PAGE 2 WARM SPRINGS, OREGON MAY 13, 1977
Fireman Of The Year Takes Service in Stride
Ever since he came to
Warm Springs eight years ago,
John Roelofs has been fighting
fires on a regular basis. It is
his outstanding record for
“turn-out” that won him the
distinction of Fireman of the
Year.
A trophy was presented to
Roelofs by Fire Chief Jack
Fiala on Monday May 9, short
ly before Fire Service Recog
nition Day (May 14). That day
has been set aside as an
international observance of the
fire fighting and prevention
services provided by paid and
volunteer personnel for their
' communities.
Roelofs is a volunteer fire
man as are all 17 members of
the Warm Springs Fire Depart
ment. Living right in the cam
pus area allows him to respond
quickly and automatically to
all calls. John doesn’t think
about the commitment or the
time involved.
“It gets to be such a habit
that when the alarm goes off
Fireman of the Year Johi^toeiof^aoe^^naintenance check of the pump valves onaWaym
Springs fire engine. As a volunteer, fireman Roelofs has responded regularly to calls thus earning
Day May 14. CDS
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hnnnr which was bestowed on him shortly before Fire Service Recognition
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the honor
CDS Photo
Council Men Take Oaths, con’t.
members of the “flak” they
might receive and said, “You
made promises in the paper
and people are going to hold
you to it.”
Jacob Frank repeated his
newspaper pledge to do his
best to build on the “solid
foundation” that has been pro
vided by elders.
Nelson Wallulatum stated
that the work of a councilman
is not just in the Tribal Council
room but it’s also out among
the people who must be talked
with “soul to soul.”
Chairman Greene remark
ed, “New members will look
towards guidance from the old
members to bring us up to
date on a lot of things.”
Just such an update was
provided' later that day by Ken
Smith. He reviewed the de
velopment projects currently
being worked on, including
housing, the jail, a nursing
home, an early childhood cen
ter, a water system for the
Simnasho-Schoolie area and an
alchohol treatment center. Also
being considered are a shop
ping center, industrial park,
irrigation system and Kah-Nee-
Ta improvements.
Smith clarified the proper
decision-making
structure
which begins with ideas and
needs originated by Tribal
members followed by Tribal
council action and manage
ment implementation. The
actual model which has come
to be practiced is often just the
reverse and must be restored
to its ideal flow, said Smith.
The PGE arbitration was
reviewed, as was the issue of
timber management. Other on
going concerns that were
raised were water rights, the
proper relationship between the
Tribal Council and Warm
Springs Forest Products In
dustries, reorganization of the
Affiliated Tribes of the North
west, the Tribal budget pro
cess, and composition of com
mittees.
Committees expire June 30
and new appointments will be
made during the next month.
The Council is currently
sorting through Tribal resolu
tions and ordinances in an
effort to consolidate as well as
update the Tribes’ policies and
procedures.
you drop whatever you’re do
ing and go,” he said.
But when pressed he ad
mits it’s really not as simple
as just dressing and jumping
on the truck.
There are many hours of
training and drilling for the
firemen. They learn the princi
ples of using equipment and
approaching a fire in courses
offered by Central Oregon
Community College and the
Central Oregon Fireman’s As
sociation. Fire drills conducted
in Warm Springs serve to
reinforce this training.
Being a fireman also in
volves a bit of hardship, which
John doesn’t readily admit to.
He does observe that it “takes
a long time to relax after a
fire—you get all keyed up.”
The emotional and physical
strain of fighting fires, espec
ially when lives are endan
gered or lost, can be challeng
ing.
“You have to be dedicated
to doing a good job,” says
Roelofs. Strength is secondary
to dedication, although “it
helps if you’re stout.” Whip
ping hoses can knock over the
biggest guys and 5’ 11” 165 lbs.
Roelofs has had to be propped
up occasionally. But the great
est effort is to stay with a fire
Fellow fireman Dave Will
iams, who received the fire
man of the year award last
year, said, “John’s one who,
when you go into a burning
house with the Scott Air Pack
on, you can depend on him.
He’ll stop you if there’s dan
ger. He can size things up and
protect you.”
John Roelofs’ dedication
and consistency will be counted
on increasingly as the grass
fires of summer approach—an
annual problem that will be
accented by the drought condi
tions.
High School Has
New Community Liaison
THANK
YOU
I would like to express my
thanks to all those people who
came to Andrew and Edna
David’s home to celebrate my
dad’s birthday and an early
Mother’s Day. It was a great
day for my folks and I appre
ciate the help that made it
possible.
Thanks to everyone who
brought food, especially Linda
Fuller who made a cake de
corated with Celilo Falls.
I’d like to thank my sisters
and Della Estimo for all their
help in the kitchen through the
weekend.
Thanks to Rehab for sup
plying us with tables and ben
ches.
Very special thanks to
Billy Jo Clement who wrote a
beautiful poem about Celilo
which we shall frame and keep
forever; and to the Full Gospel
Choir who came with their
guitars and sang for everyone.
Everything went perfectly
and my parents will always
remember the weekend.
Warm Springs .resident An
na Hurtado will spend the last
three weeks of school getting
to know teachers and students
so she won’t be a stranger
next fall. Mrs. Hurtado has
been hired as the Community
Liaison for Indian students at
Madras High School, a Title IV
Part A funded position that has
been vacant for several weeks.
The mother of five kids
ages 10 through 18, Mrs. Hur
tado has been a teacher’s aide
at the Warm Springs Grade
School for four years, although
teenagers are obviously nothing
new to her. She is looking
forward to working with that
age group, saying, “It’s going
Lucinda Green to be fantastic. More parents
should get involved with their
teenagers.”
Parenting
Workshop Upcoming
A workshop entitled “Posi
tive Parenting: Breaking the
Chains That Bind” will be
conducted at the Warm Springs
Community Center June 16-17,
1977. Leading the 2-day session
will be Michael C. Giammatteo
of the Sylvan Institute. The
author, consultant and marr
iage and family counselor is
\ ell known for his self-develop
ment workshops.
even when it’s obviously a
total loss, says Roelofs.
When John isn’t fighting
fires he is the Timber Sales
Administrator for the BIA. The
34 year old single man enjoys
reading, refinishing and an
tiquing furniture, photograph
ing wildflowers and playing
parent to a tankful of tropical
fish. One might not suspect
that a firefighter lurked be
neath this quiet exterior.
About Roelofs’ award, Jack
Fiala commented, “In a little
fire department like this you
never know who you’re going
to get on a call. John’s been
really consistent and he’s a
good man on the fire.”
Sponsored by the Title IV
committee, the workshop is
open to anyone with an interest
in parenting. There will be a
$20 fee for non-Tribal mem
bers. Two lunches and a dinner
will be provided.
For more information
watch Spilyay or call Marie
Calica (475-3405) or Delson
Suppah (553-1612).
She believes there is much
to be learned from adolescents
if you only spend the time. She
has a refreshing attitude:
“What can teenagers offer me,
rather than how can I change
them?”
The new community liaison
will be encouraging students to
stay , in school and continue
their “education. “They need a
lot of help and understanding,”
she said, referring to some of
the problems Indian students
face in public school. This un
derstanding must corne not
only from her and the school,
but also from the parents.
Mrs. Hurtado will be the
communication link between
the school and the students’
parents. She points out that
this communication need not
revolve around negative as
pects of the students’ perfor
mance. “I would like to con
tact parents and let them know
about the positive things their
kids are doing,” she remarked.
Within the school, Anna
will be involved in Indian Club
and will help ease the burden
she sees resting on the should
ers of counselor Mike Cle
ments, Principal Stan Dmytryk
and Vice Principal John Tru
jillo.
Mrs. Hurtado says she is
“looking forward to meeting
the families individually and
getting to know their child
ren.” She encourages people to
call her at the school (475-
3888) or at home (553-1614).