By Dixon Bledsoe
Drake’s Crossing Rural Fire Protection District Chief Larry Bartels was honored recently as Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Life Time Achievement Award winner.
Bartels has served the Drake’s Crossing district for more than 40 years, starting in April 1969. He received his award at the district’s annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the Silver Falls Conference Center. He had been told the dinner was to thank the 115 volunteers who staffed the fire department’s Oktoberfest booth.
It was one of the best years on record with gross receipts of $26,000 and the volunteers were honored with a prime rib and salmon dinner. The highlight of the evening was having Scott Mullen, president of the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association, present Bartels with his award. The plaque presented has an embossed firefighter’s axe, Bartel’s years of service and thanks from his peers. The entire Drake’s Crossing firefighting community, consisting of the volunteer fire crew and their families, gave Bartels a rousing standing ovation for his 40 years of dedication in making their community a safer place.
“It’s my community, and an honor to serve it,” Bartels replied. “We just need bodies – we need people to step up. Please come and help us. If we can get this many people to help in the booth, we can get this many to save their neighbors.”
Others recognized that evening included Ethan Hupp for both “2009 Firefighter of the Year” and for five years of service, Mike Rich for 15 years of service and several firefighters for completing training and receiving certificates from Training Captain Fred Patterson.
Mike Rich, who with his wife, Dayna, provided the meal, is Drake’s Crossing Association president and also a captain with the fire district. He reminded people that the district, with only 14 volunteers and two cadets, is 100 percent volunteer and “we really need more help.
“Day time is horrible because so many of our volunteers work then. We can use housewives, retirees for drivers, you name it.”
The Drakes Crossing Fire District more than doubled the number of calls answered between 2008 and 2009.
It jumped from 32 emergency responses to 74 in the past year. Those calls consisted of in-district fire responses, emergency medical calls, motor vehicle accidents, and mutual aid to Silverton, Sublimity, and Stayton fire.
