Former Blue Mountain Community College President and current Pendleton Mayor John Turner said that he is an advocate of the Fire Station bond that will be on the ballot in May 2017 according to a statement made at the Jan. 5 meeting of the Pendleton Planning Commission. Turner said that the fire station at 911 SW Court Ave has “reached the end of its service life.” Turner further stated that it is unsafe, has a leaky roof, faulty electrical system and has carcinogens in it.
According to Pendleton Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo the bond will cost taxpayers up to $10 million, and the station it builds will be used for a variety of purposes including a community room for the public to use, a training room, a police substation, and an emergency operations center. The station will be located on the western third of the old St. Anthony’s property. Ciraulo said that if the bond passes the Pendleton City Council decided that the existing station and two adjacent houses will be sold and the money used for maintenance, ensuring that the new station does not fall into disrepair like the current station has.
The bond will also pay for new heart monitors and hydraulic rescue tools, also known as “the jaws of life.” Ciraulo stated that the current heart monitors are old and “less than what is needed.” Ciraulo also said that the Pendleton Fire Department and Ambulance Service does not currently own hydraulic rescue tools. According to Ciraulo, “if there’s a car accident we make due with the other equipment we have, but we do need that critical piece of equipment.”
Pendleton Fire Station 1 was built in 1959 according to the City of Pendleton’s website.