Revenue Impact presentation here.

Overview

This document analyzes funding structures, revenue potential, and financial challenges for Oregon's Rural Fire Protection Districts (RFPDs). It highlights disparities in tax revenue, reliance on levies, and the impact of property value limitations on district budgets.

Themes

1. Current Funding Landscape

  • RFPDs primarily rely on property taxes as their main revenue source.
  • Funding varies significantly across districts due to:
  • Permanent tax rates
  • Local option levies
  • Bond levies
  • Many districts operate with limited budgets, restricting staffing and equipment upgrades.

2. Revenue Challenges

  • Measure 5 and Measure 50 have capped property tax growth, creating long-term revenue constraints.
  • Real Market Value (RMV) vs. Assessed Value gap:
  • RMV often exceeds taxable value by 40–50%, limiting potential revenue.
  • Compression effects reduce actual collections below voter-approved rates.

3. Levy Dependence

  • Districts increasingly use local option levies and bond measures to supplement funding.
  • These levies are critical for:
  • Maintaining paid staffing
  • Funding capital projects (stations, apparatus)
  • However, reliance on voter-approved levies introduces financial instability.

4. Potential Revenue Opportunities

  • Aligning assessed values closer to RMV could significantly increase district revenue.
  • Legislative adjustments to property tax limitations could:
  • Improve service sustainability
  • Reduce dependence on temporary levies

5. Operational Impacts

  • Funding shortfalls affect:
  • Emergency response times
  • Volunteer recruitment and retention
  • Ability to meet modern equipment standards
  • Districts with higher tax bases can afford better staffing and resources, creating inequities across regions.

MEETING MINUTES

SB454 Committee

Meeting: Wednesday, January 14 1300-1700 & Thursday, January 15 0800-1200 Location: OSFM Headquarters

MEETING ATTENDANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

☒Brian Stewart, Clackamas Fire, Co-Chair

☒Brian Smith, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Co-Chair

☒Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Executive Sponsor

☒Ben Stange, Polk County

☒Karl Koenig, OSFFC

☒Devon Brown, City of Medford

☒Amy Hanifan, McMinnville Fire District

☒Trish Connolly, League of Oregon Cities

☒Genoa Ingram, OFDDA

☒Brad King, OFDDA

☒Clint Benson, Ontario Fire & Rescue

☒Erick Holsey, La Pine

☒Kyle McMann, Marion County #1

☒Chris Wolfard, Applegate Fire Dist. 

☒Russell Deboodt, Crook County Fire & Rescue

☒John Tacy, Lebanon Fire Dist.

☒Dave Lapof, Siletz Fire Dist., Toledo Fire Dept.

☒Brandon Hamilton, City of Dundee

  1. Travis Medema, OSFM

STAFF AND GUESTS

☒Claire McGrew, OSFM

☒Adam Meyer, OSFM

☒Kassie Keller, OSFM

☒Amber Wagler, OSFM

Welcome:

    • Chief Smith:
      • Chief Smith called the meeting to order at 1:03 pm
    • Roll call taken at 1:04 pm
    • Chief Smith:
      • Welcomed the attendees and expressed gratitude for their time and attendance.
      • Explained and emphasized the importance of following public meetings law.
      • Review of how Senate Bill 454 came to be and the next steps that need to be taken.
    • Chief Stewart:
      • Advised the committee on the report requirements.
      • Reviewed SB454 and intent of the committee's work.
      • Encouraged the committee to contribute their research and thoughts and reminded them the work being done in these meetings will impact the fire service.
      • The proposed team sunset is 01/02/2027.

Charter Review:

    • The committee reviewed the charter briefly.
      • Oregon Governors Fire Service Policy Council approved the charter previously.
    • President Koenig spoke to the GFSPC connection with this committee.
    • Committee members are encouraged to review the charter in detail on their own time.

Public Meetings Law:

    • Subject matter expert Sara Zavala gave an overview of the Oregon public meeting laws.
    • Public meeting law OAR 199.050 and overview documents will be emailed to each member for reminder and review.

Motion for Recess:

    • Motion called by Chief Smith at 1:44 pm
    • All in favor, none against
    • Meeting reconvened by Chief Smith at 2:01 pm

Welcome and Staff Introductions:

    • OSFM Staff introduced to the committee.
    • Technical advisor, RFPD local budget officer; CFO Mark Whitaker introduced to the committee.
    • Five committee members shared their introductions and perspectives to the committee – Chief Smith, Director Genoa Ingram, Director Brad King, Chief Tacy, and Chief McMann.

Committee Process:

·       Chief Smith:

      • Clarified the expectations of the committee.
      • Ensure that the conversations being held also take into consideration the committee is also representing the districts and agencies that are not present in the room.
      • Emphasized the importance of being present in each meeting and completing the homework assigned from each meeting.
    • Chief Smith and Chief Stewart led discussions on what the group expects of the committee, co-chairs, and staff.
      • Chief Lapof expressed an expectation that the committee will create a successful plan with clear, concrete, and focused actions to take.
    • Chief Smith:
      • Reviewed Robert's Rules of Order.
    • Chief Ruiz Temple led discussion on key takeaways, how to make the most of these large workgroups, and expectations of alignment and bringing ideas from the field to these meetings.
    • Chief Ruiz-Temple reminded the committee the recommendations and report will need to be completed by September 2026.

Committee Member Perspectives and Introductions:

    • Five committee members shared their introductions and perspectives to the committee – Chief Deboodt, Chief Lapof, Chief Wolfard, Chief Brown, and Chief Hanifan.

Motion for Recess:

    • Motion for recess called by Chief Smith at 3:44 pm
    • All in favor, none against
    • Meeting reconvened at 3:55 pm

​Committee Member Perspectives and Introductions:

    • Six committee members shared their introductions and perspectives to the committee – Chief Stange, Chief Benson, Chief Hamilton, Chief Holsey, Chief Connolly, and President Koenig.

Oregon Fire Service History and Tax Rates

    • Chief Stange gave a PowerPoint presentation – an Introduction to Oregon RFPD's and Funding.

Roundtable Discussion and Close-Out:

    • Chief Smith reminded the committee that public comments will be accepted at the following day's meeting beginning at 8:30 am and expressed gratitude for the ideas coming from this meeting.

Meeting Adjourned:

    • Motion to adjourn
    • All in favor, none opposed
    • Chief Smith adjourned the meeting at 5:07 pm

Next Meeting:

    • Thursday, January 15, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm​

Welcome:

    • Chief Stewart called the meeting to order at 8:02 am
    • Roll call taken at 8:02 am
    • Chief Smith welcomed the group and reminded them of the public comment period, to turn in committee introduction templates, and a brief overview of the day ahead.

Public Comment Period:

    • Public comment instructions displayed on the livestream at 8:15 am
    • Public comment period opened at 8:30 am
    • No public commenter is present, public comment period closed at 8:32 am

Review of Recent Oregon Fire Service Efforts and Reports:

    • Chief Stewart:
      • Overview of the scope of work moving forward and opened the conversation to a roundtable discussion.
    • Director Brad King:
      • Spoke to the increase in EMS calls and failing levy rates. Emphasized the importance of the 65+ age group as they are a large voting group that also are the primary users of EMS services.
    • Chief Tacy:
      • The state has classified EMS as an essential service, but the support needed does not exist, which has increased strain on local agencies and leads to EMS deserts throughout Oregon.
    • Chief Stange:
      • Discussed the low social appetite for taxes. He brought up the question of why the fire service is responding to calls that may not necessarily need fire response.
    • Chief Ruiz-Temple:
      • Would like the group to think about collecting historical data to compare to current data - bring “state of the state" to the next meeting.
    • Chief Tacy:
      • Suggested capturing the social economics of the state – the highest volume of EMS users sometimes provide the least amount of tax revenue.
    • Chief McGrew:
      • Recommended including social vulnerability, social economics, and call volume in data reported to the group.
    • Chief Ruiz-Temple, Chief Hamilton, Chief Deboodt:
      • Discussed ideas on how to capture data.
    • President Koenig and Chief Benson:
      • EMS volunteerism and career employees count are decreasing. In addition, transport is provided by private industry, and the fire service does not have control over this.
    • Chief Brown:
      • Suggested data analytics report be run on the state population vs. call volume data.
    • Chief Stange:
      • GEMT report will provide data that will help find actual deficit/burden of providing EMS.
    • Director Genoa Ingram:
      • Suggested EMS does not need to respond to some types of calls. Is there a way to triage calls to determine response type? Would it be useful to have DOR rep. give a presentation on how property taxes are collected?
    • Chief Ruiz-Temple, Chief Holsey, President Koenig:
      • With the implementation of 3940, tax assessing may be up to assessor interpretation. Suggestion that the fiscal year for RFPD's begin in January to help put RFPD in better position for investments and spending.
    • Chief Stange, Chief Stewart:
      • Discussed concerns of Measure 5 implications and how the fire service compares and competes with school district levies and bonds.
    • Chief Ruiz-Temple:
      • Recommended committee members reach out to their tax assessors. After each election, report on what passed and what did not in relation to the fire service.
    • Chief Lapof, Adam Meyer:
      • Discussed creating topic “buckets" and committee creating a value statement that prioritizes the work they are trying to get done as well as comparing other essential services and how they get their funding.

Motion for Recess:

    • Motion for recess at 9:21 am
    • All in favor, none opposed
    • Meeting reconvened at 9:40 am

Presentation: Impacts on Fire Service Funding:

    • Chief Fale gave a PowerPoint presentation – RFPD Funding & Potential Revenue Impact
    • Group discussed tax implications of urban renewal projects and the potential idea of adjusting services to match revenue streams from areas like this. Voter fatigue is leading to initiatives failing.
    • Chief Deboodt:
      • Suggested a fee for service agreements with large enterprises that don't pay taxes for fire services.
    • Chief Stewart:
      • Continuing to serve industries that don't pay into services, the fire service is beginning to underserve areas that do pay. Response/assembly times, etc. suffering.

Motion for Recess:

    • Motion for recess at 10:57 am
    • All in favor, none opposed
    • Meeting reconvened at 11:12 am

Reflections:

·       Chief Brown:

      • Began discussion on what other cities and states are doing for their fire service funding streams.
    • Chief Holsey, Chief Hanifan, Chief Lapof:
      • Discussed how other states process GEMT, how Oregon could apply pressure to OHA to increase effectiveness of GEMT, and the reimbursement rates through the program.
    • Chief Hamilton:
      • Raised the idea of how other states provide services to state campgrounds outside of their service area and would like to apply pressure in OR to continue to have these services.
    • Chief Lapof, Chief Stange:
      • Discussed fee schedules and how cities pass on this income to their fire agencies.

Round Table Discussion:

    • The committee discussed what would be helpful for the next meetings to begin laying the groundwork for future projects. What ORS' are opportunities for funding streams, and which are stifling the work of the committee?
    • OSFM to gather some data, reports, and materials to email to all committee members prior to the next meeting to help with their individual research.
    • Chief Stewart reminded the committee of public meetings law, serial communications, and respecting the law to prevent violations.

Motion to Move Meeting Time:

    • Motion to increase committee meeting time from two hours to three hours.
    • All in favor, none opposed.
    • ​Motion passed, future committee meetings will be three hours long.

Next Steps & Assignments:

    • Chief Smith gave an overview of the next steps of the committee and verified the planning committee will confirm the timeline of the meeting schedule. Calendar holds will be sent out by the next meeting.
    • Adam Meyer reminded the group of the December 31st deadline for providing a report for legislature.
      • The planning committee's goal is to complete the report by September 2026.
    • Chief McGrew reminded the committee to bring all materials (binders and documents provided) to each meeting.
    • Committee members encouraged to let OSFM know their research ideas and which projects they would like to take on.
    • If there is any pertinent information that would be helpful to the group from legislative days, Adam Meyer will bring it up in conversation at the next meeting.

Close-Out:

    • All members went roundtable; there were no further comments or questions.

Motion for Meeting Adjourned

·       Motion to adjourn.

    • All in favor, none opposed.
    • Meeting adjourned at 11:52 am

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 19 at 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm



State Emergency Response Commission 

Per ORS 453.520, the OSFM is designated as the State Emergency Response Commission.

OSFM contact: Heather Wills, heather.wills@osfm.oregon.gov

Watch the meeting recording​

AGENDA
State Emergency Response Commission Committee Meeting 1
1.13.2024, 1-4 p.m.
OSFM – Mount Hood Conference Room
3991 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE
Salem, OR 97302 

1:00-1:15 p.m. 
Greeting, Building Logistics, Public Meeting Requirements, Minutes, Recording, Virtual Monitors
Mark Johnston  

Opening Comments / Agency Update
Travis Medema 

1:15-1:30 p.m.
Introductions & Overview of Agenda
Mark Johnston 

1:30-2:30 p.m.
The SERC Exec Committee
Mark Johnston

  • EPCRA, the SERC, TERC, LEPCs, TEPCs; 
  • Brief history of EPCRA and the SERC/LEPC Oregon 
  • CR2K and the relationship between them
  • SERC Exec Committee: OAR & Bylaws 
  • How was the committee established 
  • Duties of the SERC Executive Committee
  • Responsibility comparison between EPCRA and OAR Committee responsibilities 
  • Snapshot of Oregon Data on facilities in Oregon and substances. Haz Mat incidents data. 
  • Transportation risk: Highways, Rail, Communities, Columbia River, Ports 
  • The rail program-FYI

​Break

2:45-3:00 p.m.
LEPCs
Mary Ann Christian

  • ​​Districts, Status, and Response Plans update
  • LEPC Assessment 

3-3:15 p.m.
HMEP Grant
Shaun Parkman

  • What is it
  • Financial report from last & current cycle
  • Projects currently funded/applied for
  • OSFM plan for grant dollars (ear marks)
  • Current PHMSA focuses 

3:15-4:00 p.m.
The vision for the Committee
Mark Johnston

  • Appoint vacant position: Vice Chair 
  • Task priorities discussion 
  • Discuss membership & alternates 

2025 LEPC Conference
Johnston/Christian 

  • Committee members attendance 

Meeting Frequency
Johnston 

  • ​Frequency, Location, Demonstrations, meet at an LEPC or facility location. 
  • See facility response planning and capability

Public Comment
Chair may establish time and criteria for comment

Good of the Order

Next Meeting – TBD

State Emergency Response Commission Committee Meeting
March 20, 2025 – Time: 1:00 p.m.
Oregon Emergency Management Room 129
3930 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE
Salem OR, 97302

Opening Comments/Agency Update, Johnston/Medema 

Meeting Intent & Frequency, Johnston 

Introductions, Members 

Sign In, Wills 

Approval of Meeting Minutes, Members 

Vote to fill the vice chair position, Members 

Updates
Hazmat Rail, Wills (from Giles)

RHMERT, Wills (from Hosmer)

CR2K, Johnston (from Raska)

Committee Member Updates, Members

HMEP Grant (awards, subawards, current projects, 25-27 cycle), Christian/Parkman

HMEP Goals, Johnston 

EPA Western States SERC Meeting, Johnston 

LEPC Scorecard-Deeper Dive, Christian

  • Review the scorecard data
  • LEPC update
  • SERC/LEPC Conference 

Subcommittee Report/Discussion, Christian

New Business, Members

Review of ERP procedure, discussion, Christian

Next meeting ideas (location, demonstrations, etc.), Johnston 

Public Comment

Good of the Order

Next Meeting – June 12, 2025 – Location TBD​


MINUTES

Date: 3/20/2025
Location: Oregon Emergency Management, Room 129 East
Start Time: 1 p.m.
End Time: 4 p.m.

Attendees: 

  • Mark Johnston OSFM Mary Ann Christian OSFM Heather Wills OSFM
  • Christina LeClerc ODOT Eric Gebbie OHA Kimberlee Van Patten DEQ John Wheeler LEM
  • Bryan Profit RHMERT Kelby Childers RHMERT
  • Brandy Bishop OREGON TRIBES
  • Lyle Mordhorst ASSOC. OF COUNTIES James Moore OEGON TRIBES (online) Nora Yotsov PACIFICORP (online)
  • Jeff Fitzgerald OSP (online) Patence Winningham OEM (online)
  • Mike Russel LEPC
  • Mike Harryman OEMA

​Discussion:

1:00PM – 1:10PM, Welcome- Mark Johnston

1:10PM- 1:20PM, Introduction- Members

1:20PM-1:25PM, Approval of Meeting Minutes from SERC Exec. Meeting 11.13.2024 at OSFM, Mt Hood Conf. Room

Action Items:

1:30PM- 4:00PM, Significant updates relevant to this group:

  • OSFM Hazmat Rail, Wills
  • Upcoming Rail exercises for 2025/26 and program overview by Giles
  • OSFM RHMERT, Wills
  • Mission of HAZMAT and program overview by Hosmer
  • OSFM CR2K, Johnston
  • Update on reporting season for businesses with EHS. 90% of facilities completed as of March 1.
  • EPCRA/NASTTPO, Johnston
  • NASTTPO update, space still available
  • Committee Member Updates, Members
  • LEPC updates/happenings.
  1. Growing LEPC interest is addressed. Updating ERP's is discussed, as well as counties that may be interested in merging into multi-county LEPC.
  2. EPA/DEQ exercise happening in April-Kimberlee Van Patten
  3. Riverhouse Conference in Bend, October- Mike Harryman
  4. Community Forum for Wildfire Season- Nora Yotsov
  • HMEP Grant                                                                                      Christian
  1. Projects currently funded/applied for.
  2. May 19-22, 2025, LEPC Conference Update.
  3. ERP Processes/Policy, where SERC duties are concerned.
  4. Forming LEPC's and encouraging interest for members is addressed.
High level reviews any significant incident updates, Members

None currently.

New Business                                                                                              Members

Votes:
  • Bryan Profit volunteers to Co-Chair the SERC Executive Team.
  • John Wheeler approves the motion.
  • Mike Harryman seconds the motion.
  • No other Executive members in attendance or online oppose the motion.
Response to vote as follows….
 
Mark Johnston YESBrandy Bishop      YESPatence    Winningham        YES 
Christina LeClerc YESLyle Morndhorst  YES                     
Eric Gebbie          YESNora Yotsov          YES  
Kimberlee Van Patten                  YESJeff Fitzgerald      YES  
John Wheeler     YESMike Russel          YES  
Kelby Childers     YESMike Harryman    YES  

 

Task Priorities: 

  • Mary Ann, to provide an example of an updated ERP to committee for reference, as to what the committee needs to be approved when viewing new ERP's and Nine Planning Elements.
  • Washington Co LEPC: Chair and Vice Chair positions are open

Next Meeting: June 12, 2025, Portland Fire Station 1, Heather Wills to secure time and specifics. Possible HAZMAT Demo by Bryan Profit and Team. 

​

Follow-up Tasks:

Mark's slides from Utah conference.​

State Emergency Response Commission Committee Meeting
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Portland Fire & Rescue  55 SW Ash St Portland, Or

0900-0915

  • Welcome, Johnston
  • Sign In/Logistics, Wills/Profit 
  • Introductions, Members
  • Approval of Meeting Minutes, Wills

0915-0945

  • OSFM/Portland HazMat Team 7 show and tell (30 minutes), Profit

0945-1015

Significant updates relevant to this group:

  • OSFM Hazmat Rail, Giles or Wills
  • OSFM RHMERT, Hosmer or Wills
  • OSFM CR2K, Johnston
  • EPCRA/NASTTPO, Johnston
  • Committee Member Updates, Members
  • Hazmat incidents or 304 releases since last meeting, Mary Ann
  • SERC/LEPC Conference Update,  Mary Ann
1030-1040 Break 
1040-1200
LEPCs, ERPs, HMEP Project Applications                                                                                                           Christian/Members
  • Review LEPC scorecard for significant LEPC changes
  • HMEP update (funded projects, draw down update, PHMSA update) Christian/Parkman
  • ERP Review & Recommendations                                                                                               Christian/Members
Recommendations to the SERC, Members                                                                    

New Business, Members
  • Is there anything different you'd like to see with the agenda?

NASTTPO position on the committee (OAR Amendment), Johnston

Amend By Laws-add committee task to align with OAR,  Johnston

Annual Letters to LEPCs, Johnston

Next meeting-October 23, 2025. (Ideas for location, demonstrations, etc.) Members

Public Comment
Good of the Order


MINUTES

Date: June 12, 2025
Location: Portland Fire and Rescue 55 SW Ash St Portland, Or
Start Time: 9:00am
End Time: 12:00pm

Attendees: 

  • Mark Johnston OSFM COMM. CHAIR
  • Mary Ann Christian OSFM STAFF EXEC.
  • Heather Wills OSFM STAFF COORD.
  • Eric Gebbie OHA
  • Kimberlee Van Patten DEQ
  • John Wheeler LEM
  • Mike Russel LEPC
  • Nora Yotsov INDUSTRY
  • Bryan Profit SERC COMM. VICE CHAIR

REMOTE: 

  • Brand Bishop OR TRIBES
  • Rachelle Escatel OR TRIBES
  • Patence Winningham OEM
  • Jeff Fitzgerald OSP

Discussion:

  • 9:00AM-9:10AM Welcome by Mark Johnston
  • 9:10AM-9:20AM Introduction- Members.
  • Approval of Meeting Minutes from SERC Exec. Meeting on March 20, 2025
  • 9:20AM-10:30AM Bryan Profit introduced Hazmat Team 7; each team member gave a brief explanation of their job position and duties within the team. SERC Members present were taken on a brief tour of the Hazmat apparatus.

Action Items:

10:30AM-4:00PM

  • OSFM Hazmat Rail                                                                    Wills
  1. Hazmat By Rail met with response partners at Secor Columbia River Area Committee.
  2. Functional exercise to be conducted in the Spring of 2026.
  3. Derailment Full Scale June 2025 at ATI in Albany.
  4. BNSF High Hazard Flammable Train Response Course in Wasco Co. June 2025.
  • OSFM RHMERT                                                                           Wills
  1. 20 team responses, 24 phone consultations.
  2. 15 Hazmat technicians graduated HazMat Tech Academy at DPSST.
  3. Planning for OSFM's HazMat Conference for May 2026 has begun.
  • OSFM CR2K                                                                                 Johnston
  1. LEPC Scorecard is updated with all EHS Facilities
  2. 13,000+ businesses reporting.
  • EPCRA/NASTTPO                                                                       Johnston
  1. Next conference scheduled for Rogers, Arkansas, Nov. 2025
  2. Spring conference scheduled for Billings, Montana, April 2026
  3. No 304 releases to report
  • Committee Member Updates                                                Members

     
  • HMEP Grant                                                                                 Christian
  1. Notice of funding has occurred. New requirements under review. Applications are due June 20, 2025.
  2. LEPC's are being activated and working on updates. Current LEPC's are meeting regularly and looking at ERP's annually. Six counties are looking to form joint LEPC's.
  3. Inactive counties- Marion and Land are moving to the top of the list for effort to join.
  4. LEPC's forming are products of 2024 LEPC 101's.
  5. SERC/LEPC Conference in May 2025 was a success. 104 people attended from all over the state.

     
  • High level reviews any significant updates                        Members

New Business:

Votes:

1.        Mark Johnston makes a motion to remove the NASTTPO position, 837-095-0030 2(a)(J), from the SERC Executive Committee Roster and amend the OAR to reflect the change.

Kimberlee Van Patten approves the motion. Eric Gebbie seconds the motion. None in attendance in person or online opposed.

​2.        Mark Johnston makes a motion to add Information Coordinator to LEPC 837-095-0050 of OAR to mirror EPCRA statue.

Nora Yotsov approves the motion. Bryan Profit seconds the motion. None in attendance in person or online opposed.
3.        Motion to Prioritized use of HMEP grant money to be added to bylaws.


Mark Johnston approves the motions. Eric Gebbie seconds the motion. None in attendance in person or online opposed.

Meeting Location: Nora Yotsov of PacifiCorp offers a meeting room for our next meeting. Heather to work with Nora to secure time and location specifics.

Task Priorities:​

Next Meeting:   Thursday, October 23, 2025

Follow-up Tasks:

  • Suggested: Letters to LEPC's- reminders/suggestions/kudos
  • Suggested: One email with SERC regional updates
  • Suggested: Teams channel for info and updates
  • Email poll for future meeting locations.


Past Public Meetings

The documents for past meetings are for historical purposes only and no longer updated. They may not comply with current web accessibility standards. To request an accessible version of any materials, please email osfm.publicaffairs@osfm.oregon.gov.

During the 2023 legislative session, the Department of the State Fire Marshal was directed to study the needs of the state related to urban search and rescue. (HB 2484)

OSFM contact: Sara Zavala, sara.zavala@osfm.oregon.gov​​

No further meetings planned.​

​For more information about the fire code adoption, click here.

​Meeting
February 25, 2025 | 9:30-11 a.m.
Agenda​ | ​To join, click here​.

Questions? Please email osfm.ofc@osfm.oregon.gov or call 503-934-8256​

During the 2023 legislative session, the Department of the State Fire Marshal was tasked with creating a study group to comprehensively review the provisions of ORS chapter 478 relating to structural fire protection. House Bill 2522

Group Charter: Rural Structural Fire Protection Review Charter
Meeting Materials:​​​

​No further meetings planned. 

​During the 2024 Oregon Legislative Session, the Department of the State Fire Marshal and the Oregon Department of Forestry were directed to create a wildfire funding workgroup. Read House Bill 5701 budget note 5​ here​.​

The goal is to collaborate on options for sustainably funding wildfire mitigation, suppression, and mobilizations, along with addressing land classification and the intersection between forest protection districts and rural fire protection districts. 

Watch meetings, see the membership roster, and more here.​

​No further meetings planned.





Relevant grievances related to public meetings law may be submitted to the OSFM policy coordinator at ask.osfm@osfm.oregon.gov or in person at 3991 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem, OR 97302, Monday through Friday during the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.