The problem was that the Hood River Fire Department (HRFD) did not know what level of technical rescue services it should provide to the people that live, work and recreate in the community. The purpose of this research was to investigate what level of technical rescue services should be provided by the HRFD. Descriptive research was used, with interviews and targeted questionnaires, along with a literature review, to answer the following questions: (a) What activities occur in Hood River that might require technical rescue services, (b) what technical rescue services do people in the community expect the HRFD to provide, and (c) what resources are needed to provide technical rescue services in Hood River? The results of the research indicated that the community of Hood River has many activities that might require technical rescue services.The results also identified that the HRFD is expected to provide technical rescue services to the community. Survey results and literature reviews confirmed that the general public believes the fire department provides a certain level of service for all emergencies. Specifically, confined space, trench and surface water rescue were identified in the research as a high priority. Finally, the literature review revealed that technical rescue teams require a large amount of resources, both in personnel and equipment. Recommendations were made to the Hood River Fire Department to implement programs in surface water, confined space and trench rescue, as well as awareness training in all competencies. It was also recommended to purchase the minimal equipment needed for awareness level response and to develop a complete equipment list for budget preparation.Finally, it was recommended that the HRFD seek community partnerships to lessen the financial impact of starting a technical rescue team.