Sisters firefighters mark year of service

The past year was a good one for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District.

Fire department personnel and their families celebrated 2009 with their 73rd annual awards ceremony and banquet at the Station 701 Community Hall last Saturday night, February 20.

Board President David Elliott opened the evening's festivities by stating that the local district is not just a fire department, but a "fire family."

Fire chief Tay Robertson also expressed his confidence in the department's family nature as well as the leadership in the board to help weather the financial hardships being felt throughout the area.

He emphasized a need for a heightened level of compassion for those hit by the stresses of personal emergencies coming on top of hard times.

Chief Robertson was also proud of the customer satisfaction that the fire district received.

"I am very proud of all of you for achieving a 97-percent satisfaction rate; it shows you care for your neighbors," he said.

The chief also recognized the department's students as the future of the fire service and thanked them for a great job.

Division chief Ryan Karjala presented a special Distinguished Conduct Award to student Clay Davis for professionalism and efficiency in the rescue of a critical patient he was skiing with on Mt. Hood over Christmas break.

Chief Robertson awarded length-of-service pins and awards to the following individuals:

• Chief's Award for Excellence - Fire Medic Jeremy Storton.

• Volunteer of the Year - Captain Jeff Liming.

• Firefighter of the Year - Captain Les Schell.

• Fire Fitness - Fire Medic Jeremy Storton.

• Rookie of the Year - Firefighter Roy Dean.

EMT of the Year - Fire Medic Shawn Vial.

• Student of the Year -Andrew Mustola.