The mission of Portland Fire & Rescue is saving lives and protecting the community. But looking out for a population of 640,000 spread over an area of 160 square miles is a big task. Working from 31 stations, Portland firefighters are on call 27/4 and responded to roughly 92,000 emergency calls last year. A key part of their job is education and prevention. That's where Lieutenant Laurent Picard comes in. As a public education officer, he works with Portland residents on knowing what to do in an emergency and how to prevent fires in the first place. 

How many 911 calls have you responded to? I’m going to guess about 11,000. About 25% of our calls are fire-related; the rest are a variety of other call types, such as emergency medical calls, motor vehicle crashes, river incidents, and hazmat. 

If you could tell people just one thing about fire, what would it be? Our primary mission is to save lives. And the one thing that people can do to make sure that they don't lose their life in a fire is to have working smoke alarms in every sleeping area or bedroom and also outside of every sleeping area or bedroom on every floor of the house. Including basement and attic. That is the number one thing. 

And the number two thing? If there is smoke or fire in your home or business, get outside and stay outside. I've seen several really tragic fires where people went back inside for their pet or to grab a personal belonging. And we find the dead dog and the dead person in the house. Fires today are a lot more dangerous than they used to be in our grandparents’ time.

Why is that? Because of the products of combustion. Back in the old days, everything...

Bull Run water filtration plant gets green light 

Portland is restarting construction of the Bull Run water filtration facility, thanks to a Multnomah County decision to reapprove the project, ending costly delays. “This decision allows us to move forward to protect public health, and to provide resilience to wildfires, landslides, flooding, and other natural disasters,” Mayor Keith Wilson said. “The city is eager to put hundreds of construction tradespeople back to work to complete these critical water system improvements.”

Collapse of state transportation bill will hit Portland hard

The failure of HB 2025 in the state legislature will cut $11 million from Portland and put critical maintenance and safety services at risk, Mayor Wilson said. "I am deeply disappointed the state legislature failed to make the critical investment our transportation system needs. Vital infrastructure jobs are on the line, and our ability to deliver basic safety services like filling potholes and improving traffic conditions is at risk." Every dollar invested in preventative maintenance can save up to $10 in future reconstruction.

Fireworks are banned in Portland

Fireworks sale and usage have been banned in Portland since 2022. In addition to the danger of exploding fireworks, there's a huge risk of fire and property damage. Don't use fireworks. Don't call 911 to report fireworks use. It is vital that our 911 system be kept for reporting only active fires and serious medical problems. Instead, use this link.

City rates go up on July 1 

Rates and fees pay for the vital services Portlanders rely on every day, like water, sewers, streets, parks and garbage pickup. Portland City Council approved increases to rates and fees to support operations, repair and replacement to keep our city safe and sustainable. Read a summary for fiscal year 2025-26.

Meet Portland's new public art administrator

As Portland’s new public art administrator, Eric Fredericksen will oversee our public art collection and guide the Percent for Art program to make sure Portland’s public art reflects the city’s diversity, enriches civic spaces and strengthens cultural vitality. “It’s a chance to build something new together,” he said. Fredericksen served as the Head of Public Art for Vancouver, BC and the Waterfront Art Program Manager for Seattle.

Give feedback on the proposed rules for the Public Infrastructure Environmental Code Project. Submit written testimony or give verbal testimony at the Planning Commission Hearing on Tuesday, July 22.

Community events in Portland parks     

Every Tuesday: Free Food Market at Mt. Scott Park  

Every Thursday: Free Food Market at Lents Park  

Every Thursday: Night Strike humanitarian outreach at Waterfront Park  

Every Saturday: Free Food Market at Woodlawn Park  

Every Sunday: Potluck in the Park at North Park Blocks