A6 THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2021
Warm Springs
Continued from A1
Having served as a sergeant
in the U.S. Marine Corps and
later as an EMT and fire chief
on the reservation, Martinez
was prepared to deal with the
hurdles that threatened his
community. But the past 12
months brought difficulties for
which he had never trained.
There was a global pandemic,
but also hardships on a mi-
cro-level — from the loss of
elders who keep the Warm
Springs traditions alive to the
struggle to provide fresh water
for his people.
And there was personal loss
too.
“The challenges were mul-
tiple things. They were unbe-
lievable challenges. I wasn’t
prepared for what took place in
2020,” he said.
Dedicated to his community
Martinez was raised in Sa-
linas, California by his father.
His mother was from Warm
Springs and he only became
acquainted with her later in
life to get her help in joining
the military, a plan that his fa-
ther did not approve. At 17, he
joined the armed forces and
became a sharpshooter, serv-
ing four years in the military
in Japan, Korea, Thailand, and
Vietnam, mainly guarding U.S.
embassies.
He returned to the U.S. in
1974 and eventually settled in
Warm Springs where he met
his wife and raised four chil-
dren. He was welcomed back
to the community and felt safe
there, unlike other parts of the
U.S., where he was subjected to
verbal abuse by anti-Vietnam
War protestors.
Martinez says he was mo-
tivated to a life of community
service after spending time
in the military. He served his
country dutifully but objected
to the idea of going overseas to
fight an unknown enemy and
wanted to dedicate the rest of
his life to helping others.
For the past three years, one
of his biggest challenges has
been providing emergency
supplies of water to Warm
Springs residents following the
frequent water failures on the
reservation.
When the water is unsafe
to drink, Martinez and his
emergency management team
stock and operate a water dis-
tribution center on the Warm
Springs campus. Flint Scott, a
tribal member and staff mem-
ber on the emergency manage-
ment team, said Martinez in-
spires others to do a better job.
“Danny comes in every day
dressed really sharp. He is al-
ways on his best game,” said
Scott, 43. “He is always there
way before anyone else and
always there to guide us in ev-
erything we do. He is just an
amazing guy.”
The management team dis-
tributed around 800,000 gal-
lons of water to the public last
year alone, lifting heavy jugs
of water to cars and homes.
The team also bagged and dis-
tributed food packets for the
elderly and immunocompro-
mised individuals who were
quarantined at home during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He helps the homeless,” said
Scott of Martinez. “He says we
are all the same and equal, de-
spite money and status.”
Helping the tribes
COVID-19 has dealt the
Continued from A5
The legislation comes on the heels
of other calls for action. In August, a
citizens group of 70 teachers, nurses,
water managers, foresters and other
Oregon residents announced plans
to introduce a ballot initiative, cur-
rently in draft form, that calls for the
restoration of timber taxation and in-
creased protections for forest streams.
The same month, Brown requested
N
E
P
O AY
TOD – 6
10
Dean Guernsey/The Bulletin
Danny Martinez, emergency manager for the Warm Springs Indian
Reservation, second from right, works with his team in the food bank
that serves locals in need.
tribes a hard blow on numer-
ous occasions, said Martinez,
particularly the loss of many
elders who are the keepers of
native traditions, culture and
language.
“The impact of just one
alone saddens the commu-
nity but I think we are up to 20
now. It’s just devastating,” said
Martinez, who has served as
the tribes’ emergency manager
since 2014. “It has been a big
loss for our community.”
As multiple members of the
tribes passed away, Martinez
had to urge families to follow
COVID-19 rules that banned
the traditional three days of
grieving. As the pandemic hit
hard on the reservation, local
authorities banned extended
family gatherings.
“Families are upset because
they want to go out to the long-
house, but we won’t allow them
because of COVID rules,” said
Martinez. “I tell people they
can’t do funerals in a tradi-
tional way. That has caused a
lot of resentment.”
Martinez pressed on
through it all with a gentle
an audit of Oregon Forest Resources
Institute. The governor’s office said
the audit was “necessary to bring
transparency to whether OFRI con-
ducts its mission in keeping with its
statutory authority, including the clear
prohibition on OFRI influencing, or
attempting to influence state policy.”
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Of-
fice, which is conducting the audit,
has said it does not expect to complete
smile and generous spirit.
“Despite seeing so many
horrible things as an EMT and
a Marine he is able to set that
aside and be professional and
supportive,” said Scott, who has
known Martinez since he was a
teen. “He’s always smiling and
trying his best to have a great
day even when he is going into
a negative environment. That’s
his motto — if you can get a
positive result when going into
a negative situation that is a
win.”
Martinez maintained his
composure throughout the
summer, even helping out
with fire management when
the Lionshead Fire and other
wildfires tore across the reser-
vation.
But at times, the challenges
were overwhelming.
“There were a lot of issues.
We had a major fire season
and you add the smoke, the air
quality issues, and you throw
COVID-19 on top of that, it’s
a wonder we are all still alive,”
said Martinez. “Not to exagger-
ate but it was some challenging
times.”
its work until the summer, leaving
the possibility that the findings may
not be released until after the legisla-
tive session has wrapped up. But law-
makers are considering two bills that
would eliminate Oregon Forest Re-
sources Institute, and could act more
quickly.
“I was appalled by reports of how
the Oregon Forest Resources Insti-
tute worked to discredit legitimate
Personal loss
But nothing could have
prepared him for the personal
tragedy that upended his own
life in August.
Martinez hadn’t heard
from his son, Jacques, for a
few weeks and he couldn’t be
reached. Jacques Martinez,
who had previously served
with the Warm Springs Hot
Shots elite firefighting crew,
had been living in Las Vegas.
When he couldn’t be reached
the family put out a missing
persons report.
Las Vegas Police contacted
the family with unfortunate
news. Jacques Martinez, 47,
had died from COVID-19. His
body was in the local morgue.
“Here I am at work and I
get a call about my son,” said
Martinez. “It was devastating.
It just puts the brakes on your
whole system.”
In the midst of the pan-
demic, with wildfires raging
across the reservation, Marti-
nez set about bringing his son
home for burial. That proved
to be an exasperating experi-
ence.
He spoke with the airlines
but COVID-19 restrictions
prevented him from getting his
son on a plane.
Instead, Martinez flew home
his younger son, Joseph, who
was working on fire crews bat-
tling wildfires in California.
The two of them drove to Las
Vegas in a pickup truck. Once
there, Danny and Joseph Mar-
tinez loaded the casket onto
the truck and drove 900 miles
back to Warm Springs.
“It was a challenge with the
restrictions,” said Martinez. “It
was a challenge I never wish on
anyone trying to get their loved
one home after they passed
away outside their state or
community.”
Once in Oregon, Martinez
brought his son straight to the
funeral home and then to the
cemetery in Warm Springs.
Jacques Martinez was laid to
rest next to his older brother,
Joel, who died in 1999, and his
mother Urbana Ross, who died
in 2018.
“In normal times we would
have spent three days honor-
ing his life,” said Martinez. “We
would have buried him in full
Warm Springs regalia.”
Dealing with loss
Martinez said he has trou-
ble understanding the random
nature of the virus that causes
COVID-19, which can kill one
person and leave the next as-
ymptomatic. Some people get
it and others don’t. Some die,
others live.
“I have been at work every
day, including holidays and
weekends, giving out food and
water to folks in quarantine,”
said Martinez. “I don’t know
how I’ve managed (not to get
it) with all the contacts. But
that is just the way it is.”
While 2020 had its unbeliev-
able run of hardships, Marti-
nez is approaching 2021 with
optimism and that science and
a new leadership in Washing-
ton, D.C. will bring better days.
For himself, Martinez just
wants to continue to serve his
community.
“It’s my responsibility to do
the very best I can in my job
and if I don’t then shame on
me,” said Martinez. “But I feel
optimistic that we are doing
our very best to serve our com-
munity.”
e e
Reporter: 541-617-7818,
mkohn@bendbulletin.com
ture will take the opportunity to learn
more about OFRI’s work and the peo-
ple we serve as it considers legislation
during the current session,” she said.
Sara Duncan, spokesperson for the
Oregon Forest & Industries Coun-
cil, the state’s largest timber lobbying
group, said officials were still evaluat-
ing bills that propose the elimination
of the Oregon Forest Resources Insti-
tute and had no comment on them.
scientific research to combat climate
change. I expect there will be a thor-
ough vetting of these bills,” House
Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, said
in a statement.
Erin Isselmann, the Oregon Forest
Resources Institute’s executive direc-
tor, said her agency serves the public,
teachers, students and landowners
through forestry education programs.
“We expect the Oregon Legisla-
BIG G
DAY S AME
A
STORE VINGS
WIDE!
YEAR-END SAVINGS UP TO
60
6
OFF
F
STOREWIDE!
%
FREE
*
O PAL O FFICE
C HAIR
STATE
W
DELIVE IDE
RY**
O PAL M EDIUM L EG
C OMFORT S IGNATURE
B ASE
AVAILABLE IN BLACK & GREY
$
1999
$
1599
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
W HY P AY $3299
W HY P AY $3299
M EDIUM R UBY L EG
C OMFORT S IGNATURE B ASE
$
L
ADDITIO R N S A
COLO
AVAILABLE
800
N
CHAI EW
RS!
O PAL C HAIR &
O TTOMAN
PALOMA BLACK
$
2199
2099
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
W HY P AY $3999
W HY P AY $3599
LARGEST SELECTION OF STRESSLESS CHAIRS IN THE NORTHWEST!
Benchmaster
#0739900
B LACK , R UBY OR T AUPE
#0751300
B LACK , R UBY OR T AUPE
NEW !
E
STYL
#0743800
B LACK , J AVA OR R UBY
$
$
60
295
$
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
60
495
655 60
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
A FTER ALL DISCOUNTS
NEW
OVER 650
CHAIRS!
www.mjacobsfurniture.com
541-382-5900
FREE STATEWIDE
DELIVERY **
Bend River Promenade
*60% Off “Why Pay” pricing. **On purchases over $999.