Starting Saturday, candidate filing will open for the new Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District board of directors. The fire district was formed by order of the Board of Commissioners on November 20th.
Candidates will be applying to serve on the all-volunteer citizen board for the fire district. The boundary is similar to that of Rural Metro Fire Department's current service area.
Rural Metro officials said the department has been serving the equivalent to a rural fire protection district in Josephine County since 1979. The area is geographically described as "outside the Grants Pass city limits, stretching from Sunny Valley to Wonder, Galice to Murphy and all parts in between." It is not to be confused with the existing fire districts of Illinois Valley, Applegate Valley, Williams or Wolf Creek.
Rural Metro and its 70 local employees have historically supported the formation of this district since its early consideration dating back to the 1970s -- as long as it is managed properly. Results of this upcoming election of board members may have a direct impact on community fire protection.
Officials said anything less than the current level provided by Rural Metro could be detrimental to the adequate protection of life and property, and lead to changes in the cost and availability of insurance for local property owners.
If someone you know who lives in the affected area is willing to dedicate time and energy to learning what it takes to adequately meet the emergency response needs of the community, encourage them to file for a board position. Forms can be found on the Josephine County Clerk's webpage.
