PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 25, 2022
COBURN: (He's) seen the
best and worst of life
Continued from page A1
Of his career, Tim’s proudest
achievement is being a mentor
to younger firefighters and emer-
gency medical technicians (EMT).
He shares his own experiences
with new employees, showing them
‘the ropes.’
Though Tim does not seek the
limelight, he has been honored for
his work and his character over
the years. Since his first award,
Volunteer of the Year, in 1996, he
has been named EMT of the Year
(2003), Employee of the Year (three
times, in 2006, 2012 and again in
2022), Firefighter of the Year (2018)
and Marion County Firefighter of
the Year (2007).
Tim is popular in the Keizer fire
hall, many affectionately calling
him Timmy. His biggest fan has to
be Chief Jeff Cowen.
“I wish I could clone him,” Cowen
said. “How can we possibly replace
him? He is an anchor of the Keizer
Fire District. He’s a great firefighter,
he’s a great EMT.
“He’s a compass for me of the
organization. When you ask for
his opinion, it can be relied on. I’m
absolutely delighted that he gets to
retire in a real celebratory way. On
the fire chief side, I need five peo-
ple to replace him.”
Tim Coburn loves what he has
been doing since 1987. He would
recommend a career as a firefighter
to anyone. He exhibits the traits he
said a good firefighter should have:
honesty, good attitude, the ability
to get along well with others and be
able to think quick on your feet.
Like all men and women in the
fire and EMT field, he has been
affected by the things seen. How
does he and his brethren across the
nation deal with devastating calls?
He talks to others.
“Some of the calls stay with you,
you never forget them,” he said.
Deputy Fire Marshall Ann-Marie
Storms said that everyone at the
PHOTO/Courtesy of Keizer Fire District
district watches out for each other.
“You pick up on subtle clues,” she
said, about others are behaving in
light of returning from horrible
calls. “We’re fixers,” Storms said
about firefighters and EMTs. “We
don’t ask for help, we think we can
fix it ourselves.” Tim picked up
that theme saying that talking to
others is key to dealing with the
stress of the job. “We all joke with
each other. If you’re serious all the
time, it will eat you up.”
Tim and his wife, Heidi, have
plans for his retirement. They will
travel in their new fifth wheel rec-
reational vehicle and visit peo-
ple they haven’t been able to see.
He will continue his hobbies of
woodworking, working in the yard,
fishing and camping. And he has
a long Honey-do list of chores to
accomplish.
Whatever he does in retirement
will most likely be done with the
lazer focus he brought to 35 years
with the Keizer Fire District.
PHOTO/Courtesy of Keizer Fire District
PHOTO/Lyndon Zaitz
Tim Coburn is immortalized on the mural on the north side of The Rec, at 3500 River Road N.