Shall Sandy Fire District dissolve and be annexed into Clackamas Fire District for fire protection and emergency medical services?
If approved, Sandy Fire District would dissolve effective July 1, 2026, and the area would permanently become part of Clackamas Fire District.

Clackamas Fire is committed to supporting the volunteer program. Since taking over the contract in 2021, we have had increased volunteer participation and expanded coverage at the Firwood Rd. Station. Annexation would protect and strengthen the volunteer program, which is an important pathway for recruiting.

For more than a century, Sandy Fire District proudly served the community. In recent years, increasing call volumes, wildfire risk, and the cost of delivering modern fire and EMS services to the community led the Sandy Fire District Board to partner with Clackamas Fire beginning in 2021.
Since 2021, this partnership has expanded staffing in Sandy, improved reliability, and strengthened wildfire preparedness. However, the current service contract is temporary and expires in 2030.
To maintain a high level of fire and emergency medical services protection, while minimizing potential cost to taxpayers, the Board has referred this annexation measure to Sandy voters to determine whether enhanced service improvements should become permanent.

Since Clackamas Fire began providing services under contract, residents have received:

• 24/7 staffing added at nearby Eagle Creek Fire Station, with three full-time firefighter paramedics and EMTs 
• A new, staffed two-person rescue unit placed in service 12 hours per day, seven days a week
• Increased staffing to ensure that two response crews are available during peak hours, when call volume is highest
• More firefighters are on duty, and in the community, than under Sandy Fire’s prior staffing model of a minimum of three per shift
• Faster and more reliable response when multiple emergencies occur at once
• Increased volunteer participation and expanded coverage at the Firwood Rd. (Dover) station

Annexation would make these improvements permanent, maintain firefighters and ensure high quality services for the growing community.

• Keeps existing firefighters in the Sandy community on a permanent basis
• Expands rescue coverage from 12 to 24 hours per day to enhance response in multiple call scenarios
• Increases 24/7 staffing at Sandy’s main fire station, adding more firefighters to the community
• Keeps Sandy and Firwood Rd. stations open and staffed with career and volunteer firefighters
• Preserves and strengthens volunteer and explorer programs to strengthen recruitment
• Gives Sandy residents the right to be elected to the Clackamas Fire District Board of Directors and to vote in district elections

Annexation would also provide full, permanent access these resources, including:

• Additional firefighter paramedics and EMTs
• Engines, rescue units, brush units, and specialized apparatus for all-hazards response
• Advanced medical services and technical rescue teams, including hazmat and water and rope rescue
• Regional wildfire response resources, including Clackamas Fire’s Type 2(IA) wildland firefighting hand crew
• Shared training, equipment, and operational support 

If approved, voters would no longer pay Sandy Fire District’s permanent tax rate of $2.1775 per $1,000 of assessed value and would instead pay taxes directly to Clackamas Fire District at a permanent rate of $2.4012 per $1,000. This is a difference of approximately $0.22 per thousand. 

For the median home in the district assessed at $262,390, the estimated difference is about $4.90 per month. Half of homeowners would pay less than that amount. 

Sandy-area residents would not pay Clackamas Fire’s current enhanced levy and would be eligible to vote on future funding measures. 

A “no” vote would maintain the current temporary contract. Rescue coverage and firefighter staffing would not increase. The Sandy Fire Board has stated that alternative options for fire protection are limited, but include:

• Negotiating a new contract at full cost of enhanced services
• Increasing Sandy Fire District taxes to maintain current service levels
• Reducing staffing, apparatus, or service levels

Both district boards have stated that annexation provides a more predictable and sustainable long-term solution.

Clackamas Fire District serves more than 265,000 residents in communities including Boring, Eagle Creek, Damascus, Happy Valley, and Oregon City. All these communities have voted to permanently join Clackamas Fire District. 

Clackamas Fire operates as an independent special district (not part of Clackamas County government) and is governed by a voter-elected Board of Directors. The district maintains an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 2 rating, which could help some Sandy-area property owners maintain or secure more affordable insurance coverage. 

Election Date: May 19, 2026

If Approved: Annexation would take effect July 1, 2026 

Voter Pamphlet Materials: [the County Elections Division will publish this information in April 2026, and it will be linked to here when available]