Roughly 50 volunteers respond 24-hours a day for fire and EMS responses. The department provides structural and Wildland fire protection, rescue and heavy extrication, EMS service from the First Responder to the Paramedic level, and surf rescue with seasonal lifeguards. In addition, a hazardous materials team and high-angle rescue team are available within the county to supplement our emergency response.

Our volunteers are activated by a pager-response system through the Seaside Police and Fire dispatch center where 911 calls are received. Our volunteers respond day or night, often leaving their family, friends, and jobs to serve the city. The volunteers are expected to maintain the same standard of training as paid firefighters and will become certified as DPSST Firefighters during the course of their training. Additional training is available for firefighters who wish to become apparatus engineers, aerial ladder operators, EMS providers, and vehicle extrication technicians.

The Seaside Fire and Rescue Department is a dedicated and proud group of individuals who enjoy providing a service to the city and its residents. We continue to be a volunteer department because volunteer participation and our level of professionalism is always very high.

Each shift is worked by a 2-person team, at the BLS or ALS level depending on staffing. The team is equipped with a full ALS box, AED, and oxygen. In 2010, the team completed major purchasing with the arrival of a pair of new Trek mountain bikes from Bikes Beyond in Astoria, Oregon.

The program encourages physical fitness, teamwork, and a strong sense of public relations. Membership in the program is open to all firefighters currently on Seaside FIre & Rescue.

Giving Back

In addition to providing fire protection and EMS service to the community, the Fire Department participates in a number of projects to give back to the residents.

• EMS standby at all home Seaside High School football games
• Annual participation in the Fill the Boot for Jerry’s Kids Muscular Dystrophy Association fund raiser
• Holiday food drive and delivery of food baskets in conjunction with the South Clatsop County Food Bank and other county fire departments
• Participation with the Seaside Police Department in providing bicycle helmets to children
• Providing smoke alarms to families in homes without them
• Safety patrol and fire watch on the beach during the annual 4th of July Fireworks Display