Press Release

After 40 years, the world famous Corbett Fire District’s “Christmas Chicken”, is still delivering Christmas Cheer.

Dec. 3, 2021

Corbett Fire District announced today that the Christmas Chicken is undergoing pre-flight checks for delivering Christmas gifts to families in need. The “chicken” became a novelty in the 1970s when Corbett firefighters wanted to deliver Christmas gifts to their families. However Nev Scott, wife of the Fire Chief, found that the costume rental shop was out of Santa suits. Instead she chose a chicken outfit, and the Christmas Chicken became a weird East County tradition.

In 2021, this crazy but much needed tradition continues, however the focus is now on families in need who live in the Corbett area. Last year the Corbett community, which has a population of approximately 4,000, raised almost $6,000 for a family that had a medical hardship.

The Corbett Firefighters Association has placed two firefighter boots in the Corbett community. Boots are located at the Corbett Country Market (across from the Corbett Fire Station) and at Liz’s Coffee Cabin that is located at the Scenic Hwy and Lucas Rd. Additionally, with the help of Conner’s Heating and Cooling, Liz is matching every dollar donated. Liz also created a Christmas basket and each donor will receive a raffle ticket to win the basket.

Donations can also be sent to the Corbett Fire District at P O Box #1, Corbett, Oregon 97019. People with questions can call 503-695-2272.
The Christmas chicken is currently preening his feathers and getting his pre-flight check. With the backing of the Corbett community he will fly!

Corbett Fire District Announces the Heini Ziegler Award for Community Service

November 23, 2021

The Heini Ziegler award was established to honor the service of Heini Ziegler who was one of the founding fathers of the Corbett Fire District as well as serving as Chief of the department.

Each year members of the community nominate individuals who have contributed time and effort volunteering in the Corbett community. A committee from the fire department then selects the people to receive the award. In 2020 no one was selected because of Covid-19, so this year two people were recognized. The winners will receive a gift certificate for dinner out with their family, as well as their name on a plaque that will hang on the wall of the Corbett Fire Hall.

Jill Carlson

The first person selected is Jill Carlson. She is on the Grange Board of Directors, volunteering as the Treasurer. As a Grange Board member, she helped to organize many new events, speakers, classes, and lectures. She has been involved in the Helping Hands Food distribution program. In addition, she has donated time to the Sound Equine Horse Rescue program and assisted the Crown Point Historical Society in their 2021 fund raising.

Sandy Cartisser

Sandy Cartisser has been involved in the Corbett Garden Club and the Crown Point Historical Society. She serves as Treasurer of the Crown Point Historical Society and has put on several teas to raise money for the building fund. She has been involved in several grant writing projects for the society, and her record keeping skills allow the organization to maintain their non-profit status. She is the “go to person” if you need answers about the Crown Point Historical Society.

Both of these individuals contribute to the well-being of the Corbett Community and the Corbett Fire District is proud to recognize their efforts.

Long delay does not deter new firefighters

Corbett fire district: Corbett, Oregon Nov. 11, 2021

After a long wait, seven new firefighters will be “sworn in” on the Nov. 17, 2021 Corbett Fire Board meeting that will be held at 6:30 pm. These seven new firefighters joined the department in the fall of 2019, completed their training, and started responding to calls in 2020. Because of Covid 19 protocols the Corbett Fire Board had to meet remotely. Now with normal “in person” meetings taking place, this will be an opportunity to formally “swear in” the new members.

In the attached picture, from left to right you will see Kelly Purvine who works at Providence Hospital; Rhylan Wardle, who worked last summer as a firefighter for Oregon Department of Forestry; Kanyon Reams, a security supervisor; Andrew Parker, who works for Portland Water Bureau; Jake Kerslake, a local farmer; Rex Sconce, an employee of Boeing who is a lateral transfer from the Sandy Fire Department and Wes Revel, Corbett Postmaster.

In the first year (2019-2020) during the first six months these individuals met twice a week for training. In the course of a year they completed in excess of 150 hours of training, as well as finishing their course work for the Oregon Department of Public Safety and Standards Firefighter requirements. In addition, several have completed or have started the process of obtaining their Emergency Medical Training certifications. To their credit, all of this was accomplished with the challenge of Covid 19. By the end of one year they were responding to calls, making the total number of Corbett firefighters being approximately 34.

Fire Chief, Dave Flood says “We are excited to make this official, albeit a year late due to Covid 19 delays. This group trained hard and are already making significant contributions to Corbett Fire. We appreciate their commitment to our team.”

Brent Younker: Fifty years as a Volunteer Firefighter and still responding to calls.

Corbett Fire District; Corbett, Oregon – September 29, 2021

In the early 1970s the Aims area, located in the Southeast corner of Multnomah County, was seeking to be annexed to the Corbett Fire District. When the Corbett Fire District annexed Aims, they had no idea they would be getting Brent Younker, who continues to serve the district fifty years later. Thanks to the generosity of the Baker Family, space was donated in one of their barns to house an early 1950s Diamond T fire engine. Later the Baker Family donated the land where the current Aims Fire Station is located.

Brent Younker was twenty years old when he joined in 1971 and has been an Assistant Chief since the late 1970s.

From the beginning training has always been one of his priorities. In 1972 he was one of the first firefighters in the State of Oregon to take an EMT medical class at Mt Hood Community College. His dedication to the department is best illustrated by the fact that he took the EMT class twice! After the first class his paper work for recertification was lost in a bureaucratic “paper work haze”, so he retook the class again in the 1980s. In the 1980s he was one of first volunteer firefighters to take a leadership class at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. As a leader, he is recognized by the firefighters, as one who leads with a calm demeanor and a rational approach to solving problems. This is reflected because he has been elected three times as Officer of the Year by the firefighters as well as being runner-up for Oregon Volunteer of the Year in 1999.

In his “other job” Brent oversees the family business that has two rental stores in Gresham/ Sandy area. He was twenty and single when he joined the department in 1971, today he has seven grandchildren.

During his tenure he has worked with nine different Fire Chiefs. With his long tenure, he is not the longest serving volunteer in the department. Former Chief, Bob Layton, served fifty nine years retiring in May, 2016.

Current Fire Chief, Dave Flood says, “Brent has helped the Corbett Fire District grow five plus decades as a leader. Brent makes every night and weekend call he’s dispatched to, and still works full time as a business owner. His energy and work ethic set an example for all of us to follow.”

Asked what significant changes he has observed in the last fifty years, Brent noted the increase emphasis on training and the invention of new technology. Brent stated, “In 1971 firefighters started responding to calls after being in the department for three months without any training. Today the recruits respond after six months of training and have a Fire Fighter 1 certificate.” An example of new technology the department now has defibrillation machines to assist a patient with a heart problem; in 1971 the department only had the ability to do CPR.

The decision by the Corbett Fire District in 1971 to annex the Aims area brought in more than a new area to serve, it allowed the department to bring in a member who fifty years later is still making a strong contribution as a leader to the organization, as well as responding to calls in the community.

Heini Ziegler Award – Accepting Nominations!

Corbett Fire District; Corbett, Oregon – August 3, 2021

The Heini Ziegler Award was established to honor the service of Heini Ziegler who was one of the founding fathers of the Corbett Fire Department in the late 1940s as well as serving as a Chief of the Department in the 1960s and 1970s. Heini also served the community in numerous other ways, including service on the Water District and School District Boards. A true renaissance person, he was so respected that he was often asked to solve neighborhood disputes, or he could easily fix your broken down car.

The winner will be chosen by a committee from the Corbett Fire Department, they will get their name on a plaque that hangs on the wall at the Corbett Fire Hall, and a small cash award. This is funded by an account that was set up with the donations that the department received after Heini’s death. It is hoped that the winner will take his/her family to dinner and enjoy a good meal. Heini would approve! Please take a moment and nominate your favorite person. Questions? Call 503-695-2272.

Here is the information you can send to nominate someone:

Their Name, Their Phone Number. The Reasons for your nomination (use additional space if you like to include this information) and then your name and number.

Deadline: Must be received by Sept. 10, 2021

Mail to: Heine Ziegler Award/ Corbett Fire Department – PO Box 1 Corbett, OR 97019

Download the PDF form here!

Only in Corbett, does a chicken deliver Christmas Gifts!

Corbett Fire District; Corbett, Oregon – Dec. 8, 2020

Corbett Fire District proudly announces that the world famous “Christmas Chicken” is getting ready to fly this December to deliver food, Christmas toys, and clothing to families in need of support.

This novel idea originated in the 1970s when Corbett firefighters wanted to deliver Christmas gifts to their own families. However when Nev Scott, wife of the Fire Chief, went to rent a Santa outfit she could not find a Santa outfit at the costume shop. Instead she chose a chicken, and this crazy tradition began.

Today, this weird but needed event continues. The focus is now on families in need who live in the Corbett area. Currently two anonymous donors have donated matching grants of $500.00 each to the Corbett Firefighters Association. The Association is now trying to match these donations by placing firefighter boots at the Corbett Market (across from the Corbett Fire Station) and at Liz’s Coffee Cabin located at Lucas Rd and the Scenic Highway.

Additionally, donations can be sent to Corbett Fire District, POBox 1, Corbett, Oregon 97019. The Firefighters Association is asking the community to “fill the boot” and help to launch the Christmas Chicken on a needed flight. Last year the community was very generous in filling the boot and we assisted three families. However, Covid will not clip the Christmas Chicken’s wings with the support of the Corbett community. With forty year old frayed feathers the Christmas Chicken is willing to take on the challenge, posed by Covid, and assist some families in need.

Contact: Joe Fahlman-President of Corbett Firefighters Association – 503-348-2792

Welcome to our 70th birthday party!

October 12, 2019 the Fire District will celebrate 70 years of being an officially organized tax supported fire district. The “party” will be held at the Corbett Fire Station, 36930 East Historic Columbia River Hwy., and will be from 12:00 PM until 3:00 PM.

At noon chili (Fire Chief’s special), hot dogs, and hamburgers will be served.At 1:00 PM the annual Heini Ziegler award will be presented to a citizen of the Corbett Community who has done outstanding volunteer work. Heini Ziegler was a past Corbett Fire Department Chief in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as an original founding member in 1949.

At 1:30 PM we will have a “wet down” ceremony for the new water tender. A “wet down” ceremony dates back to the 1800s when members of the community, primarily children, welcome the new apparatus by washing the new water tender and pushing it into the station. Air horns will be sounded and the water tender will be “officially” placed into service.
Additionally, address signs will be available for a cost of $15.00. The Fire Department will order and install the signs.

The day will end with a birthday cake being served at 2:00 PM.

During the days of Oct. 8, 9, and 10th the Corbett firefighters will be in the grade school classrooms discussing home fire safety. Additionally, the children will get to visit and sit in a fire department apparatus.

Contact: Chief Dave Flood 503 803 5244
Date Posted: 9/25/2019

Repainting Corbett Fire Hydrants

Date Posted: 9/13/2019 | CORBETT FIRE- FIRE HYDRANTS: COLORFUL, UGLY AND NECESSARY – Recently, Corbett Fire crews, under the direction of Corbett Chief Dave Flood, have been repainting the 76 fire hydrants in the Corbett Fire District. The goal is to have this repainting completed by 2020.

Fire hydrants are color coded in order to indicate how many gallons per minute (GPM) a hydrant will flow. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that hydrants on a public water system, such as the Corbett Water District, should be painted chrome yellow with the top having a color to indicate the GPM. Hydrants flowing less than 500 GPM should be red, 500-999 GPM should be orange, 1000-1499 GPM should be green, and hydrants flowing over 1500 GPM should be blue. If a hydrant is inoperable, it should be covered with a black bag. Having the fire hydrants color coded allows the fire department to make plans on how to secure adequate water for a fire. Additionally, it allows fire departments from other agencies who might be assisting Corbett Fire, to know what GPM to expect from a hydrant.
If you live in an area that does not have hydrants, such as Aims, the department will draft water from ponds, streams, or cisterns.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Report any obvious damage to the Corbett Fire District or the Corbett Water District. This could include missing caps on the fire hydrant, perhaps a tree has fallen on the hydrant, or maybe someone has abandoned a car next to the hydrant. Remember, they are colorful and ugly for a reason, so they can be quickly located in an emergency. Oftentimes people will try to hide this “eyesore” with flowers and interesting art work. This only makes them more difficult to locate. (Which can be a challenge at 3:00 AM during a snow storm).In order to help the fire department, neighbors sometimes “adopt” a fire hydrant and cut back the surrounding brush around the hydrant.

Heini Ziegler Award – Nominate Now!

After his death the Fire Department decided to establish the Heini Ziegler Award to honor all of Heini’s service to the community. Anyone can nominate an individual, who lives in the community, that you feel should be recognized for their volunteer efforts in the Corbett community. The winner will be chosen by a committee from the Corbett Fire Department, they will get their name on a plaque that hangs on the wall at the Corbett Fire Hall, and a small cash award.

This is funded by an account that was set up with the donations that the department received after Heini’s death. It is hoped that the winner will take his/her family to dinner and enjoy a good meal. Heini would approve!

Please take a moment and nominate your favorite person.

Select here to download the nomination form!

Benefits of being a Corbett Volunteer Firefighter

July 12,2019

(1)Learn new skills (2) Attain personal satisfaction

Corbett Fire District provides firefighting and medical training before people can respond to calls. The Fire District also provides a (401a) retirement system, Life Flight and AMR subscription programs for volunteers and their families, and an Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, the Fire District provides training and education benefits for members seeking advance training.

Prospective members are invited to an informational meeting on July. 24, 2019 at the Corbett Fire Station (7:00PM).

Dave Flood, Chief, will serve ice cream and answer questions. Bring your spouse Additionally, prospective members are invited to weekly Monday drills at the Corbett Station (6:45PM)This year the department is recruiting for the Aims and Corbett Stations.

Applications due Aug. 9, 2019. Call 503-695-2272 (leave message)
BE PART OF A PROUD 70 YEAR OLD TRADITION

(Photo is Firefighter Joe Fahlman teaching Fire Prevention classes)

Corbett Fire District will soon welcome a new water tender

May 23, 2019

Water tenders are kind of ugly and do not look very glamorous but they are vital for rural fire protection.

Many areas of the Corbett Fire District do not have a water hydrant system so all of the water must be transported to the scene of a fire. Because this is such an essential need, insurance companies base their fire home insurance ratings on the ability of a fire department to efficiently deliver water. Water tenders can also be used at incidents on the I-84 freeway, fires involving the rail traffic in the gorge, or homes located a long way from a hydrant. Additionally, they are critical to dealing with wildland fires, one 3,000 gallon water tender can supply water for at least six brush rigs at the scene of a fire. This is far more efficient than having the brush rig stop their firefighting operations and leave the scene to get water.

This new apparatus will carry 3,000 gallons of water, carry a porta-tank (a folding swimming pool to store water at a fire scene), and will be equipped with a 1,000 gallon per minute pump. In addition it will have a 510 horse power engine, which will allow it to climb the steep hills in the Corbett area. It comes at a cost of $290,000. (Red apparatus in picture)

This water tender will replace a water tender that has been in service at the Aims Station for the last twenty nine years. In some ways it has been in service longer because it was built on a used 1984 chassis. (Yellow apparatus in picture) The new rig will be located at the Corbett Station and the 3,000 gallon tender, located at Corbett, will move to Aims.

Corbett Fire District invites everyone to come to our Scholarship Breakfast on June 1 at the Corbett Fire Station to view and “kick the tires” of the new water tender.