About the HERO Program

The Oregon Office of Rural Health’s Helping EMS in Rural Oregon (HERO) program raises funds to help rural and remote (formerly referred to as “frontier”) emergency medical services (EMS) volunteers pay for their training. 

If you represent a rural or remote EMS agency that wishes to conduct in-house training and perhaps include EMS providers from surrounding communities, this grant is for you. Funds may also be used to send volunteers to training that cannot be offered locally. A budget for the requested funds is required with the application.  

You may apply for funding for any training class or exercise completed within 12 months of receipt of the award.*

*Please note, applicant agencies must be located in a rural or remote area (visit: Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer), and must participate in Oregon’s 9-1-1 response system. 

Since 2010, the HERO grant program has made over 290 individual and agency awards to conduct local trainings for their staff – over $325,000 distributed! 

How You Can Help

Contribute today by clicking on the button to the right. Your contribution will ensure that no matter what corner of our state you visit, you can expect a prompt EMS response.

The OHSU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and is the repository for all private grants and charitable donations in support of OHSU. The Taxpayer Identification number is 23-7083114. 100% of donations to the HERO campaign go directly toward the rural volunteer EMS grant program.

2025 HERO Award

We are pleased to announce that ORH has awarded 2025 HERO grants to the following eight rural and remote agencies located across Oregon, including the following:

• Christmas Valley Rural Fire Protection District – for EMR training and certification;
• Dufur Volunteer Fire & Ambulance – for EMT training and certification;
• Glide Rural Fire Protection District – for EMR training and certification;
• Idanha-Detroit Rural Fire Protection District – to assist an EMT with paramedic training and certification;
• Oakridge Fire and EMS – to bring in advanced instruction, such as prehospital trauma life support and stop the bleed training;
• Row River Rural Fire Protection District – for EMR training and certification
• Sherman County Ambulance – to assist an EMR with EMT training and certification, an RN to receive EMS training and to bring in additional advanced instruction; and
• Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District – for EMT and AEMT training and certification.

The 2026 HERO application period will open in March 2026. Stay tuned to this webpage for application information.

TO APPLY 

Applications are submitted online. We recommend that you review the application questions and compile your information prior to completing the application on ORH’s online system.  Prior to the 2026 application period, the links to the questions and application will be posted.

Additional EMS Resources

Please visit our ORH EMS webpage for additional resources, including training scholarships and other assistance. 

Contact

For questions about HERO, or to add your contact information to the ORH EMS mailing list, please contact Joan Field | fieldj@ohsu.edu