2000 to Present

In 2000, the Cornelius City/Rural Fire Department served a city population of 8,490 and 1,140 registered voters and their families in the rural fire district. The response area of 41 square miles has a combined assessed property value of nearly $400,000,000 and is served by 35 volunteer firefighters. The fire department employs a small staff that includes a full-time fire chief, a code enforcement officer, a training coordinator, and a secretary. The fire department responds to nearly 1000 calls per year with 3 Class A Pumpers, 2 Brush Rigs, a Tanker, a Command Vehicle, a Mobile Support Unit, a Light Tower Unit, and a Rescue Unit.

In 2004, the Cornelius City/Rural Fire Department served a population of 10,150. The response area of 41 square miles, and automatic mutual aid to the surrounding cities of Banks, Gaston, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro, is served by 27 volunteer firefighters. The fire department maintains a staff of a full-time fire chief, a full-time secretary, and three full-time firefighters. The three full-time firefighter positions also maintain administrative duties that include, fire department maintenance, training coordinator, and code enforcement officer. For the last several years, the fire department has responded to over 1000 calls per year with 1 2003 HME Heavy Rescue, 3 Class A Pumpers, 2 small Brush Rigs, 1 large 2.5 ton Brush Rig, 1 3000 gallon Water Tender, 1 Cascade Support Unit, 1 Light Rig tower, and 1 Command vehicle. In the last year, the addition of two thermal imaging units has aided greatly to the service of the Cornelius Fire Department.

By 2008, the Cornelius Fire Department served an estimated population of 14,000 both city and rural. Cornelius Fire still helps with mutual support to the surrounding towns such as Hillsboro, Gaston, Banks, North Plains, and Forest Grove. The station has grown in many ways in the past few years. Nearly 1,100 calls were answered last year with the help of an average of 25 volunteers, 6 interns, and 4 career firefighters. In January of '07 the Cornelius Fire Department introduced its brand new intern program. Since 2007, the intern program has expanded to 9 available positions. The main purpose of the internship is to help with staffing of the station by students who are interested in the fire service. With the addition of the interns, the fire department also allows out-of-district volunteers. The out of district volunteers allows for anybody who might live outside of Cornelius to help with the department. The fire department has also kept up with aging equipment by purchasing state-of-the-art SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus). The Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBAs) have monitors that can tell command: how much air they have left and what temperature the firefighter is in at any one point in time.

In 2010, the career staff began staffing the station 7 days a week, working 12-hour days, 2 days on followed by 2 days off. That same year in December, long-time fire Chief, Chris Asanovic retired.

With the retirement of Chief Asanovic and the budgetary constraints of the city, the City of Cornelius opted instead of hiring a new fire chief to contract with the City of Forest Grove for Fire Chief Michael Kinkade. Chief Kinkade has led the Cornelius Fire Department since that time.

In 2011, the career staff moved to working 24/48 schedule. This, along with the staffing of interns and volunteers, has made it possible to ensure there is always an engine staffed in Cornelius.

In May of 2015, the votes passed a levy to hire 2 firefighter/paramedics and to fund the intern program. The intern program for the prior 8 years had been funded by a federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. This levy did not ensure that Cornelius could provide Advanced Life Support.

2016 brought the department a new water tender and a new engine. The Water Tender was funded by a Federal grant and the engine was purchased by the rural district with the City paying the district back over a few years for their portion.

In January 2021, Chief Kinkade retired. Until a new chief could be hired, Division Chief Patrick Fale from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue served as the interim chief. In November 2021, a new chief was hired, Fire Chief Jim Geering.

In 2025, the City of Cornelius ended its contract with Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and reinstated its own Fire Chief to better support the community’s needs, following more than 18% population growth since 2018. Chief Dave Morris was appointed Fire Chief of the Cornelius Fire Department in March 2025 and currently serves in that role.