The City of Central Point began with the coming of the railroad. Eventually, a fire department was formed to provide protection within the city limits.
It was not an uncommon sight in past years for city fire departments to stop at the city limits where their jurisdiction ended and watch from a distance as a barn, home, or other building burned to the ground. It did not take long before the residents living outside city limits began to perceive a need for their own fire protection. In the case of Central Point, this process began in the early 1950's."Central Point Rural Fire Protection District, Inc." a non-profit corporation, was formed in 1951. Its purpose was to collect donations until sufficient funds were accumulated to form a rural fire protection district.
Within two years, petitions calling for the formation of a fire district were presented to the County Court (now called the Board of County Commissioners). On June 20, 1952, the County Court called for an election to be held on July 21, 1952. The election was successful and the County Court signed the final papers July 28, 1952, officially forming the Central Point Rural Fire Protection District (CPRFPD).
The new Board of Directors of CPRFPD hired Mr. Richard Krupp as the first full-time, salaried Fire Chief. Chief Krupp began recruiting volunteer firefighters in order to enable CPRFPD to provide emergency fire suppression response. The first fire station, now known as the Central Point Station, located on Highway 99 in Central Point, was constructed in 1953 with donated funds.
During
this same time frame, commercial and industrial businesses in the White City
area donated building materials so a second fire station now known as the Headquarters
Station, could be constructed. White City Corporation donated the land.The Board of Directors appointed Mr. L. C. "Liz" Lisenbee as the new Fire Chief in 1955. Chief Lisenbee was a former volunteer firefighter and Assistant Chief. Under his direction the District experienced considerable residential, commercial, and industrial growth. The protection and service delivery issues facing the District grew in complexity.
Mr.
Wm. H. Anson was hired in 1970 to replace Chief Lisenbee. Chief Anson had extensive
experience in southern California with departments that had experienced rapid
growth and expansion and had worked with both paid and volunteer personnel.In the early 1970's the District was considerably under-equipped in apparatus and equipment to combat the increasing fire problems that existed. The Board of Directors recognized these deficiencies and undertook the task of bringing the District up to standard. The outcome was reduced fire insurance premiums and increased levels of fire protection.
The Land of Many Oaks Rural Fire Protection District (LOMO RFPD), a one (1) square mile fire district located in Sams Valley, was annexed to the District in June 1974.
Also in 1974 the Board of Directors made a determination to provide emergency medical services. A fund raising drive led by Mr. Michael Burrill, General Manager of Eugene F. Burrill Lumber Co., was successful in raising approximately $15,000 for the acquisition of a multi-purpose vehicle for emergency medical calls and for incident command situations. That vehicle was later used as a communications/command van.
On July 1, 1975, the name of the District was officially changed to Jackson County Fire District No. 3 (JCFD3). It was felt that the name "Jackson County Fire District No. 3" better described the area being protected than with the designation of "Central Point" only. (*NOTE: No. 3 is used since the former Central Point Rural Fire Prevention District was the third fire district formed within Jackson County.) The District now protected approximately 140 square miles with its boundaries abutting those of the cities of Jacksonville, Gold Hill, Medford, Central Point, and Eagle Point. The northern and western boundaries extended into Sams Valley and connected to the Shady Cove/Trail Rural Fire Protection District, now known as Jackson County Fire District No. 4.
In 1978 the Board of Directors sent personnel to the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in Portland to be trained as Firefighter/EMT 4 (paramedics). JCFD3 was the first fire department in southern Oregon to provide paramedic services.
During the latter part of the 1970's and the first part of the 1980's the District's capital improvement program began to materialize.
The
District constructed a new White
City Station and administrative offices in White City in 1977, primarily
due to a federal grant. The classroom was dedicated in the honor of Wes Claflin,
former Volunteer Fire Captain and schoolteacher, who was dedicated to learning
at all ages.In 1979 a third station (Dodge Bridge Station) was constructed at the intersection of Rogue River Drive and Highway 234. District personnel built this station with the assistance of only one outside employee. Jim and Lois Wilson donated the land for the station. The station was staffed with volunteer personnel.
In 1983 the Central Point Station was demolished and a new facility was built at the same location. This station continues to service the southern and western portions of the District.
Capital development continued due to expansion of the District. In 1985 a new fire station known as the Sams Valley Station replaced the existing Land of Many Oaks (LOMO) station. This station was staffed with volunteer personnel and three (3) mobile home volunteer residents live on-site.
A new maintenance facility was added to the White City station in 1986. The facility was officially named in honor of Mr. Rupert R. Wilson, former Chief Mechanic, who had recently retired from the District after an extensive length of service as a volunteer, Board Director, part-time employee, and full-time employee.
Property on Access Road near the City of Gold Hill was purchased in 1989 for a future fire station. The property was selected because of its strategic location for response to Sams Valley, Interstate 5, Blackwell Road, and Old Stage Road toward Central Point and Jacksonville.
Fire Chief Anson retired in December of 1991 after 20 years of service with the District and over 35 years in the fire service. Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Randall Iverson was hired as the new Fire Chief. He came to the District in 1980 with previous fire service experience in Oregon and California.
The District continued to grow in size and complexity. Large annexations were approved in the Agate Lake, Gold Hill, and Sams Valley areas. Development along the perimeters of the District generated numerous smaller annexations.
The fifth District station was built near Agate Lake in 1995, following the successful annexation of that area.
The City of Gold Hill contracted with the District for fire protection in 1994. One year later the territory of the City was annexed to the District. The District's sixth station opened for service in 1999. It was built on property acquired by the District in 1989. The station is primarily a volunteer station although it was built in anticipation of future full time staffing.
The District was successful in updating its tax base in 1976, 1980, and 1992. The voters of the State approved Ballot Measure 50 in 1996 changing the way taxes are computed. Under this new system, each taxing entity has a permanent tax rate instead of a tax base. The permanent tax rate of the District is $3.1194 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Measure 50 also impacted the District and changed funding of urban renewal districts by "freezing" the value of certain properties within the District to finance urban renewal district capital improvement projects. While the White City Urban Renewal District has reduced anticipated tax revenues, it is also assisting the District in funding the purchase of capital equipment for the White City area and the development of a fire training center. The first phase of this project, which included a large training area, five story tower, confined space rescue prop and a warehouse, was completed in July of 2003.
The District entered into a five-year contract with the City of Central Point in 1996 to provide fire and EMS services for the City. The City of Central Point voted to annex to the District in September of 2000. The effective date of the annexation was July 1, 2001.
The City of Eagle Point contracted with the District in 1999 for enhanced fire and EMS automatic response to all City alarms. The District and the City considered an annexation in March 2001 and voted to annex effective July 1, 2001.
In July 2002 the District broke ground on the new Eagle Point Station located on Loto Street. The new station was opened in January of 2003. Full time staff was added in July 2003.