UTFD, UTPD Name Firefighter and Office of the Year

PENDLETON – The Umatilla Tribal Fire Department (UTFD) and Umatilla Tribal Police Department (UTPD) recently named their respective Firefighter of the Year and Law Enforcement Officer of the Year recipients.

Capt. Darrell Welch began working for the fire department in 2012 as a paramedic firefighter. Promoted to captain firefighter paramedic in 2021, he said he was grateful for the recent honor.

“I was very excited to receive the award. Chief (James) Hall had approached me a couple of weeks prior to the Pendleton VFW Police-Firefighter Awards Banquet presentation to inform me that they had nominated me for the Firefighter of the Year award,” Welch said. “Honestly, I was caught off guard when Chief Hall told me and felt surprised and very appreciative. 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.”

Each Umatilla County fire department and law enforcement agency annually select its individual of the year while the Pendleton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 922 sponsors a banquet and provides the honorees with plaques. Welch said he was unable to attend but Hall accepted the award on his behalf.

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-terms needs.”

As for the UTPD’s recipient, Communications Officer John Bustard began his UTPD service in 2020 and is the first person from the police department’s communications center to receive the award. He received his award during the March 15 banquet at the VFW.

“John consistently comes to work with a positive attitude and an energy to accomplish what is ahead for him. He most often works night shift, which as we know, can be when the most unpredictable events occur,” UTPD Chief Tim Addleman said. “John’s treatment of citizens calling in to the dispatch center is an example to all what customer service is supposed to sound like. He 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.”

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is comprised of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Tribes, and formed under the Treaty of 1855 at the Walla Walla Valley, 12 Stat. 945. In 1949, the Tribes adopted a constitutional form of government to protect, preserve and enhance the reserved treaty rights guaranteed under federal law.