BEND, Ore. — Bend Fire & Rescue has placed a new advanced life support (ALS) ambulance into service, increasing its ability to respond to emergency calls in the city and surrounding rural areas. The new unit, which was put into service on Monday, is one of four ambulances now serving the 1,450-square-mile service area. The department had been operating with only three ambulances for the past five to six years.
The decision to add a fourth ambulance comes in response to a record year in 2024, when Bend Fire & Rescue responded to nearly 14,000 calls for service, with approximately 75% of those being medical emergencies. According to Fire Chief Todd Riley, the high call volume underscored the need for additional resources to keep up with demand.
“Last year, we responded to the most calls we ever have as a department,” Riley said. “That higher call volume means we need more resources on the road to respond to emergencies. Our goal as a department is to decrease the time it takes for crews to respond to an emergency. When crews are tied up on other calls, we can’t meet that goal.”
Bend Fire & Rescue responds to an average of 30 to 50 calls per day, a number that continues to increase as the city’s population grows and the region experiences more emergency situations.
To improve response times, Chief Deputy of EMS Drew Norris said the department aims to reach emergency calls within six minutes in Bend and within nine minutes in the rural Fire Protection District.
The addition of the new ambulance is part of a broader initiative funded by an operating levy passed by voters in May 2023. The levy, which raised nearly $82 million, is also being used to fund additional responder positions, equipment, and training for Bend Fire & Rescue.
Mayor Melanie Kebler called the new ambulance an important milestone for the community, emphasizing that it will improve both response times and the department’s ability to dispatch the appropriate resources for different types of emergencies.
“We don’t always need to send a big fire truck to everything,” said Kebler. “If there is a medical emergency, we want to send the right people, and having another ambulance crew is a great way to do that.”
In addition to the new ambulance, the department recently graduated six new firefighter/paramedics from a training academy. These recruits have been integrated into various stations around Bend, further bolstering the department’s capacity to respond to emergencies.
Riley stressed that the additional resources would make a tangible difference in reducing response times and improving patient outcomes.
“Placing this crucial resource in service fully staffed will make a tangible difference in lowering response times and meeting a growing demand for service, which will hopefully lead to more positive patient outcomes for our community,” he said.
As the city continues to grow, emergency preparedness remains a top priority for local leaders. Mayor Kebler pointed to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles as a reminder of the high demand for emergency resources. Bend Fire & Rescue is working closely with the Deschutes County Rural Fire District to ensure that both urban and rural areas are adequately served in the event of an emergency.
“We have a great plan in place to continue to prepare for these types of events,” said Kebler. “We’re always looking for grant opportunities and other resources to help us meet future needs.”
The new ambulance is one of several improvements funded by the operating levy, which is set to last for five years. City leaders are already planning to seek voter approval for a renewal when the levy expires.
While the department is confident that it is adequately funded for the time being, Bend Fire & Rescue will continue to explore other funding opportunities to ensure the city’s emergency services remain fully equipped to handle whatever challenges lie ahead.
