It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Parkdale Fire Department website, a valuable resource for the residents and business community of the Parkdale Rural Fire Protection District. I have been a proud member of this outstanding organization for over 25 years and I still feel as excited and lucky to be here as I did on my very first day many years ago.
The Parkdale Fire Department was started in 1949 to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Parkdale. The department was created because the town was losing valuable property by fire within the community. The volunteers originally were just men from the community who wanted to help. They owned businesses and homes within Parkdale and they had little to no training. They were a re-active group of men. When emergencies took place, they reacted and responded to do what they could to help.
A lot has changed in the fire service since 1949. Today we operate a combination department consisting of one full time Fire Chief, one full time firefighter/paramedic and about 30 volunteers. The department relies heavily on its volunteers, which consists of men and women from all walks of life who want to serve their community and protect the lives and property of the citizens of the Parkdale Fire District which consists of the Parkdale, Mt. Hood, and Dee communities. The difference now is that we are living in a complex world where we have to be pro-active and not re-active. Today's firefighters and EMT's have to be highly trained and prepared to handle today's complex emergencies.
Over the past decade, our fire department has witnessed an immense amount of change and a community that continues to grow. Accelerated training programs, firefighting equipment, growth in fire prevention and public education and complex emergencies to name a few, puts more demands on the volunteers and staff as each year passes. My job at keeping all of this growth contained in a manageable format is not something that could be accomplished without the support and dedication of my volunteers and staff.
The Parkdale Fire Department is committed to change, which has always come very hard to the fire service. In today's world my job as Fire Chief is to ensure that all my volunteers and staff go home at the end of the day. The fire services' gravitation towards the concept of risk management has been very positive and our training now focuses on the ideals of risk management. The saying "risk a lot to save a lot, risk little to save little, and risk nothing to save nothing" has become the objective of the Parkdale Fire Department so that "Everyone Goes Home."
I am very proud to lead this dedicated organization as we move forward. The Parkdale Fire Department Board of Directors and I encourage your participation in our effort to provide the highest level of service we can provide. If you have any comments, concerns, or would like to just stop by and say hello, we would appreciate any feedback.
Sincerely,
Mike McCafferty, Fire Chief
mike@parkdalefire.com
