Salute to emergency responders aj 2018

SALUTE OCTOBER 2018

TO OUR

EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

SEARCH AND RESCUE • AUBURN FIRE • CHP PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF • AUBURN POLICE • CAL FIRE Special publication of the

SALUTE TO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

A thank you to those who never ask for one.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4, 5 AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT 6 PLACER HILLS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AND FORESTHILL FIRE DISTRICT 7 NEWCASTLE FIRE 8, 9 AUBURN FIRE 10 AUBURN CHP 11 SALVATION ARMY 12, 13 CAL FIRE 14, 15 PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF

AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT

The duty of service

BY JULIE MILLER

Jason Walker has been a police officer for five years, but he didn’t always think that is what he wanted to do with his life.

“Surprisingly, no. I went to college to be a school teacher and majored in Spanish so I could teach Spanish,” Walker said.

However, after a ride along in a CHP car, he started to think about a different career path.

Walker worked at a bank in Auburn and had several interaction with officers.

“I always had good interactions with them and ended up developing more of an interest (in a law enforcement career) and things took off from there,” he said.

Walker joined Auburn Police in February.

“I like how close knit this community is in both the police department and in the community itself,” he said. “The people here have a lot to offer in the community and I respect that and I am glad to be a part of this.”

Walker said he likes helping the public on the job and being there when complications arise.

“I love to help and I love to be there for people,” he said. “I’m a problem solver. I am a fixer. I

JULIE MILLER • GOLD COUNTRY MEDIA

Officer Jason Walker serves with the Auburn Police Department,

“I like how close knit this community is in both the police department and in the community itself. The people here have a lot to offer in the community and I respect that and I am glad to be a part of this.”

— JASON WALKER

want to see things well. ... As a police officer, people are counting on me to resolve whatever they are (dealing with). ... I see some pretty great and dark aspects of people’s lives and to be a positive change in someone’s life — there is a lot of privilege to that.”

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Cover: Placer County Sheriff’s officers stand at attention during a ceremony. Photo by Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

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To be a police officer, Walker said it’s important for that person to be community and service oriented with a sense of duty and dedication along with much education and work.

“You don’t get good at this job overnight,” he said.

Walker hopes in the next few years to be working closely with schools and helping kids who may be at risk to be successful. He also would like to help students know that “we’re not just scary uniform guys,” but have conversations with children and assure them the police are there to help.

“I want to change perspectives on what we do, who we are — we are people with feelings, goals and share the community with them, “ Walker said. “And let them know we are here to make them feel safe in the community.”

Penny Martinez, 530-852-0258, pennym@goldcountrymedia.com

Nicole Sanchez, 530-885-2471 nicoles@goldcountrymedia.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Julie Miller

Mary Rist, 530-852-0290, maryr@goldcountrymedia.com

Linda Shuman-Prins, 530-852-0278, lindas@goldcountrymedia.com

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PUBLISHER: Tom Kirk, 530-852-0250, tomk@goldcountrymedia.com

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher shall not be responsible for any liabilities arising from the publication of copy provided by any advertiser. Further, it shall not be liable for any act of omission on the part of the advertiser pertaining to their published advertisement.

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AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT

Matt Nichols: From Capitol to Gold Country

BY JULIE MILLER

“We’re lucky to be cops — to do the right thing. People put a lot of trust in us and I take that seriously.”

— MATT NICHOLS

Becoming a police officer was one of the most natural things to do for officer Matt Nichols. After all, it was practically in his DNA. “I always wanted to do it,” Nichols said. “My dad was a policeman as well.

It was in my blood.”

Nichols has been serving as a police officer for 18 years. The last five months have been with Auburn Police Department.

To Auburn, he brings years of experience after working in Sacramento for most of his career.

Compared to the bigger city, policing in Auburn is “totally different,” he said.

“There’s people with a lot of money and people with no money,” he said about the Auburn community. “In Sacramento there were people with no

money. …

It’s a totally different animal up here.”

Nichols said when he was ages 12 to 20, one of his parents lived in Auburn, so he is no stranger to the area.

“The people up here are much friendlier,” he said gratefully. “When you deal with evil all the time, it wears on you.”

Nichols followed this career path not only because it was in his family but because he likes the reward of the service.

“I enjoy helping people and those deserving help,” he said.

Being a police officer takes a certain type of person, Nichols said.

“You have to really want to be here, you can’t just be half way,” he said. “My upbringing really helped me see the rewards of working hard. … There are jobs that I can’t do like surgeons and airline pilots or teachers.”

In five years, Nichols, who is 46 years

T

old, said he hopes to be “successfully retired” and doing something completely different such as coaching or working at Home Depot, “something completely opposite to keep my brain active.”

Nichols hopes that the Auburn community can get to know its police better and help them feel more comfortable around the officers.

“I think people need to know there is a huge variety at our department,” he said.

By getting to know the officers, it helps humanize them, instead of thinking they are “robots who drive around in police cars,” Nichols said.

All in all, Nichols is proud and grateful to be serving the Auburn Police Department.

“We’re lucky to be cops — to do the right thing. People put a lot of trust in us and I take that seriously,” Nichols said.

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BEShT of t e BEST

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PLACER HILLS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AND FORESTHILL FIRE DISTRICT

Placer Hills Fire captain is Colfax graduate RESPONDER PROFILE NAME: Matthew Slusher TITLE: Fire Captain/ Paramedic, Training, Safety and EMS Division, Placer Hills Fire Protection District

COURTESY PHOTO

Matthew Slusher is Fire Captain/Paramedic of the Training, Safety and EMS Division for the Placer Hills Fire Protection District.

How long have you been a firefighter and now fire captain?

I joined the fire depart-

ment in the summer of 2002. I was graduating from Colfax High School and was urged by an older friend who was on the department to come see what a fun opportunity being a firefighter could be.

In 2002 the hiring process was fairly pain-free. You filled out an application,

and met with the chief for a short interview, they must have liked me cause I have now been with the department in both a fulltime and part-time capacity ever since. I promoted to the rank of Fire Captain in 2012 and I am currently assigned to this position about half of the time.

The other half of the time I work as an acting battalion chief. I promoted to this rank about nine months ago and love the challenges it brings. There is a steep learning curve between the ranks and I love pushing myself and our personnel to be better every day.

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Why did you decide to become a firefighter?

I suppose I just didn’t know what else to do with myself as I transitioned from high school to the “real world.” I am so glad that I choose to join the fire department as a paidcall firefighter and shortly there after as a full-time firefighter, it has given me an incredibly rewarding career thus far and allowed me to serve in a way that I wasn’t aware was possible.

What does it take to be a fire captain?

The job of a firefighter is one that goes from at times slightly boring to running full speed in the matter of seconds when tones ring.

We pride ourselves in our prior preparation, whether it be training, physical fitness or academic studies. We do our best to be the firefighters who know what they need to know when they need to know it.

The reality is that it takes a person who can bring a calmness to the chaos that we face daily. When we respond to a call it is often

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What do you like most about your job? And most challenging?

First, I love that I have the ability to live, raise a family and work in the communi-

ty that I grew up in, I truly am blessed. I love the dynamic events that require me to think on my feet. I love collaborating with my personnel to develop strategies that will, in the safest manner possible, mitigate the problems that we are faced with. It is amazing the predicaments that we are faced with in fire suppression, rescue and emergency medical services. Saving lives as an answer seems cliche; however, there is something so special about a member of the public walking back into the fire station to say thank you or meeting someone on the street that we helped, many of which, are beneficiaries of our ALS, Advanced Life Support services. Being a paramedic is a daunting task at times, but being able to provide rapid ALS to our foothill community is truly an exemplary response model that we pride ourselves in.

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the callers worst day and I sure hope in each interaction we can make that persons day better. Even working for a small foothill fire department includes responding to multiple emergency responses daily. As a fire captain my number one goal is to keep my personnel safe, many of the decisions that I make have significant ramifications and the better decisions I make the higher the likely hood that those who work for me go home to their families safely. This is magnified when I work as a battalion chief. As a battalion chief my job is to supervise numerous fire stations and the personnel who are on-duty at each. I appreciate the responsibility that comes with looking after the men and women that I am assigned and undertake this responsibility with great care.

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NEWCASTLE FIRE

Firefighting: a loved way of life

BY JULIE MILLER

Matt McCoy has been in the fire service for 10 years. And it is a way of life that he loves.

“For me, personally, firefighting is the best job of the world,” McCoy said. “It’s something that is more of calling than a job, it’s something you feel you have to do in your heart . It’s challenging to get in the field but it is definitely worth it in the long run.”

McCoy works for Newcastle Fire.

The station gets many calls per day and he estimates 80 to 90 percent are medical emergencies.

“A lot of of people think that we just run to fires or vehicle accidents,” he said. “Typically we’re first on scene anytime you call 911.

I think homeowners think it’s just

“Typically we’re first on scene anytime you call 911.”

— MATT MCCOY

going to be paramedics (who respond). We get on scene and they think, ‘OK, you guys are here to help us? OK, great.’”

Being a firefighter for Newcastle brings its own challenges.

“The summertime is the one of the busier times for us and one of the most challenging,” McCoy said.

Newcastle Fire has a variety of terrain in its jurisdiction. There are rural areas and the river canyon mixed with urban developments and vast expanses of vegetation, keeping the folks at the station on their toes. Couple that with

the ongoing education firefighters need to stay on top of their game.

“The job is not only physically demanding but there is a lot of information to know as far as medicine, MT school, firefighting academy and being ready to respond to all the calls and it’s very competitive — a lot of people want to be firefighters,” McCoy said. “It’s challenging, a lot of people want to do it.”

What can homeowners do to support the firefighters?

McCoy recommends they maintain their property by keeping weeds down and trimming up trees.

“The weed abatement really helps out and it really slows fires to getting out of control,” he said.

COURTESY PHOTO

Matt McCoy is a firefighter for Newcastle Fire..

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AUBURN FIRE

Three generations of firefighting

BY JULIE MILLER

COURTESY PHOTO

Shelby Davis is a firefighter for Auburn Fire.

Shelby Davis is the only female firefighter for Auburn Fire and she hopes more women will take up a career in the field.

“I am a small percentage compared to the male-dominated (industry),” Davis said.

She said she would like to see more females join the ranks, but warns anyone interested, it will take some elbow grease.

“It is hard work but with commitment, you can do anything. This job challenges you and it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world,” Davis said.

“This job challenges you and it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world.”

— SHELBY DAVIS

She has been a firefighter for four years. She worked three seasons with Cal Fire where there were about 10 women on the team. This is her first with Auburn Fire.

Davis comes from a long line of firefighters, she is a third-generationer.

“I was always around it,” she said. “I was hanging around in the firehouse as a little girl.”

When in high school, Davis was torn between following a love for animals and becoming a veterinarian or proceeding in her family’s footsteps and being a firefighter.

To help make up her mind, at Placer High School, she joined the 49er ROP fire portion of the program.

“I fell in love with it there,” she said.

Being an Auburn native and serving the community has been a perk of the job.

“There is something about working or serving in the community (you live in),” she said. “To be

there for those you have been around your whole life.”

Davis said the best part of being a firefighter is the friendships among coworkers.

“I would definitely think the best part is the family and relationships you make in the fire department,” she said. “It’s like being in a family, basically.”

In five years, Davis hopes to be behind the wheel of the engine and progressing in her career.

“I would like to see myself driving for the department and working toward the next step,” she said.

Recognizing First Responders & Emergency Services Thank you to our local police, firefighters and emergency workers for protecting our homes & families from unexpected emergencies.

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AUBURN FIRE

Endurance on and off the clock

BY JULIE MILLER

When Matt Bowers isn’t on duty for Auburn Fire, he will give some of his time to local endurance runs, utilizing his emergency medical technician skills.

“The job goes hand in hand with my personal activities — the city being the endurance capital of the world,” Bowers said. “In my off time I will volunteer in the endurance runs as well as Tevis.

There are aid stations in Tahoe and Auburn and I will assist with the things I have learned over the years. It helps to give back to the community as a personal aspect.”

Bowers admits he’s a problem solver and said he enjoys this part of the job. The part that can be a

“The job goes hand in hand with my personal activities — the city being the endurance capital of the world.”

— MATT BOWERS

challenge, he said, is coming on the scene of vehicle accidents.

But he offers this advice: “So for someone looking to get into the fire service, it is a great opportunity. It is rewarding and challenging, all in the same.”

Bowers has been a firefighter for 11 years and joined the Auburn Fire team nearly two months ago.

He went to Placer High School

and got into firefighting about a year after graduation. He had friends who were emergency medical technicians and then someone suggested he take the EMT test.

“I thought, that sounds pretty exciting,” Bower said.

Exciting indeed.

Earlier this month during the rain, Bowers said, he was on a call for a vehicle accident. The driver was trapped in the car and had to be freed using tools, but this was all in a day’s work.

“Having the fulfillment at the end of each shift, coming to work and helping others, and to serve the community that I grew up in and around (is most rewarding),” he said.

Thank You

COURTESY PHOTO

Matt Bowers is a firefighter for Auburn Fire.

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AUBURN CHP

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How Many Years on the Force: 28.5

they must have a heart for public service, they must be selfless, fair, and compassionate.

What type of person does it take to be a CHP Officer: I believe for a person to be a CHP Officer,

Why is the CHP important to the Auburn community?

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portant to the Auburn community because both uniformed officers as well as non-uniformed staff provide a level of safety and service that is second to none. Their dedication to the community improves the quality of life for those who enjoy our beautiful area.

What are your plans after retirement?

After doing some traveling to Central and South America, my wife and I will be opening an art, home furnishing and design studio locally.

As my career with the California Highway Pa-

Officer Jeff George is retiring after almost three decades serving with the California Highway Patrol in the Auburn area.

COURTESY PHOTO

trol comes to an end, I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve the citizens of

Placer County and give back to the Community of Auburn where I was raised.

Auburn Ravine Terrace, a non-profit, faith based retirement community, would like to thank and acknowledge all of our first responders for their dedication and service to our community.

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What is the most rewarding aspect of being a part of the organization and the most challenging?

The most rewarding aspect is organizing the Community Thanksgiving Dinner, feeding hundreds of people at a sitdown dinner and delivering hot meals to over 400 shut-ins, first responders, and those individuals who must work on Thanksgiving Day. To give people in the Auburn community the opportunity to volunteer, the help with the organizing, preparing, and serving the meal to the whole community. Some volunteers say it’s the best day of the year for them.

This dinner allows people to invest in the community by taking their time and donating it toward a great community event to serve others. This is truly rewarding. hey become part of the community!

The most challenging aspect is to provide comfort and to find the right words to say to people who

What would you say to someone who is thinking about joining the Salvation Army efforts?

If you have a heart to serve and you are willing to do the Lord’s work, come and join others like yourself and become part of The Salvation Army.

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The Salvation Army has the No. 1 drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in the world. The Army will take a client and send him or her to one of its treatment centers and treat the client for four to six months free of charge, in order to help them overcome their addictions.

The Army has the best success rate for clients who stay clean and sober after rehabilitation.

COURTESY PHOTO

E. Ken Tokutomi is treasurer for the Salvation Army of Auburn Advisory Board.

T

Why did you join the Salvation Army?

I joined The Salvation Army because of its reputation as a great organization that deals with community needs, and their efficiency of use of donated funds. Approximately 83 cents out of the dollar donated, is used to provide services for the needy, homeless, and working poor. This rate of return on donations for an international organization is unmatched in other nonprofit communities.

The Army helps those in need with food, clothing, and spiritual assistances in times of crisis and hardship.

Relate an experience briefly, in the Salvation Army that had a big impact on you or on others.

Serving in the emergency disaster relief program (EDS), The Army takes its canteen and travels to disaster sites to help those that are evacuees and first responders. The EDS team provides food, beverages, and spiritual comfort for those who may have lost everything in a fire, or those first responders who are fighting the fires.

Treating people with respect and kindness when they have no knowledge of what has happened to their homes or property.

They are truly people in need of a kind word, food, and comfort that the EDS Team provides. We have provided a hot meal in the early morning to Search and Rescue teams who have worked throughout the night, which was greatly appreciated by hungry and exhausted teams.

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CAL FIRE

Swimming through swift waters to save lives

BY JULIE MILLER

COURTESY PHOTOS

These photos give a glimpse of the regular rescues made by Cal Fire to save people from cars involved in accidents along the steep sides of Interstate 80..

THANK YOU

Thank You First Responders for All You Do to Protect Us!

Thanks to Cal Fire’s rope and water rescue team, cars that spin off the steep side of Interstate 80 and swimmers who get in swift waters on the American River have these heroes to save their lives.

Jon Woody is the chief of Placer’s team and his title is a mouthful: North Auburn/Ophir battalion, Placer County Central Haz-Mat team manager and he deserves every word of it and then some.

In the winter season with slippery roads, Woody’s team may be called around a dozen

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who show motivation and have exceptional interest in learning more and stick to rules, regulations and procedures.

“It depends on that person and what their focus is,” he said.

And that focus is to go beyond basic firefighter education and reach out for increased technical experience and to have extra passion than others to want to learn more, Woody said.

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times a month to save vehicles that have skidded off the edge of the road.

And in the summer season when many go to the river, he said it was not uncommon to be called for a water rescue a dozen times a month, as well. He said he sees fluctuation between rope rescues and water rescues based on the time of year, one may slow, but the other may pick up.

“It all depends on the season and the activity of people as well,” he said.

To be on the team, Woody said it usually takes a certain type of person.

They look for those

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CAL FIRE

with them because it’s not uncommon we’ll end up working with them,” Woody said.

At their disposal, the team also has two rescue boats for swift water rescues as well as fire engines that are equipped with apparatus designed

just for rope rescues.

Everyone on the team is well trained and devoted to doing a job well done.

“It’s a process to get on the team because we want to have folks who are committed to that disciple,” Woody said.

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PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF

A day in the life of the Placer County Sheriff’s

COURTESY PHOTOS • PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

HONOR • SUPPORT • APPRECIATE • GRATITUDE We honor and support our local first responders.

They are truly the Heroes who put their lives on the line day after day.

Their courage and selflessness must never be taken for granted.

Thank you for keeping our community and families safe!

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having significantly less funding.

know about the Placer Hills Fire Protection District?

The Placer Hills Fire Protection District is an allrisk, ALS fire department with two full-time staffed fire stations. We run on a very best to provide “big city” fire protection on a shoe string budget. Most of our constituents are unaware that we provide an average response time of around six and a half minutes and that we staff our fire engines with firefighter/paramedics. We do this strategically in an effort to best protect life and property and deliver a service as similar to more densely populated areas, all-while

What can the average homeowner do to support the local fire district?

First, when you see a firefighter thank a firefighter. I could not be more proud of the folks that I work with and the fire service as a whole. I see it daily, men and women who do everything in their power to make perfect strangers days better. Secondly, it makes no difference what patch they wear, whether their uniform is green, blue or black. Each firefighter protecting Placer County and surrounding communities work together every day to ensure you, the public’s safety, protect your property and enhance your

ability to thrive. The Placer Hills Fire Protection District continues to operate on a budget that is identified to not be sustainable over the next five to seven years. We truly believe that the public is best protected by keeping both of our stations open, offering reasonable response times and paramedic services due to the foothill nature of our jurisdiction. The average homeowner should attend our local board of director meetings which are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at our headquarters station in Meadow Vista. By being informed and being involved we can include the stakeholders in shaping how we provide fire protection now and in the future.

THANK YOU FIRST RESPONDERS!!

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• • • •

Fire Fighters Police EMT’s Volunteers

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WE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. THANK YOU!

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