About the District
KCFD1 is an all-hazards special district serving a 192–200 sq mile area in south-central Oregon—including Klamath Falls and surrounding suburban and rural communities. The District handles structural and wildland fire protection, advanced life support EMS, ambulance and inter-hospital transport, hazmat, and emergency rescue operations.
Mission & Vision
Committed to safeguarding lives and property with professionalism, compassion, integrity, and fiscal responsibility. The goal is to deliver high-level emergency services while cultivating a workplace that values excellence and staff retention.
Core Values
• Customer Service – Community-focused, with a readiness for decisive emergency response.
• Integrity – Ethics, respect, and trust in staff interactions and public service.
• Teamwork – Accountability, mutual support, and professionalism.
• Sense of Family – Loyalty, compassion, and mutual care for colleagues.
• Fiscal Responsibility – Prudent stewardship of public funds and operational readiness.
Organizational Structure
Personnel & Stations
63 operational staff: 48 career firefighters (including 15 focused rescue personnel) plus a fire chief, two deputy chiefs, fire marshal, training chief, and civilian support staff. Operates on a 48/96 shift schedule across four 24/7 staffed stations.
Administration
Includes Fire Chief, Director of Administrative Services, IT specialist, HR/Executive Assistant, finance, billing, and customer service personnel. Supports smooth district operations and budgeting.
Governance
Governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors, all residing within the District. They appoint the Fire Chief and oversee civil service via a three-member commission appointed to oversee examinations, promotions, and personnel classifications.
Services & Divisions
Operations & EMS
KCFD1 provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance coverage over a 492 sq mile ambulance service area, responding to a majority of its ~7,800 annual calls for service with 78% being medical-related. Each shift staffs three ALS ambulances (Paramedic + EMT) and fire suppression engines equipped for ALS. EMS staff are credentialed EMTs or Paramedics. KCFD1 pioneered Oregon’s single-role EMS positions for specialized medical service without tying up fire suppression assets.
Fire Prevention & Community Risk Reduction
Led by Fire Marshal, this division oversees fire safety education, code inspections, permitting, plan review, fire investigations, and fuels reduction programs including defensible space assessments and debris disposal trailers for property owners.
Support Services, Training & Admin
Support Services host IT, customer service, billing, and HR. Training Division ensures ongoing professional development and readiness. The District also operates an official Employee Appreciation program and broader Community Involvement initiatives.
Performance Highlights & Community Impact
The 2024 Annual Report & Strategic Business Plan documents increasing call volume and emphasizes the importance of continued staff training and preparedness under Chief Greg Davis’s leadership. KCFD1’s ISO insurance rating improved to a Class 2 rating for approximately 80% of its coverage area—among just 16 departments in Oregon/Kansas to hold a top-tier rating. The District maintains strong public outreach during Fire Prevention Week, school programs, and community events to strengthen risk reduction and awareness
Chief Greg Davis came into Klamath County Fire District 1 with the makings of a great leader. With a strong resume and the opportunity to lead a talented and committed department, there was real potential for growth and progress under his leadership. Unfortunately, that potential has gone largely unfulfilled.
Rather than building on the department’s strengths, Davis seemed more focused on padding his resume than serving the men and women under his command. While line staff have continued to operate at the bottom 10% of the pay and benefit scale compared to similar departments, Davis has placed himself in the top 2% of those same comparators. This growing disparity has fueled low morale, which is now at an all-time low.
Davis’s inability, or unwillingness, to hold his subordinates accountable or accept responsibility himself has had serious consequences. He lost one of the most respected and effective leaders the department has ever had: Chief Devon Brown, who is now flourishing in his new role at Medford Fire. He also lost a highly qualified captain who had hoped to promote to training chief, but after speaking too candidly about internal issues, was passed over—only to go on and excel as the Training Chief at Jackson County Fire District 3.
Even when members of the department go above and beyond to fill staffing gaps, the response from Davis has been discouraging. He reprimanded the Training Chief for stepping in to cover an ambulance when staffing was short, a decision made purely out of dedication to public service. He also scolded an employee simply for writing an email of appreciation for that act of teamwork.
These incidents, unfortunately, are not isolated. Davis cancelled an employee appreciation dinner just three days before the event, seemingly in retaliation for union members speaking out at a public board meeting. He has rarely responded to incidents within the district he is paid to serve, yet made sure to secure a spot on an OSFM team and participate in numerous conflagrations, opportunities that further his own profile while distancing himself from the district’s day-to-day challenges. And not surprisingly, is now leaving for a position within OSFM.
To double-down on his inability to receive criticism and take accountability, his timing for his departure couldn’t be more coincidental. He exits on the heels of 3 new board members being elected that will, and have already, began asking questions and have made it known he will no longer be able to operate with a board that will just go along with his recommendations.
Despite being paid at the top step of the salary scale, Davis hired outside legal counsel to bargain the district’s labor contract, a move that raised eyebrows and seemed like a misuse of taxpayer dollars. He continues to exude arrogance, not only in his public demeanor but even in the questions crafted for the chief recruitment process, which appear designed to highlight and praise his own contributions rather than assess true leadership potential.
The story of Chief Davis is not just one of failed leadership, it’s a reminder of what happens when ego takes precedence over service, when accountability is avoided, and when those who speak up are pushed out. KCFD1 has lost great leaders and dedicated employees under his administration.
Rating Breakdown
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1 Reviews on “Greg Davis”
A Cautionary Tale of Lost Potential
Chief Greg Davis came into Klamath County Fire District 1 with the makings of a great leader. With a strong resume and the opportunity to lead a talented and committed department, there was real potential for growth and progress under his leadership. Unfortunately, that potential has gone largely unfulfilled.
Rather than building on the department’s strengths, Davis seemed more focused on padding his resume than serving the men and women under his command. While line staff have continued to operate at the bottom 10% of the pay and benefit scale compared to similar departments, Davis has placed himself in the top 2% of those same comparators. This growing disparity has fueled low morale, which is now at an all-time low.
Davis’s inability, or unwillingness, to hold his subordinates accountable or accept responsibility himself has had serious consequences. He lost one of the most respected and effective leaders the department has ever had: Chief Devon Brown, who is now flourishing in his new role at Medford Fire. He also lost a highly qualified captain who had hoped to promote to training chief, but after speaking too candidly about internal issues, was passed over—only to go on and excel as the Training Chief at Jackson County Fire District 3.
Even when members of the department go above and beyond to fill staffing gaps, the response from Davis has been discouraging. He reprimanded the Training Chief for stepping in to cover an ambulance when staffing was short, a decision made purely out of dedication to public service. He also scolded an employee simply for writing an email of appreciation for that act of teamwork.
These incidents, unfortunately, are not isolated. Davis cancelled an employee appreciation dinner just three days before the event, seemingly in retaliation for union members speaking out at a public board meeting. He has rarely responded to incidents within the district he is paid to serve, yet made sure to secure a spot on an OSFM team and participate in numerous conflagrations, opportunities that further his own profile while distancing himself from the district’s day-to-day challenges. And not surprisingly, is now leaving for a position within OSFM.
To double-down on his inability to receive criticism and take accountability, his timing for his departure couldn’t be more coincidental. He exits on the heels of 3 new board members being elected that will, and have already, began asking questions and have made it known he will no longer be able to operate with a board that will just go along with his recommendations.
Despite being paid at the top step of the salary scale, Davis hired outside legal counsel to bargain the district’s labor contract, a move that raised eyebrows and seemed like a misuse of taxpayer dollars. He continues to exude arrogance, not only in his public demeanor but even in the questions crafted for the chief recruitment process, which appear designed to highlight and praise his own contributions rather than assess true leadership potential.
The story of Chief Davis is not just one of failed leadership, it’s a reminder of what happens when ego takes precedence over service, when accountability is avoided, and when those who speak up are pushed out. KCFD1 has lost great leaders and dedicated employees under his administration.