June 4, 2012 -- This past Saturday, Portland Fire & Rescue’s (PF&R) Station 18 (Multnomah Village) held an Open House to mark the station’s year-long renovation process and over 60 years of service to the SW Portland community.  This is the last of PF&R’s 30 stations to be seismically upgraded under the 1998 General Obligation Bond.

The public and media were invited to tour the station, which is located at 8720 SW 30^th Avenue.

Left: Captain Derr welcomes visitors to the station.

Right: Chief Klum explains the station's seismic upgrades.

The celebration began at 11:30 am with opening remarks from City of Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Fire Chief John Klum, and Station Captain John Derr.

Hundreds of visitors toured the station, exploring Fire Engine 18 and enjoying cake, coffee, and finger foods donated by the local Fred Meyer store.

Left: Firefighter Rob gives engine tours.

Right: Fire Marshal Janssens talks with community members.

A slideshow played on the station’s television, displaying photos of past and present emergency calls, community activity, and station life at Station 18.

Left: Firefighter Krista offers cake to future firefighters.

Right: Firefighter John gets to know local community members.

Firefighters at PF&R’s Station 18 serve the Marshall Park, Markham, Far Southwest, West Portland Park, Multnomah, Ash Creek, Crestwood and Maplewood Neighborhood Associations. Station 18 responded to over 1,652 emergency runs in 2011.

Firefighters from Truck 4 stopped by to look at the newly renovated Station 18.

Between 1913 and 1941, Station 18 was located at 203 NE 24th Avenue.  In 1951, Station 18 was relocated to a different location at 7780 SW Capital Highway.  In 1961 a new facility was constructed at its current location.  To meet the demands of the growing city, Station 18’s members, apparatus, and equipment were temporarily moved to a vacant occupancy on SW Barbur Boulevard in order to seismically upgraded and remodel the structure with funds from a General Obligation bond.  This year-long renovation was completed in 2012.

Retired Portland Firefighters Mike Bell (left) and Ray Dunford (right) stand in front of Engine 18.  Firefighter Bell retired in 2005 after spending nine years of his career (1980-1989) on Engine 18. Firefighter Dunford retired in 1976 and spend ten years of his career on Engine 18.

A big thank you to the community that helped make the celebration so successful! Photographs courtesy of Greg Muhr, Portland Fire & Rescue.