Levy 2026
On November 3, 2026, voters within Umatilla County Fire District #1 will consider Measure 30-175, a five-year local option levy to fund emergency medical and fire operations beginning in fiscal year 2027-28. The proposed levy would provide funding to continue staffing 16 paramedics and firefighter/EMTs currently funded through a temporary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant. That grant expires in 2027. Umatilla County Fire District #1 does not currently receive an operating levy from local taxpayers.
If passed, the measure would authorize a new property tax. Property owners would pay $0.89 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a median assessed value home would pay $14 per month or $168 per year. The property tax would continue for five years and raise an estimated total of $13 Million.
Depending on where you live, Measure 30-175 may appear on the BACKSIDE of your ballot.
If Approved,
If Measure 30-175 is passed by voters, the district would continue funding the 16 paramedics and firefighters currently supported by the FEMA grant after that grant expires. The levy would continue funding for emergency medical services, advanced life support, fire suppression, fire prevention, and related emergency response operations.
If Not Approved,
If Measure 30-175 is not passed, the positions would not be funded as proposed and property taxes would not be increased.
Scope of Services
Umatilla County Fire District #1 serves approximately 48,000 residents across a 230-square-mile fire protection district encompassing the cities of Hermiston and Stanfield. The District also provides paramedic services across a 620-square-mile response area, serving the communities of Hermiston, Stanfield, Echo, and Umatilla. The district responded to more than 6,000 emergency calls in 2025, averaging more than 17 calls each day. About 82% of those calls were medical emergencies, with the remaining calls involving fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials, public assistance, and other services. Approximately 70% of calls for service were dispatched while Umatilla County Fire District #1 crews were already committed to at least one other emergency in progress. As a result, ambulances and other emergency resources from neighboring agencies frequently respond into the District to maintain emergency service coverage.
The District has seen an 56% increase in calls for emergency service in the last 10 years and has used temporary federal grant funding to increase staffing in recent years to meet increasing demand for emergency services. If passed, Measure 30-175 would authorize a new property tax which would fund staff and services that are now funded by the FEMA grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: The District is primarily funded through a permanent property tax rate, as well as ambulance billing and temporary supplemental grants. Ambulance billing rates are set by Medicare and Medicaid and do not cover the full cost of services.UCFD#1 is an independent special district that works collaboratively with Hermiston, Stanfield and Umatilla County but does not receive specific funding from any other budgets. It also does not receive property tax revenue from enterprise zone agreements within the District.
A: UCFD#1 is the primary provider of paramedic and EMS services to more than 48,000 residents across west Umatilla County, including families, children, seniors, and facilities such as schools, nursing homes, assisted living, and more. About 82% of UCFD#1’s calls are for paramedic and EMS services (above the national trend of 65%), with emergency medical incidents ranging from heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes to falls, traumas, car accidents, and more.
A: Yes. UCFD#1 has used grant funding to reduce the taxpayer costs to staff paramedics & firefighters. The District’s reserve funds are earmarked for major equipment replacement like ambulances and fire apparatus. Using those funds for staffing would be a short-term solution and would create larger financial challenges in the future. UCFD#1 ultimately does not have enough consistent, stable funding in its reserves to support the long-term retention of the new 16 firefighter/paramedic & EMT positions.
A. A publicly elected Board of Directors reviews and approves all expenses and a volunteer Citizen Budget Committee meets annually to review and approve a balanced budget. Each year the District has passed a third-party audit.
A. No. The levy would not fund any new programs or expansion. If passed, the levy would
sustain existing staffing levels and services that are currently supported by temporary federal
funding.
A. If the measure does not pass, the fire district positions would not be funded as proposed and property taxes would not be increased.
Need More Information?
We want our community to have the information needed to make an informed decision. Ask any questions you have about UCFD#1, emergency services, or Measure 30-175 below, and we will provide an answer as soon as possible.
