​Emergency Services:

Call 9-1-1: Cowlitz-Lewis Fire District #20 provides BLS emergency service. Advance Life Support (ALS) paramedic service is provided by Lewis Co. "Medic 1." 

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Medical Services & Hospitals:

• Doctors, dentists and optometrists are available in nearby Castle Rock, Toledo and Winlock.
  
• Providence Centralia Hospital at 1620 Cooks Hill Rd. (360-736-2803 or 877-736-2803) 
  
• PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview at 1615 Delaware St.(360-414-2000). ​

Nearest Shopping:

• A café, quick market, thrift shop and Dollar General store are located in Vader. 
  
• Banking, groceries, hardware, restaurants and more can be found in Castle Rock, Toledo and Winlock.​​

Power Outages:

Both the Cafe (short-term) and Community Hall (longer term) are equipped with generators to provide lighted and heated/cooled in case of power outages.

Ryderwood has been a Firewise Community since 2009. The purpose of the program is reduce the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel load. Volunteers (sometimes with grants) help with cleanup and brush chipping events twice a year. An annual Expo provides information for residents.

Amenities:

• ​​Postal Service: Registration required for P.O. boxes and/or street delivery. Ryderwood Post Office is located at 210 Morse St.
  
• ​Electric Service: Cowlitz PUD, 360-423-2210, 961 12th Ave, Longview, WA  98632.
  
• Water & Sewer: Cowlitz Public Works, 360-577-3030, 1600 13th Ave. South, Kelso, WA 98626. (This is Ryderwood's most expensive utility. All aspects of the system have been updated within the last 10 years.)
  
• ​​Trash Collection: Community Waste & Recycling, 360-748-7387. Weekly service for one 30-gallon can is included in RISA dues.​ Tuesday pick-up.
  
• ​Phone and Internet:
  

1. CenturyLink offers landline telephone and fiber-optic DSL high-speed internet at 6-10 mbps.
2. All cellphone carriers provide service in Ryderwood. Many residents use their cellph9one plan for their Internet access.
   

• Television: ​Local stations from Portland, Oregon are available through DirectTV and/or Dish. Most external antennae do not work in Ryderwood. 
  

​​Fire Protection:

Cowlitz-Lewis Fire District #20, a dual-county merged department, serves Vader (Station 1) and Ryderwood (Station 2). Ryderwood residents get excellent fire insurance rates because of proximity of equipment, staff and fire hydrants. It is an all-volunteer department and Ryderwood must have 6 firefighters to maintain those low insurance rates. Firefighters and emergency responders meet all national and state requirements, and all training and gear is provided by the District. Like their Facebook page to get up-to-date information.