Elected to the Board of the Siletz Rural Fire Protection District in May with almost 64% of the vote, Katie Saaty, 29, is believed to be Lincoln County’s youngest elected official and, in her new capacity, is already grappling with funding shortfalls for emergency management resulting from cutbacks in federal assistance to state and local emergency service providers.
“Coming into this new role, I’m aware that the actions of the new administration are really having a ripple effect on the financial realities of our fire district in terms of regulations and climate change denial,” said Saaty, who was endorsed by the Lincoln County Democratic Party. She was sworn into her new post on Tuesday, July 15.
Earlier this year, federal grant funding was cut for several programs, including training of volunteer firefighters, new equipment and emergency staffing. Some of those cuts were reversed, but Washington’s actions resulted in confusion and an atmosphere of uncertainty among many rural fire districts, especially those, like Siletz, that rely upon volunteers who require free or low-cost training to augment their professional staff. Fire departments, especially in rural areas, already operate on tight budgets, and many rely on federal programs to train personnel. Reductions or cutoffs in federal grants could lead to fewer trained firefighters, longer response times, and higher risks for communities facing fires and other disasters.
According to the district’s website, the Siletz fire department responds to an average of 300 emergency calls per year, with the majority entailing emergency medical services. The department also responds to motor vehicle crashes, water rescues and provides for prevention and education services. Siletz firefighters respond to mutual aid requests from other agencies and take part in fighting regional wildfires. Many of those services would be jeopardized by cutbacks in emergency response funding. As a newly elected Fire District board member, Saaty said she’ll be helping to find workarounds for budget shortfalls while making the public aware of the impacts of administration decisions.
The potential of those impacts are what drove her to become involved in the political process and to seek public office. Saaty, a Siletz resident, is a first-time office holder.
“We all could see what was happening and what was going to be coming (in the wake of the November election) and were keeping an eye out for ways to get involved.” Saaty attended a Newport rally co-sponsored by the Indivisible group and the county’s Democratic Party. The party’s county chairperson, Mary Infante, engaged her in conversation and asked if she would be interested in running for office in May’s special election.
Although Saaty had no experience in elected office, her day job as a Water Quality Monitoring Specialist with the U.S. Soil and Water Conservation District imparted a good working knowledge of the interaction between supervisory boards and staff in public agencies.
Saaty said she hopes to be using her new position to inform the public about the dangers posed by environmental threats, especially the dangers posed by climate change. “I was living here at the time of the Echo Mountain fire and I know that a lot of people in the area don’t believe in the reality of climate change and what a hazard the changing climate will pose to all of us.”
Although she’s enthused about assuming her new role in public office, Saaty doesn’t nurse ambitions toward higher office. “I’m not especially interested in going after positions of authority, but If something came along for which I’d be a good fit, I’d certainly consider it,” said Saaty, who majored in fisheries while studying for her degree from California’s Humboldt State University. “It would be especially interesting if it were something in the environmental sector, aquatic environment or aquatic wildlife. I’d like to be of help in areas I’m well-suited for.”