Columbia County Fire District #3

06/24/2025

01/07/2024

With deep sadness, we pass this information to you. Please keep all of the members and the families in your thoughts

The Walla Walla Fire Department and the Walla Walla Professional Fire Fighters are deeply saddened to announce the Line of Duty Death of Fire Engineer Ryan Pleasants who passed away this morning while on duty.

Ryan was a 20-year veteran of the Walla Walla Fire Department. He served the Walla Walla Valley as a firefighter/medic for the first 19 years of his career and was promoted to Engineer in July.

Ryan will be forever missed by all his brothers and sisters of the WWFD. Our deepest condolences go out to his Family and his community.

Currently Walla Walla Fire District 4, College Place Fire Department, Richland Fire Department, and Pasco Fire Department have provided apparatus and personnel to cover all calls for the City of Walla Walla for us during this difficult time.

We appreciate all the overwhelming prayers and love that we have already received. Currently, no other support is needed.

Memorial service plans to be announced.

Walla Walla Professional Firefighters

11/09/2023

COLUMBIA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #3 seeks qualified candidates for a current opening and an eligibility list for future employment opportunities. The person filling this position is responsible for a combination of assignments, including emergency fire and medical response; scheduling and/or conducting annual tests of SCBA equipment, fire extinguishers, and ladders and associated record keeping; completing incident reports; preparing other reports as necessary; and routine maintenance on District facilities.

Minimum Requirements: Graduation from high school or equivalent; must possess a valid State driver's license; must be able to obtain a Washington State Emergency Medical Technician License within one (1) year of hire; must be insurable by the district’s insurance company.

Desired Qualifications: Experience working with volunteer firefighters; WA EMT certification; EMS experience; IFSAC Firefighter 1 or higher; NWCG Firefighter 2 or higher; office experience; building and vehicle maintenance. Applicants must be willing to work a variable schedule that includes holidays, nights, and weekends.

Salary & Benefits: Starting wage based on current union contract
Paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, Disability and life insurance
LEOFF 2 retirement plan
Annual vacation

Hiring Process: Applications will be screened for qualifications and scored. All qualified applicants will be invited to complete the EMS/Fire written tests. The top 10 qualified applicants will continue to the oral board interviews. Finalists will be invited to a Chiefs interview.

To Obtain an application: Applications may be picked up at Fire Station 31, 111 Patit Rd, Dayton, WA 99328. Out-of-area applicants may request an application by calling the district office at (509) 382-4281 during normal business hours.

Completed applications will be accepted until November 27, 2023, at 4:30 p.m.

Columbia County Fire District #3 is an Equal Opportunity Employer

07/19/2023

Columbia County Emergency Management was awarded a $20,000.00 grant to purchase drones. Four drones were purchased and distributed to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Columbia County Fire District #3, Columbia County Public Works, and Columbia County Emergency Management. Two drones have thermal imaging capabilities and were given to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office and Columbia County Fire District #3. Thermal imaging will allow the Fire District to detect hotspots and scout fires from the air. Thermal imaging will help the Sheriff’s office with search and rescue and searching for suspects. Agencies have started training to become drone pilots.
We would like to thank the Wildhorse Foundation for their support in helping us get a drone program started.

02/25/2022

Last night CCFD #3 responded to our 3rd stucture fire in 5 days.
The first fire last Friday was a residence on Cameron street and was a small kitchen fire. The home owner was able to contain the fire before our arrival. Fire crews check the area to make sure that the fire didn’t get into the walls. And removed burt materials from the building.
The second fire was a residence on Gwinn rd. Northeast of Turner. Fire crews were able to contain the fire to one room with smoke and heat damage to adjoining rooms.
The third fire last night was a residence on South 5th Street. Fire crews were able to contain the fire to the living room with minor smoke damage to part of the house.

Mutual aid from CC/WWFD #2 was requested at all three fire due to them being working structure fires. All three fire were contained without any injuries to responders or the occupants.
Thank you to everyone that responded to help.

02/10/2022

Eligibility List

ENTRY LEVEL FIREFIGHTER/EMT
OR
LATERAL FIREFIGHTER/EMT

COLUMBIA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT #3 is currently seeking qualified candidates for an eligibility list for future employment opportunities. The person filling this position is responsible for a combination of assignments, including emergency fire and medical response; scheduling and/or conducting annual tests of SCBA equipment, fire extinguishers, and ladders and associated record keeping; completing incident reports; preparing other reports as necessary; and routine maintenance on District facilities.

Minimum Requirements: Graduation from high school or equivalent; WA EMT certification; must possess a valid State driver's license; and must reside within a 30 minute response time of the District headquarters station if hired. Must be insurable by the districts insurance company.

Desired Qualifications: Experience working with volunteer firefighters; EMS experience; IFSAC Firefighter 1 or higher; NWCG Firefighter 2 or higher; office experience; building and vehicle maintenance. Applicants must be willing to work a variable schedule that includes holidays, nights and weekends.

Salary & Benefits: Starting salary based on current union contract
Paid medical, dental and vision insurance Disability and life insurance
LEOFF 2 retirement plan
Annual vacation

Hiring Process: Applications will be screened for qualifications and scored. All qualified applicants will be invited to complete the EMS/Fire written tests. Top 10 qualified applicants will continue to the oral board interviews. Finalists will be invited to a Chiefs interview.

To Obtain an Application: Applications may be picked up at Fire Station 31, 111 Patit Rd, Dayton, WA 99328. Out of area applicants may request an application by calling the District office at (509) 382-4281 during normal business hours.

Completed applications accepted until March 4, 2022 at 4:30 p.m.

Columbia County Fire District #3 is and Equal Opportunity Employer

12/20/2021

After 45 years of dedicated service to Columbia County Fire District #1 in Starbuck. Alan "Shorty" Harris is retiring. Shorty started volunteering for Fire District #1 in 1976 and has been the Chief for the last several years. On behalf of Columbia County Fire District #3 and the Citizens of Columbia County, I would like to thank Shorty for the years of hard work and dedicated service.

Thank you Shorty for everything that you have done for the fire service, Enjoy your retirement!

10/15/2021

I found this today at the Fire District 3 Turner station.
Thank you for making this for us.

09/24/2021

As many of you may have heard by now, Undersheriff Robbie Patterson was involved in an off-duty motorcycle accident earlier this week. He was airlifted by Life Flight to St. Joseph's Hospital in Lewiston, ID where the doctor said that Robbie’s back is broken at the T10 vertebrae and he has six broken ribs. We are not sure how much insurance will cover or how much the final cost will be. A community member has started a Go Fund Me account for anyone who would care to help out with medical bills, which are expected to be substantial. Please join us in collective thought and prayer for one of our law enforcement family members during this difficult time.

UPDATE: 09/28/2021 - Undersheriff Patterson was transported home last night. He is doing well, but has a long road to recovery ahead of him. Our agency would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of thoughts and prayers for the Patterson family. We are truly blessed to be serving such a caring, compassionate community!

UPDATE: 09/26/2021 - Looks like Robbie may be going home tomorrow!!!! We’ll keep you posted! He still has a long road to travel. Please keep Robbie and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: 09/25/2021 - Today was a Great day for Robbie
He is using a brace to sit up, he is eating sitting up, he stands, he walks AND today he walks up a few stairs!!!!!!!

UPDATE: 09/24/2021- Robbie is working with a brace. He is able to sit up and stand for short periods of time. He did a short walk too!!!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/robbie-patterson-family?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1JyNmAwyT9iCTzdcJIrQY7JV01CANpTqnhsLynFEMUedPoFa_EqO2kD74

09/07/2021

SCHEDULE YOUR VACCINATION, ONLINE, TODAY!!! Use the link below & schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
https://ccvaccines.as.me
Check our Facebook daily to see locally updated information regarding COVID-19! Data will be updated Monday-Friday when testing information is received.
Numbers may change to reflect data presented in the Washington State Assessment Dashboard.
**Please keep in mind when looking at daily test reports that hospitals are now required to test individuals before any medical procedure (whether or not the patient has COVID-19 like symptoms), which will increase the pending caseload.
Long-term care/accredited residential treatment center pending test results have been excluded from the report until the test results are confirmed.
If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 in Columbia County, please feel free to contact Columbia County Public Health at 509-382-2181. **