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!

 

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.

 

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.