SW Polk Fire District is governed by a citizen elected Board of Directors (BOD), similar to other government entities. They are required to comply with all Oregon laws governing fire districts, as well as industry standards. The BOD hires a Chief Executive Officer, typically a Fire Chief, to manage the district’s day-to-day fire and emergency medical services (EMS) operations. An advantage to boards like these is the ability to narrow in on important issues. While other governing bodies, like city councils, must divide their time among many services, the fire district BOD scope is limited to fire and EMS. This allows the directors to “drill down” to a deeper understanding of critical life-saving services, and evaluate emerging trends, technologies, and available options.