Recent hirings by Clark County Fire District 3 will allow the department to have additional around-the-clock coverage.
The fire district announced in a news release that it had hired four full-time employees and brought in three volunteer resident firefighters. The additions will allow the district to add a fifth 24-hour crew by the end of the year.
Fire Chief Scott Sorenson said that funds for the new positions were secured after voters recently approved a levy lid lift and annexation of Battle Ground into the fire district’s coverage area. Hiring emergency personnel typically takes at least a year, and COVID-19 has delayed the process.
Previously, the fire district staffed 24-hour crews at three stations, while a fourth crew split time between two different stations. By the end of the year, the district will have crews available at all times at the four stations, plus a second crew at the busiest station in Battle Ground.
Funds also improved Station 34 — covering the Rawson Road, Elkhorn Mountain and Summer Hills area — to allow for 24-hour resident volunteer firefighters.
