More About Station #1

The Fire Department delivers fire suppression, fire prevention, fire inspections and emergency medical services to more than 55,000 people in the 450 square-mile urban McMinnville and Rural District and promotes safety through fire prevention education. The Fire Department’s 90 members are comprised of both career and part-time employees and volunteers from throughout the community.

Our Chief

Rich Leipfert was hired as Fire Chief, replacing the retiring Jay Lilly July 2008. Rich served as Firefighter, Fire Captain and Assistant Fire Chief with the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1994. In 1996 he became the Fire Chief of Somerton Arizona and in November of 1998 became the Fire Chief in Ketchikan Alaska.

MFD Training

McMinnville Fire Department’s Training Tower is under full operation with live fire training, multi-story drills, vehicle extrication and ventilation drills. Maintaining the skills needed to handle a variety of emergencies in an ever-changing world requires constant training and review. Classes of one form or another are held multiple times every week throughout the year.

Life Saving Rescue Technology

To improve rescue and firefighting efforts, the fire department recently acquired two thermal imaging cameras. Thermal imaging cameras (TIC’s) were first introduced to the fire service in 1994 and have since become instrumental in allowing firefighters to see victims, navigate safely and effectively locate and extinguish the fire source(s). The cameras use military infrared technology, containing a sensor that reacts to infrared energy from surrounding objects and converts the “thermal signature” to a visible image. McMinnville’s firefighters have been effectlively trained in use and operation of these new cameras and they have been placed into service on responding fire engines..