The Hoodland Fire District’s board of directors hired John Ingrao as the new chief last month, following the retirement of Chief Mic Eby. Ingrao has been with the district since December 2011, when he was hired as the deputy chief.

“It’s quite the zenith of my career,” said Ingrao, who has lived in the
community for 28 years. “I think I’m now well versed at (how the district
works), I think I can help the community continue what we have.”

One of Ingrao’s first initiatives is to start 24-hour coverage with paid staff,
which he expects to happen at the start of the New Year after the hiring of a
Firefighter Paramedic. To help facilitate that, Ingrao will not fill the deputy
chief position for approximately 18 months, as he will continue to perform the
duties of that role.

“It’s going to be difficult for me,” said Ingrao, who worked for the Clackamas
Fire District for 21 years before coming to Hoodland. “Even a small
department has a lot of administrative stuff.”

Ingrao stressed that his first priority as the chief is public safety, and he
created a Leader’s Intent, an internal document laying out his vision, in his
first days on the job to reflect that.

“Safety is always number one; I drive that in everything I do,” he said.
“That’s kind of how I envision my position as the chief.”

Ingrao noted that the district’s board also finished strategic goals for future
planning last month, with the remodeling of the Government Camp fire station
and upgrading the main station in Welches joining 24-hour coverage as three
points of emphasis. He added that volunteer retention will also be a priority,
with job sharing volunteers with other agencies as a possibility in the future.

Ingrao added that the district is currently getting material costs for the
Government Camp station, but that he believes the permit process and
planning with Clackamas County could begin in the New Year. The project, he
noted, is not very complicated and the work could begin as early as spring
and wrap up this coming summer.

“That is a very well-built structure,” Ingrao said. “(We could be) inhibited by
weather, but most work is internal. We’re very optimistic.”

Ingrao, who was the first on the scene at the Golden Poles fire in 2015, noted
that the district offers some unique challenges, with mutual aid from other fire
districts often very far away. But he noted he has learned a lot since he joined
the district and also crediting learning under Eby.

“The biggest thing was, I had this wealth of information that I gleaned from
the chief,” Ingrao said.

He also added that the staff and volunteers make the district an efficient
organization, with everyone working hard on various tasks and projects when
not on calls.

“My employees are my greatest resource and my greatest asset, and that
includes all volunteers that take time off from home,” Ingrao said. “The
people are what drives an agency and we are very lucky here to have great
people.”

Volunteer firefighter applications due Jan. 6 for Hoodland Fire
Department

Applications for the Hoodland Fire District’s volunteer firefighter training
academy are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at the main station, 69634 E. Hwy.
26 in Welches.

Applicants must live or work in the district, be 18 years of age or older, have
a valid Oregon Driver’s license, be able to pass a background check, pass the
physical agility test and pass an interview.

Fire Chief John Ingrao noted the district had received 10 applications as of
mid-December, with another seven applications outstanding.

The training academy will begin in January and last for five months.

Applications are available at the main station between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
For more information, call 503-622-3256.