Portland, OR. — The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted 3–2 on Nov. 5 to approve a new ambulance service plan that sets a 15-minute response benchmark for life-threatening emergencies in Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village, compared with eight minutes in Portland and Gresham.
The benchmarks follow state classifications that place the three East County cities in suburban response zones and Portland and Gresham in urban zones. East County residents and local leaders raised concerns about the suburban standard during public testimony.
In a separate vote, commissioners approved a resolution giving preference to bidders that can offer faster response times in the three cities without an additional county subsidy. Bidders can still compete without offering faster service. The plan also allows cities and fire districts to negotiate directly with the ambulance provider for faster responses or dedicated ambulance staging…