Honoring a Sisters fire service leader

Well-wishers packed Brand 33 Restaurant at Aspen Lakes to celebrate the career of retired Sisters Fire Chief Tay Robertson last Saturday.

Robertson's last day on the job was June 18, when new Chief Roger Johnson assumed his duties with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.

The departing chief characterized his time in Sisters as "the best eight-one/two years of my career."

That career was long and varied, starting in wildland firefighting and moving through a variety of municipal agencies in California, Idaho and Oregon. Friends Robertson made along the way turned out from across the country to honor him at Saturday night's festivities.

Amid some ribbing and firefighter humor, a clear picture emerged of a man whom other leaders look to for leadership, a man of integrity and compassion, a straight-shooter and a good friend.

Robertson's fellow fire chief and friend Jeff Johnson, recently retired from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, served as master of ceremonies. He noted that fire chiefs have to make tough decisions, and that can leave a lot of people unhappy. Yet, despite (or perhaps because of) making the tough calls, Robertson clearly has earned the admiration and respect of his peers.

"If you can fill a room like this after a career as long as his, you did something right," Johnson told the assemblage. Then he turned to Robertson: "Actually, you did a lot of things right."

Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Board President Chuck Newport had plenty of examples from Robertson's tenure in Sisters, noting that he modernized the department, upgrading the equipment fleet while establishing the district's first strategic plan and developing wildland fire and other emergency plans. Staffing was enhanced and the district built a new fire hall.

Newport acknowledged that there were many people involved in these successes.

"Tay would not take credit for them, but it all happened under his leadership," he said.

Newport also noted that Robertson is "a man of compassion," who truly cared about those he served.

"I can't count the number of times I heard him ask with heartfelt sincerity, 'is there anything I can do to help?'" he said.

Robertson himself emphasized the importance of balancing work with family life and "fun." His son Taylor indicated that he succeeded in that.

"This is perhaps your greatest accomplishment," he said. He also salutes Sharon Robertson's role in her husband's career.

"Mom, you are equally responsible for Dad's accomplishments," he said.

Robertson himself spoke briefly about a career that saw him rise from riding the bucking, jolting tailboard on the back of a fire engine to being a fire chief and a key member of the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association.

Staying in touch with your roots is a key to leadership, Robertson says.

"Don't forget where you came from," he said. "Never forget the people who are doing the job you're not doing anymore."

Robertson, who loves to fish and explore the rivers of the Oregon backcountry, has a lot of that action to look forward to. And he looked back Saturday night with a sense of satisfaction and

completion.

"I wanted to go out positive and happy," he told the gathering. "And I am."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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