PENDLETON — The Umatilla Tribal Fire Department and Umatilla Tribal Police Department recently announced their Firefighter of the Year and Law Enforcement Officer of the Year recipients.
Each Umatilla County fire department and law enforcement agency annually selects its individual of the year while the Pendleton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 922 sponsors a banquet and provides the honorees with plaques, according to a press release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Umatilla Tribal Fire Department Capt. Darrell Welch was unable to attend the Pendleton VFW Police-Firefighter Awards Banquet, so Chief James Hall accepted the award on his behalf.
Welch expressed his excitement about receiving the recognition and said Hall had informed him a couple of weeks earlier that he had been nominated for the Firefighter of the Year award.
“Honestly, I was caught off guard when Chief Hall told me and felt surprised and very appreciative,” Welch said. “However, I will say even though individual awards are awesome, they can’t be achieved in the fire service without being surrounded by a quality team, so I need to say thanks to the people in the fire department, too.”
Welch began working for the fire department in 2012 as a paramedic firefighter. Promoted to captain firefighter paramedic in 2021 and said he was grateful for the recent honor.
As captain, Welch’s duties include supervising and directing team members at the UTFD during his shifts, as well as during emergency medical and fire ground operations.
Hall said Welch was selected for his dedication to the people the fire department serves.
“He goes above and beyond in his caring nature for serving the public in a time of need,” Hall said. “Darrell extends his expertise on mentoring newly onboarded staff in the field of emergency medical services and fire services. Darrell does an outstanding job at assuring the fire department runs smoothly with its day-to-day operations and long-term needs.”
The Umatilla Tribal Police Department’s recipient, Communications Officer John Bustard, began his service with the UTPD in 2020.
Bustard is the first person from the police department’s communications center to receive the award. He accepted the honor during the March 15 banquet at the VFW.
Read more at: https://eastoregonian.com/2025/03/26/umatilla-tribal-fire-and-police-departments-name-firefighter-and-officer-of-the-year/
“John consistently comes to work with a positive attitude and an energy to accomplish what is ahead for him. He most often works the night shift, which as we know, can be when the most unpredictable events occur,” UTPD Chief Tim Addleman said.
Addleman praised Bustard’s approach to handling citizens calling into the dispatch center, describing it as a model of excellent customer service. He noted that Bustard is polite, cordial and professional.
“In his nearly five years as a communications officer for the Umatilla Tribal Police he continues to find ways to improve himself and learn from the officers what they need and how to deliver the information,” Addleman said.
