Clark County Fire District (CCFD) 3 Chief Scott Sorenson has said agency borders do not matter when in need, which was on display on Aug. 6 as CCFD3 with assistance from Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue swiftly put out an apartment fire in Battle Ground.
CCFD3 and CCFR firefighters responded to a kitchen fire in a single-story triplex apartment building in Battle Ground just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and kept it from spreading to adjacent dwelling units, CCFD3 Assistant Chief Chris Drone stated in an email. Damage was contained to one apartment unit and displaced one resident. No major injuries were reported, he stated.
The accidental fire was caused by unattended cooking. Drone iterated that cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths.
Voters showed their support of CCFD3 and CCFR operations later that day with those fire district levies passing. All other fire and EMS levies in Clark County passed, as well.
Sorenson was thrilled the fire levy lid lift passed with ease. He said the levy lid lift will allow CCFD3 to accomplish plans that have been in the works for over two decades.
“It’s a turning point for Fire District 3,” he said. “We will be able to accomplish things that we’ve been working on for many years. I’m talking 20 years or more. We’ve been working on these things, and it boils down to what the community can afford and what they’re willing to afford. And that’s why we say we’re grateful because it is their fire department. They decide on the service level.”
CCFD3 feels supported by the community, Sorenson said. With the levy lid lift, the first steps will be to fill two vacant spots in the department, which he hopes will be accomplished by January of next year.
