First off, welcome to the "Bend Lens Blog"—This blog was started to capture Bend news and events through photography. Occasionally photos will link with stories to offer more insight and a richer view of the story. Other times the photos will stand on their own as the story.
Feel free to share any ideas for photo stories with us via e mail or comment.
Thanks for looking,
Matt
The following photos are part of our story on the Bend Fire Department. In my time taking photos with the department I was awed by the amount of work they are doing with what they have for resources and time. I was able to see them literally saving lives. Not only was I taken in and shown a little bit of their daily lives (and served some delicious spaghetti and meatballs), but I was witness to their camaraderie, their passion and care for their jobs, and their genuine concern for the community they serve.
It is my hope that these photos tell just a little bit more of that story. The photos were taken over a series of days as they worked, trained, and occasionally and reluctantly posed for me.
-Matt
Bend Lens Blog
- A firefighter hooks a hose up to a hydrant during a training at the departments training facility.
- Gear sits ready in the west station. Bend has 5 fire stations - North, South, East, West as well as Tumalo.
- Engineers work on the truck to make sure water supply to the firefighters is working as it should.
- Paramedic and firefighter Tim Reardon unpacks equipment from the truck.
- Firefighters prepare to enter the training facility as they turn on their oxygen and check over each others gear. With staffing stretched as it is training can often be interrupted to go on calls.
- Paramedic and firefighter Tim Reardon repacks supplies outside the emergency room after a medical call.
- Firefighters enter a building as part of a training at the North Station training facility.
- Firefighters prepare for their training at the North Station training facility.
- Firefighters are seen here in their 3 story training facility.
- The firefighters ran multiple drills while loading and unloading gear at their training facility.
- Carrying equipment into the building.
- Firefighter Tim Reardon gives a tour to some friends during a brief downtime. Reardon demonstrates here how to dress properly for a fire.
- A firefighter trains his hose on a target during a training at the North Station training facility.
- Firefighters check for exposed skin as they get the last of their gear on.
- Firefighter Tim Reardon goes between the truck and training facility making sure all equipment is taken care of.
