Discover Canby and the city’s amazing, dedicated emergency professionals. Under the leadership of Fire Chief James Davis and Division Chiefs Matt English and Matt Dale, Canby Fire District aims to inform residents and keep them safe; that includes tourists, too.
For locals, the easiest and best way to stay informed is by bookmarking www.canbyfire.org and following the district on Facebook. On the website, find resources and information for the general public and construction professionals interested in properly equipped buildings with radio coverage for emergency personnel. Both the website and Facebook page highlight the Canby Fire District’s most recent news, promotions and acknowledgments.
On the website, wildfire information — evacuation levels, ideas for preparing both families and property owners, and current fires and evacuation areas — is available as the season develops. After the blazes of 2020, wildfire awareness and preparedness are crucial and front of mind. Clackamas County has garnered a reputation for the most up-to-date notifications. Canby Fire strongly urges residents to register for both Clackamas County’s public alerting system and the Everbridge app. Before wildfire season begins, firefighters and volunteers complete annual wildland training, while rigs and equipment are readied for the season.
Besides clear public communications, Canby Fire District is known for its 9/11 memorial, open to the public daily. The work of art depicts the Twin Towers in stone set atop a platform in the shape of the Pentagon. New additions, such as a time capsule from the school district in 2023, are expected to enrich the memorial for years to come. Each Sept. 11, Canby Fire hosts a heartfelt ceremony, honoring those who have fallen.
Not many locals realize, but Canby Fire offers residents tools for financing the unknown, as in riding in an ambulance. Thanks to Canby Fire, citizens can subscribe to FireMed, a program covering participants up to $500 a year — after insurance — for medically necessary transports by Canby Fire’s services. For patients without insurance, the program will waive 20% off the ambulance bill. Enrollment is Oct. 1–Dec. 31 of each year.
For those riding in an ambulance or at the scene of an accident, patients might need the help of Canby Fire’s newest innovation: the Lucas device. The automated CPR device offers the highest quality delivery of life-saving intervention for cardiac compression available to Canby Fire. Using this device frees personnel to perform other critical life saving measures for the patient.
While Canby Fire continues to innovate, it is interesting to look back at its humble beginnings in June 1899. The all-volunteer organization of 22 members did not have the technology available today, but one aspect has never changed: the bravery needed to do the job.
Much gratitude goes to the men and women of Canby Fire District No. 62.