10th Mountain Scout: Stephen Louis Paparich

By Liv Stecker

Louie Paparich graduated high school in Northport, Washington in 1942, a few months after the United States had joined the war effort in response to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Immediately following graduation, Louie took a job on the southern end of Lake Pend Orielle for a contractor building submarines at Farragut Naval Training Station, the recently established and second largest submarine training center in the United States at the time. It was during his time in Idaho that Louie heard about well-paying jobs constructing the Alaska-Canada highway from Alaska territory to the lower 48 states. Setting out from Seattle on a barge, 18 year old Paparich made his way to Skagway Alaska and then to Teslin in the Yukon Territory.

In late 1942, construction of the Alcan Highway was considered part of the war effort, and young Louie met a military service member serving on an army road engineering crew who asked Louie if he had registered with the selective service. Born and raised in Northport, Stephen Louis Paparich had never heard of the selective service or the consequences of not registering. Realizing that he would have more flexibility if he enlisted rather than wait for the draft, Louie hopped on a sternwheeler ship from Whitehorse to Dawson City where he bought an 18 foot boat for $5 so he could travel quickly to Fairbanks to register for the draft. Somewhere along the way, Paparich adopted a dog that crossed his path, and made his way 255 miles down the Yukon river, stopping at villages along the way to get directions and supplies. 

During a stop at the confluence of the Nation River with the Yukon, Louie ran across an old miner named Tom Phillips who had lived in the area since 1889 and was gravely ill. His companion begged the teenage Louie to take the sick man to Fairbanks for medical help in his $5 boat, but Louie instead left some of his provisions with the men and went ahead to send a floatplane back for the sick prospector, always wondering if the old man had survived. The float plane eventually got to Tom Phillips but they were unsuccessful in getting him to Fairbanks that way. He was moved by riverboat but died shortly afterward. 

Paparich found an army recruiter in Fairbanks where he quickly signed up for the draft. Fully expecting to be immediately deployed, Louie looked forward to the warm beaches of the South Pacific, away from the cold Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The recruiter, however, saw Louie as a candidate for a different mission. After a few questions, Louie had disclosed his experience as a skier and horseman, building skis in the rural Northport area and learning to ski on the nearby hills and working as a ranch hand in the summer. The recruiter filed away all of Louie’s information but told him that his work on the highway was needed for the war effort and directed him back to Teslin to continue his work with the civilian construction crew. Louie spent a month’s worth of wages to book a flight on a Ford Tri-motor plane back to Teslin and his old job driving trucks. Louie loved Alaska and wrote to family at home that he hated the thought of ever leaving the North. 

Paparich worked on the Alcan highway until the spring of 1943, when the army finally sent him to first basic training at Camp Roberts in California and then Fort Hale in Colorado, where the newly formed 10th Mountain Division was training the Light Infantry and one of the last mounted cavalry units for mountain warfare in the frigid and harsh climate of the European war theater. The mountaineering troops drilled on skis, snowshoes and horseback, honing survival and combat skills up against the backdrop of the rugged Colorado mountains. After several months at high elevation, the unit was moved complete with 180 head of horses to Fort Swift in Texas where they were trained and acclimatized for low elevation and high temperatures for several months. Exposed to the extremes of weather and terrain conditions, the 10th Mountain was ready for anything. 

During his training in Texas, Louie Paparich was joined briefly by his high school sweetheart, Kay Lael, a young girl with a sweet southern drawl from North Carolina who had moved to Northport with her family a few years earlier and fallen head over heels for the farm boy down the road. They were married in the chapel at Fort Swift and then Kay went back to North Carolina to live with family and wait out the war while Louie prepared to ship off. 

Louie, like many in his unit, had never been to sea before the troop crossing that winter, and to avoid the crowded bunks of seasick soldiers he found a place to sleep in the beams of the ship high above the head, where the air was fresh and the bunks weren’t stacked like sardines in a can. He never got caught in his unauthorized berth, and so Louie didn’t mind the trip as much as some others. 

It was January of 1945 when the 10th Mountain Division entered combat in the North Apennine Mountains in Italy. They were tasked with taking the five mile ridge of Mount Belvedere from the controlling German troops, and the first obstacle they faced was a 1,500 foot vertical ascent up the western stronghold, known to the Americans as Riva Ridge. The German’s were confident that the sheer face couldn’t be scaled and had minimal patrols in place, but the 10th Mountain rigged rope ladders in the night and surprised German forces, breaking through the line and taking Mount Belvedere after three days of intense fighting. 

Serving in the 10th Mountain Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Louie raised his hand when they asked for scouting volunteers. Although he didn’t know what he was signing up for, Louie made an excellent scout as he spoke Italian and his years hunting in the woods of Northeastern Washington made him adept in the Italian forests, although Louie would never have touted his valuable skill set, being above all things a humble man. Rose Paparich-Kalamarides says that her dad told her that the life expectancy of scouts were measured in minutes, rather than years, as they crept in front of their own troops to gather intelligence and report back. On one scouting mission, Louie’s partner set his rifle against a tree and left it when they crept to their next position. Knowing that a misplaced firearm was grounds for dishonorable discharge, when the scouts got back into camp Louie squirreled a rifle out of the unit commander’s tent to replace his partner’s and avoid reprimand. Neither soldier ever heard a word about the missing rifle from the officer. Louie liked to retell this story because it reminded him that outside of the reality of combat, boys will still be boys, applying mischievous ingenuity to get out of a tight spot. 

Paparich and his division continued to route the Germans out of Northern Italy, culminating in the final battle for the 10th Mountain at the Po River, where German Troops faced off against the Americans who crossed the river at Lake Garda and cut off the last escape route for Hitler’s army. Louie says that some of the bravest soldiers he saw in battle were the engineers who were laying temporary bridges across the water under heavy mortar fire while the rest of the unit sheltered in foxholes on the opposite side of the river. Louie lay flat on the ground near a foxhole, imploring the guys in it to make room for him only moments before a mortar landed square in the trench and killed all of the men crowded there. Louie’s daughter Rose says that her father said a Rosary for the men in that foxhole every day for the rest of his life. 

It wasn’t until Louie was dying of cancer that he began to open up about his experiences in the war to his children. At the urging of his daughter Rose, he related many anecdotes before his passing in March of 2000 at the age of 75. In addition to the stories he related, he left behind letters that he scrawled to his family at home, in the barely legible handwriting of a right-hand compelled southpaw. As time went on, Louie was able to talk about the horrors that he had seen as well as the humanity that he witnessed during his time with the army. After the battle of Mt. Belvedere, the plethera of German prisoners of war dictated the need for the digging of more latrines. As Louie supervised the POW soldiers digging, he witnessed the terror of some Germans and he realized that they thought they were digging their own graves. Once, when searching a German POW for weapons he found a beautiful pocket watch that had belonged to the man’s grandfather. Louie graciously returned it to the German soldier, telling his daughter later that the prisoners that he saw were guys that looked just like him. 

The bloody but successful campaign at the Po River transpired two days before fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was executed in a small Italian village and then hung by his feet in a public square in Milan in a retaliatory move by local communist forces. As Louie Paparich and the 10th Mountain Division marched back to their ship through Milan, he endured the gruesome sight of the deposed dictator and his mistress, swinging from the beams of a service station. Louie, like many of the soldiers he served with, bore witness to atrocities committed by enemy and even some friendly troops as the dehumanizing effect of the war ate away at moral standards. Later in life Louie would admonish his children and grandchildren about the horrors of war and would be strongly opposed to the military action in Vietnam and later engagements, like so many of his comrades in arms. 

The troops left Italy in the summer of 1945, destined for the planned invasion of Japan which was circumvented by Japan’s surrender in August of that year. The ship changed course and returned home, where Louie collected his young wife Kay and settled back in Northport where their first three children were born before they used the money he saved from his highway construction work to buy a large farm just outside of town. They had three more children while living on the farm and Louie and Kay went on to become pillars in the small community. Louie was the head of American Legion Post #158 in Northport for 50 years. Stephen Louis Paparich received two bronze stars on his discharge in November of 1945 after just over two years of service. 

Heroes and Horses

By Liv Stecker


Pete Ansaldo came to the United States from Italy in 1900, where he carved out a hard living in the mines in Butte Montana for a couple of years until he had the money to bring his wife and two daughters to America. They joined him, and shortly after in 1903, Pete left the dark mines to build a homestead in the rolling hills outside of the bustling mining town of Northport. With one Hereford bull named Curly, the formerly nameless hill overlooking the Columbia River was dubbed Bull Hill, and Pete, Curly, and his family worked to build a profitable ranch. They were joined in 1921 by a family friend from the old Country, Minot Guglielmino, who married Pete’s daughter Kate after working in the Lead Point Mine outside of Northport for awhile. Minot and Pete raised cattle on the sweeping land along the river while Minot and Kate’s only son, Don grew up in the barn that still stands on Bull Hill today. Don later married Kassie and they raised six children at Bull Hill, Jeanne, Susan, Don, Pete, Tom and Joe.

In 1981, Pete Guglielmino graduated from Eastern Washington University and returned to the family homestead at Bull Hill. He started offering guided hunts to friends while he took up the family trade of cattle ranching. In 1995, along with his brother Don, Pete launched Bull Hill Guest Ranch, to accommodate the growing demand for guided hunts and dude-ranch vacations that he was encountering. With ten horses, two wranglers and one cook, the ranch was soon busy from spring through fall, as visitors from up and down the northwest corridor caught wind of what was happening up at Bull Hill.


The guest ranch grew and expanded from the old barn and a few tents to a fully equipped cookhouse, guest cabins, and new barns. Rambling over a total of 50 thousand acres, both owned and leased, the endless hills and woods drew guests back to the ranch again and again. Pete, his wife Patsy, their children and several other family members came along over the years to help develop Bull Hill into the gathering place that it has become. “It’s always a battle to get people here for the first time,” says Tucker Guglielmino, Pete’s oldest son and the marketing director for Bull Hill, “because most people haven’t heard of Kettle Falls or Northport. But if we get them here once, we have no trouble getting them to come back.” Bull Hill specializes in making guests feel like part of the big extended family that operates the ranch. “We want people to feel like this is their spot.” Tucker adds, where they are known by name and can bring their friends for the same attention to detail. The wranglers get to know each guest and fit them to the right horse, making each visit personalized and memorable.

Near the turn of the millennium, one of Pete’s friends from college mentioned that the Navy SEAL teams were doing site surveys for a new rural sniper training range. Pete threw Bull Hill into the list of options and the Navy sent a helicopter and survey team out to check it out. The SEALs liked what they saw, and when Bull Hill underbid the competition nationwide, they were on board. Since then, SEAL teams have trained in the woods at Bull Hill twice a year, in the spring and fall, developing training curriculum that utilizes the best and most rugged landscape that northern Stevens County has to offer.


This year, Navy SEALs who participated in the very first training at Bull Hill came back as instructors. Tucker says that the contract gets renewed because Bull Hill offers something that you can’t find elsewhere. The SEALs often perform their training at Bull Hill immediately before deployment in the fall, and coming into the cookhouse at the end of the day they mingle with the Guglielminos and feel like a part of the American Dream. “They see the family and remember a little bit what they’re fighting for.” Tucker says. The sprawling ranch and the small town vibe where everybody knows your name is what it’s all about.


In 2015, Bull Hill was visited by a former Army Ranger who was looking for a place to host civilian long range shooting competitions. The guest ranch fit the bill perfectly and Dan Litzenberger, together with Pete and Patsy’s son Tucker Guglielmino created Bull Hill Training Ranch, and hosted a competition shootout in August of 2016 that was in support of the Darby Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the successful transition of Army Rangers to civilian life after service in the military. The shootout was a success, registration sold out and both professional and amateur shooters from all over the region and country, as well as corporate sponsors, came together for a weekend of fun and camaraderie to benefit an amazing cause.

Dan and Tucker are looking forward to hosting another competitive shoot at the ranch this spring, to benefit the foundation Freedom Has a Face, a non-profit committed to keeping the memory of fallen heroes alive in the support of their families and filling the gaps they left behind at home. These competitions as well as other events promise to be an ongoing benefit to both veterans and civilians alike as it provides a relaxing escape from the day to day for visitors and participants.

Pete and Patsy, along with their sons Tucker and Hunter continue to run Bull Hill with the help of Pete’s brother Joe, nephew Brent and a small army of local friends and family. Now armed with five full time wranglers, up to five cooks in the peak season, a full cleaning staff and office manager, the ranch books reservations years in advance for hunting season and families from the west side of the state looking for a rural get away that offers the complete experience. For more information about Bull Hill, check out their website BullHillGuestRanch.com or BullHillTrainingRanch.com. 

Landowner publishes story of Marble Valley Fire

By Liv Stecker

As landowners in rural Stevens County, Carolyn and Jim Williams experienced first hand the tragic effects of wildfire when the flames raced through more than 100 acres of their property during the Marble Valley Fire in 2015. The lightning caused fire was one of several in the tri-county area that tore through the countryside over a short period of time. While residents in the Arden area raced to save their homes and valuable property, firefighting resources were stretched thin on the Carpenter Road, Gold Hill, Stickpin, Renner Lake, and the Graves Mountain Fire, creating a patchwork of smoke over Northeastern Washington. One resident died from heart failure in the fight to save his land on the Carpenter Road Fire, and many other local people faced grave losses.

For the Williams, the Marble Valley fire hit much closer to home than any of us would care to imagine, and the lessons learned by both private landowners and firefighting agencies in 2015 are still unfolding. Carolyn Williams wanted to make sure that her grandchildren would remember both the real danger of fire season, but how to be prepared and what recovery from the devastating effects of fire looks like. In her self-published book titled The Marble Valley Fire in Arden, Williams chronicles the events of the fire, as she drove home from Spokane to find her husband battling frantically to save their property, and the experience of watching their entire neighborhood ravaged by the flame front. “I wanted something for my grandchildren to not forget - for them to know what to do during a fire, the danger, and what to do with the timber after.” Williams explains.

For many local property owners, the tragic fire season of 2015 was life altering and Williams offers a first hand glimpse into this experience from the perspective of a landowner and long time Stevens County resident. Many local volunteer fire departments are still recovering from the toll that the summer of 2015 exacted on their equipment and personnel. New training is in place, and new programs sponsored by the state and federal government to boost preparedness levels for such events, as we saw resources statewide tapped out and unable to cover all of the new fire starts.

Using a collection of images from the fire and the recovery, Williams published her book using mypublisher.com, and has made copies available for sale at Coffee & Books in Town Center at 298 S. Main in Colville. There is also a CD with more images of the heavy equipment and logging operations during the recovery period after the fire.

Not your average murder mystery: Dead Before Dying

By Liv Stecker

Leave it to local author Kerry Schafer to take paranormal to the the next level. Not content with a run-of-the-mill cast of characters, Shafer veers from the beaten path in her latest mystery: Dead Before Dying. Written after something of a dare from her friend, the author introduces us to Maureen Keslyn, a spunky, if perhaps past-her-prime FBI agent who give a whole new meaning to “coming of age”. Wounded on duty, Keslyn finds an unlikely place to recuperate after her personal life after turns upside down, in a retirement home for the well to do - or maybe the ne’er do well…

On an undercover assignment, Keslyn soon finds herself entangled in a bigger struggle between the natural and supernatural than she bargained for. Replete with geriatric vampires, a small community with dark secrets and ties to her past that are more complex than she realized, the heroine is up against tougher and more unusual villains than she has faced in her somewhat unusual FBI experience.

Schafer breathes new life into the retirement setting, reminding her audience that there is life and passion beyond the memories of an aging generation, and perhaps even after death. Wildly imaginative, Dead Before Dying introduces a spectrum of paranormal activity even more varied than the dragons, time travelers and a magical penguin from her first trilogy, The Books of the Between. In addition to the supernatural characters, Maureen Keslyn finds allies in a sharp local sheriff, a useful veteran, and an otherworldly undertaker’s daughter.

An unexpectedly delightful glimpse at what goes on behind the closed doors of a sleepy little town, Schafer winds her story through secret passageways, top secret government experiments and a dark plot masquerading behind a religious front. As always, Schafer blends local references into the storyline, using her broad experience as a nurse and her psychology background as a storytelling platform.

Maureen Keslyn and her story open a whole new avenue of adventure and intruige that came as something of a surprise even to Schafer herself, as the character launches what readers can only hope will be the first of many supernatural adventures. Who says retirement is boring?

Get Dead Before Dying on Amazon in digital or printed format, or Barnes and Noble in Spokane.

https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Before-Dying-Kerry-Schafer/dp/1626819289

Rice Christian Fellowship celebrates 104 years

By Liv Stecker

Tucked just off of Washington State Highway 25 about 20 miles south of Kettle Falls, Rice Christian Fellowship sits perched on the side of Pleasant Valley road, the quintessential little white country church, beckoning to friends and neighbors. The gently rolling hills to either side of the church building create a natural haven from the sometimes rough elements of weather in North Eastern Washington, much like the little community church has offered shelter to members and visitors from the hustle and bustle of daily life for 104 years.

In November of 1912, construction began on the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, founded by the descendents of the hardy settlers of Rice and the surrounding area. It was a ten day tent revival in the fall of 1912 that spurred the community to action, inspiring neighbors to join together to build a place of worship. Dedicated on October 19 of 1913, the new church was constructed on four acres referred to as “Sparks/Covington Corners”, donated by neighboring property owners W.A. Covington and A.J. Sparks, descendants of whom still live in the area and attended the church for several generations. The 32X50 church was constructed entirely by volunteers and with donated materials. It included a “full basement for Sunday School work”, which was originally only accessible from an outside stairway. By the end of November of 1913, the building was fully operational and being put to use regularly, with a Sunday School enrollment of 74 students.

Official minutes from the church business meetings, meticulously detailed in elegant spencerian script, document a flourishing congregation until 1919. After than point, documentation of the church history was lost for intervals as the church became for sometime a Sunday School meeting house when they lacked a formal pastor. In 1974 the name was changed to Rice Community Church, and a few years later the congregational affiliation with the Washington Baptist Convention was dissolved when the congregation purchased the church building and grounds from them for $1000. In 1994, Pleasant Valley Bible Church and Rice Community Church combined forces and under the pastoral care of Reverend DJ Follett, which continued until 1999.

At the turn of the new millennium, there was still no indoor restroom or running water at the church building, and a group of motivated leaders came from nearby Addy New Life Christian Center to help rebuild the church community in Rice and add these improvements. The leadership team also worked at expanding church membership by hosting community events, potlucks, bible studies, Vacation Bible School and other projects. The name was changed once again to Rice Christian Fellowship, and for a few years the congregation flourished without a formal pastor, developing intimate sunday school, prayer and bible study groups.

Over the years, Rice Christian Fellowship has seen the ebb and flow of attendance as families come and go from the the rural community, maintaining a congregation averaging 40-50 people over the 104 year history. As with many small churches, the growing pains that a digital era brings in, as well as the challenges of finding pastors called to remote rural locations have not gone unfelt in Rice. Through denominational changes, national crises, wars and tribulations, the church has remained with open doors and open hearts, receiving visitors and members from all walks of life, regardless of the congregation size or financial status from year to year.

Now pastored by Len Tatum, the people of Rice Christian Fellowship feel the call to a “come as you are” atmosphere more strongly than ever. With a vision to build a family church for all ages and generations, Tatum says that “we are here for everybody.” Wanting to be a church that reaches out the community, they believe in making a difference and doing what needs to be done in their small community. The church is now affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America, a support network instead of a denomination, dedicated to building churches without intervening governmentally.

With a passionate worship team, dedicated board of elders and involved congregation, Pastor Len says that the 104th anniversary is a chance not only to look back, but to look ahead. “What now?” he asks, with a twinkle in his eye. Rice Christian Fellowship has big plans for the future, including rebuilding the bible study, VBS, youth group and missionary support programs that they once enjoyed.

On Saturday October 8th, Rice Christian Fellowship will host a 104th anniversary celebration, inviting all to come and see the historic church and meet the good people that inhabit it now. The celebration begins at 1:00 and there will be food, fun and fellowship. The church is located at 2370 Pleasant Valley Road in Rice, WA. They can be reached at 509-738-2346 for more information.

Navy SEAL visits Colville

By Liv Stecker

Chad Williams wasn’t the kind of guy you thought of when you thought Navy SEAL. Chad enjoyed being a California party dude and all that entailed. Whatever Chad decided to do he excelled at. When he approached his family stating that he wanted to become a Navy SEAL, he was met with very little surprise.

In an attempt to convince Chad otherwise his father got in touch with former Navy SEAL, Scott Halvenston. Chad’s father hired Halvenston to be Chad’s personal trainer for nine months; with the hopes that the grueling training would convince Chad otherwise. That tactic backfired and only seemed to cement Chad’s desire even further.

Chad continued to train under Scott Halvenston, who quickly became Chad’s close friend and mentor. Halvenston one day informed him, “I’ve never said this to anyone else I’ve trained, but you WILL become a Navy SEAL.”

Scott later reenlisted and went on to serve in Iraq. Only days before Chad was to report for military duty, he turned on the television to see the horrific images of his close friend and mentor, Scott Halvenston, being brutally murdered on the streets of Fallujah, Iraq.

Those images fresh in his mind, Chad Williams was even more certain he wanted to become a Navy SEAL; he was going to avenge Scott’s horrible death.

In case you didn’t know, a Navy SEAL isn’t a circus performing mammal with a jaunty sailor’s cap balancing a beach ball on his nose - he’s a highly trained special operations warrior who fights on SEA, Air and Land - hence the name.

Navy SEALs are the first line specialists in operations that require stealth, strategy and skill in armed and unarmed combat, as well as explosives. They are the best of the best in the Navy, the cream of the crop - tested beyond human endurance in BUD/S training for combat conditions that will exceed even those circumstances. BUD/S training has a 15% rate of successful completion. The other 85% percent wash out because they lack the either the physical acuity or, more often, the mental resilience required to persevere through unimaginable conditions.

Chad was one of the 15%, and shortly after his graduation from BUD/S, Chad served his country on the SEAL Teams for five years, completing tours of duty in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq.

It wasn’t until his first deployment that Chad finally had to come to terms with the fact that no amount of training, combat or aggression against the enemy could settle the turmoil in his soul. He found himself honed to peak condition, capable of the most dangerous undertakings in the world, wreaking havoc on opposing forces, and still unable to quench the anger and restlessness.

Becoming a Navy SEAL did not change Chad’s lifestyle. The only difference was now when he partied and would get into brawls he would win. Chad’s life was out of control. Then one night, while he was on break between missions, his parents informed him that he could no longer stay at their house.  His reckless lifestyle was taking its toll on them and they could no longer tolerate it. This complicated Chad’s plans as he had a keg hidden in his parents’ garage. Chad thought quickly, he asked to remain with his parents in the house one more evening and the next day he would attend church with them. This gave Chad a chance to remove the keg.

His parents agreed to the request and the following day Chad attended church with them; it was that day that would change his life.

Chad Williams has become very well-known having been a featured guest on Fox News Channel, CNN News Room, Anderson Cooper 360 and more. Williams is now an author and a motivational speaker.

A recent wake of interest in military special operations: Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, triggered by real life events and heroes like Chris Kyle, Marcus Lutrell and blockbuster movies like American Sniper and Lone Survivor, made Grace Evangelical Free Church curious about tapping into that energy. After learning about Chad Williams and reading his book SEAL of God the staff at Grace Evangelical Free Church immediately started doing the footwork to get Chad booked for the Fall Kick Off.

Navy SEALs may travel the world over and back, but getting one to Colville truly took an act of God. It required a fair amount of persuasion and logistical engineering, not to mention some heartfelt fundraising, to get Chad booked, but luckily, he was available.

Chad will be speaking at the Grace Evangelical Free Church Fall Kick Off Event at 851 S Miner in Colville Washington, on September 7, 2016 at 6:30 pm. This is an all age’s event, there is no charge, and nursery is available. If you have any questions please contact Grace Evangelical Free Church at (509) 684-5936.

Win-Win Firefighting: How State Fire Mobilization works

By Liv Stecker 

Fighting fire has grown more complex as human civilization continues to spread outward into the fringes of the wilderness, and homes and businesses spring up in the forests and fields. Surrounded by fuels that at one point in history would burn continuously and uninterrupted, firefighters are challenged to save residences, crops, industries and livelihoods from the natural onslaught of fire in the wild lands. Over time, national and local agencies have developed strategies for fire fighting that vary from state to state and region to region. Different fuel types call for different responses, techniques and resources. In Washington State alone, many different types of fire fuel areas are located in close proximity to one another. From heavy timber and long burning fuels, to flashy grass, sage and quick burning foliage, resources across the state are required to prepare to respond to all kinds of fires. 

As a response to the complex and tragic firestorm of 1991 in Spokane, the Washington State Fire Marshall developed a state mobilization plan to respond to incidents across the state that overwhelm local resources. The State Fire Marshall, which “is organized as a bureau within the Washington State Patrol”, according to the agency webpage, manages a roster of available resources across the state through regional resource coordinators. Fire engines of various sizes, water tenders (large capacity water trucks), and individuals with specific qualifications can be made available from fire districts and departments across the state for ordering to an incident. 

In Washington, private ownership covers almost 60% of the landscape. The remaining 40% of publicly owned lands are managed by state and federal agencies that include the Department of Natural Resources, The United States Forest Service, The Bureau of Land Management, The Bureau of Indian Affairs, The National Park Service, Washington State Parks, and many city and county agencies. Most private land in Washington State falls under a fire protection agreement with the Department of Natural Resources and is often incorporated in local county fire districts for frontline fire protection. Many city and county fire departments in Washington State, especially on the east side, are staffed exclusively by volunteers. Response times to fire emergencies can be anywhere from a few minutes to more than an hour, and even longer for DNR resources that are sprinkled throughout the state.

In light flashy fuels like agricultural fields, wheat stubble, sagebrush and grass, a wind-driven fire can travel several miles per hour. On July 30th, local residents shooting firearms on a very hot and windy day started an accidental fire in the sagebrush near Wilson Creek, several miles from Odessa. After calling 911, local firefighters were on scene within minutes. The fire had already sprawled out to more than 300 acres and was running hard, being fed by strong winds into the wheat stubble and tall grass fields that stretch on for miles. 

Even with help from all of the surrounding fire districts, the fire chief from Grant County Fire District 12 knew that under these conditions, his resources were overwhelmed as the fire jumped the county line into Lincoln County. He called for state mobilization which was approved by the State Fire Marshall late that afternoon. Immediately, available fire resources from around the state were ordered by the Resource Coordinator, including a strike team (5-7 pieces of equipment) from the Tri-county area. 

The team assembled: a water tender from Stevens County Fire District 3, a type 6 engine, also called a brush truck, from joint districts Stevens 8 & Ferry 3. Stevens County district 7 kicked in a wildland engine, and they were joined by three engines from Spokane County. This strike team was one of five that were called in to fight the fire that local Grant County and Lincoln County departments were still battling. As the forces trickled in over the course of Saturday evening, the fire chief briefed the incoming Incident Management Team that was ordered to help keep the incident organized. 

Exhausted, covered in soot and with a voice raspy from breathing smoke for hours, the chief lined out the terrain and the obstacles faced by the incoming resources. Late into the night, as the crews settled in for a few hours sleep before engaging the battle, the incident commander and other overhead worked up a plan of attack, drawing up maps, coordinating the resources at hand and setting goals. After a briefing at 6:00 AM, the Management Team and State Mobilization resources took over the fire fight and the exhausted local firefighters went home for some rest. One strike team was held back to cover a night shift so that the fire wouldn’t be unattended overnight. 

Firefighters from Arden, Colville, Northport, Kettle Falls, Orient and other locations in the Tri-county area jumped into the fray on a fire that had grown to over 16,000 acres since it began on Saturday morning. Late Sunday morning, winds picked up and the fire pushed against the lines that firefighters were scratching into the dry, dusty fields. Fire supervisors ordered in air support to help stomp out the flare up and a Single Engine Air Tanker flew in, dumping water on the hot spot. 

Fires in grass and sage grow quickly and often go out just as fast, depending on weather and terrain. Firefighters on the Black Rock Road Fire were able to use existing roads, lighting burn out fires along the edges that would creep back into the active burn, consuming fuels and leaving the wildfire nothing to burn. By Sunday night, the fire that had created a massive smoke column visible as far away as Spokane was now only throwing up a collection of dust devils, swirling through the ashes of wheat fields and sage. Firefighters “mopped up” the burn area throughout Sunday afternoon and all day Monday, making sure there were not hot spots clinging to embers that could be thrown across the line into unburned fuels by a dust devil or the wind storm predicted for Tuesday morning. 

After a full shift on Sunday and Monday, the State Mobilization resources were sent home or “demobed” (demobilized) from the assignment and the local fire districts resumed responsibility for their fire protection area. 

Resources that are ordered for strike teams in a State Mobilization are paid for their time on the fire. The fire department or district that sends a vehicle is compensated at a daily rate for the engine or tender, and qualified volunteer firefighters are paid at an hourly rate determined by the Department of Natural Resources. It’s a chance for local districts to generate some income, as well as individual firefighters, which can help offset the personal expense of volunteering time with the department. Fire districts are able to sign up apparatus and personnel for State Mobilization fire assignments based upon the availability of equipment and more importantly, qualified people to operate it. 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter and participating in State Mobilization assignments, check with the fire department or county fire district closest to you. Individuals with specific qualifications including engine boss, EMT, Strike Team Leader and more are always in need on fire assignments and at most volunteer departments. 

New Owners take on Happy’s

 

Happy’s Hallmark has been a part of the downtown shopping experience in Colville for forty years. Opened originally in 1976, Happy’s is an icon of a small town gift shop, and for many years one of the only places to get a greeting card, collect holiday ornaments or pick up a high quality gift year round for loved ones. In 1986, Carl and Eileen Bach assumed ownership of the little store on the corner and ran the shop until June of this year when they retired. 

Taunia and Brian Dechenne purchased Happy’s business from the Bachs in 2016 and are thrilled to join the local business community in the whimsical little shop. Providing the same great Hallmark products and a broad selection of gifts and decor for events ranging from retirement and graduation to baby showers, first communions and hilarious over-the-hill birthday celebrations, Happy’s has something for every family member in every stage of life. 

Long time Stevens County residents, Brian and Taunia have worked in the community for many years. Taunia pursued her dream of being a doula, assisting women in childbirth, and served the area in that capacity for nine years, far surpassing the burnout rate of two years in a stressful but rewarding job. Brian has worked at Mount Carmel Hospital for many years and previously volunteered as an EMT in the county. 

Working in retail for many years, Taunia has was a Hallmark employee in shops from 1994-1998, growing a fondness for the company as she was exposed to the quality of their products and the positive message of family celebrations. “I always wanted to be able to own my own Hallmark,” Taunia says, but the opportunity in a small town never presented itself until she heard that Carl and Eileen were planning to retire. 

Taunia had worked for the Bachs in the shop and was familiar with the business, the clientele and the other staff. At first, buying the business seemed out of reach for the Dechenne’s, but Taunia says that every reason she came up with to prevent them from taking over Happy’s was somehow resolved. “All of the excuses for why we couldn’t buy it, one got cancelled after the another.” And finally Taunia’s dream was realized when they took over Happy’s on June 16th. 

For a mom with two young kids and a husband who works as an Emergency Room technician, taking on the full time job as a store owner has been no easy task. “This is my first ‘day off’ since we took over!” She laughs. More than a month after she started, her ‘day off’ is really just a morning home with her kids before she goes to the shop. “I’m there every day, behind the scenes,” she says. “My reward for getting all of my paperwork done is getting to work out front!” Lucky for Taunia, she has a great staff of employees that came along with the business, plus a couple of new additions that she says all work together on a common mission successfully. “I have the best team ever!” she gushes, “everybody supports each other!” At this point, even the kids are on board. “The newness hasn’t worn off,” she laughs, “they’re excited about it now…” 

More than just maintaining the great tradition of Happy’s in Colville, Taunia is also bringing another big piece of Colville’s retail history to life in the gift shop as she moves Grandma Deanie’s candies into the shop. “My heart is to make this place the hub - like the pharmacy was when I was young,” a place where kids young and old come after school for a sweet treat and to meet friends. In addition to Grandma Deanie’s great candy selection, a line of specialty chocolates will be featured as well, for the more mature candy palate. The Dechenne’s are also adding a Christian Corner to the shop, where shoppers can buy Christian and religious supplies instead of traveling to Spokane to get them. 

You can visit Happy’s on the corner of Main and 1st at 170 S. Main, and check out all of the new and traditional products that they are carrying. The Dechenne’s are planning an open house in September after all of their new product is in place. From party supplies to decorative trinkets, Happy’s has brought the quality of Hallmark to Colville for generations, and continues to do so under new ownership. 

Picking and Grinning: Bluegrass Festival moves to Kettle Falls

By Liv Stecker

August 19-21, 2016, the newly initiated Crossroads stage in Happy Dell Park will host the Kettle Falls Camp and Jam Festival, an eclectic gathering of Bluegrass bands and musicians from the inland northwest. Formerly hosted in Newport, Washington, the festival has migrated west to the new outdoor venue in Happy Dell Park. In addition to a long and rousing list of bluegrass bands from around the area, the festival will also include workshops for budding local musicians throughout the weekend. 

Headlining the festival is a band out of Seattle, Jes Raymond and the Blackberry Bushes, an acoustic Americana Bluegrass band that draws on influences across the historical spectrum of bluegrass and jazz. Performances by bands including Bluestreak, The Fletcher Girls, Browns Mountain Boys, Rye River and The Willows will highlight the weekend, along with many more. Workshops for fiddle, guitar, mandolin and other instruments, as well as sound, voice and beginning musician sessions. 

The Kettle Falls Camp and Jam originated in Newport with a theme of “camping in mass with the aim of sharing and furthering acoustic music and friendship together in a family minded environment.” The three day event is filled with performances by skilled regional musicians who often stay for jam sessions and workshops with attendees. While camping is encouraged, day visitors also get to experience world class americana and bluegrass music and the jam sessions between performances. 

Saturday night, following Jes Raymond and the Blackberry Bushes, Spokane Contra Dance caller Nora Scott will be calling a contra dance for the gathering, along with the Browns Mountain Boys. Between scheduled shows, campers and performers alike can be found scattered around the village of tents, picking and grinning and jamming the weekend away. 

Utilizing the new Crossroads Stage in Kettle Falls, organizers are excited about the new location and facilities. Camping on site at Happy Dell Park is available all weekend for attendees, on a first come first serve basis. Weekend passes are $40 for individual, $80 for couple and $100 for a family pass. This includes camping. Individual day passes are $15 for Friday and $20 for Saturday - this does not include onsite camping. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Kettle Falls Camp and Jam Facebook page, or check out the website www.tricountymusic.org. 

Bingo For Blue

Saturday, August 27th at the Fort Colville Grange, the public is invited to come out in force to support long time local law enforcement officer Tim Blackman in his brave battle against cancer. Bingo for Blue begins at 5:00 PM with a spaghetti feed and is followed by a fun night of bingo, raffles, silent and live auctions and more. 

Shortly after his retirement from the Stevens County Sheriff’s Department, Tim was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, which is terminal. He has undergone surgery and chemotherapy during the last few months and between treatments he and his family are spending time camping and fishing and traveling, making the most of every moment. 

Tim served as a police officer for the city of Colville for 11 years before he joined the Stevens County Sheriff’s Department. For nearly 30 years he faithfully protected and served the citizens of Stevens County, while his wife Barb worked for the Colville National Forest and volunteered for Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance. Both retired now, they hope to spend as much quality time with friends and family as Tim is able to during his treatments, pursuing his motto of “get ‘er done.”

Bingo for Blue is a great chance for the community that Tim and Barb have served to give back to the family and make this difficult road for them a tiny bit more comfortable. Every dollar goes to help cover the costs of transportation for chemo treatments, living expenses during medical stays in Spokane, and other outlying costs that the family is facing.

There is a $5 buy in to play bingo, and opportunities to win tons of great prizes. Donations will be accepted as well and while cash is preferred at the event they will be equipped to accept credit and debit cards as well. If you can’t make it to Bingo for Blue you can drop off a donation at Key Bank at any time. 

The Fort Colville Grange is located at 157 E. Highway 20, just across from Colville High School. Spaghetti dinner starts at 5:00 PM, Bingo begins directly afters. $5 for Spaghetti dinner, $5 bingo buy in. Check out the Bingo For Blue facebook page for more information. If you are interested in donating, contact organizer Erika Boswell at 253-334-6906 or bingoforblue@yahoo.com. There is also a GoFundMe page set up for The Blackman family at https://www.gofundme.com/s2sxebhg. 

Extra! Extra! Read All About it: Silverado Express expands to second monthly edition

By Liv Stecker

Beginning in August, The Silverado Express will be expanding from one to two monthly editions in an effort to bring the community more up-to-date and consistent reporting of community events and stories. The extra edition will give us the room to cover news and information in a more timely manner. One of the ideas behind the addition to the Silverado publishing repertoire is to provide space for community contributions and submissions, as well as expanding our coverage before and after events in the area. Lending an ear to the local voice, we look forward to hearing from all perspectives in the community to bring the diversity of our corner of the Northwest to life. From the landmark accomplishments of local citizens to stories of overcoming adversity and the true grit of the spirit of the northwest, we look forward to the additional time and space to find out more about our little piece of the planet. 

The Silverado Express is welcoming story and article submissions from anyone in the community. As always, the focus of our paper will be upbeat community interest and historical stories. We love to hear about family history connected to our area, the unusual pastimes and experiences of our neighbors, and the launch of new local businesses and community undertakings. We will not run politically driven, inflammatory material or writing that is not family-friendly. Not all stories will be selected to publish, but if your submission is accepted, the Silverado Express staff reserves the right to edit all material. We would love to see stories about history, recreation and events in the Tri-county (Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry) area. We love pictures and ask for photos along with your stories. Please submit stories or articles along with photos by email only to silveradoexpress@countrychevy.com and include contact information so that we can get in touch with you if would like to use your writing. 

Ban the burn: lockdown on burning in anticipation of another dangerous fire season

By Liv Stecker 

The summers of 2014 and 2015 were landmark years in the history of wildfire in Washington state. In addition to the loss of many homes and businesses in the Central Washington area to the Carlton Complex Fire, we lost three young firefighters in the Twisp River Fire, and at least two civilian deaths have been linked to the harried evacuations that took place in Carlton and the Marble Valley Basin Fire in Stevens County. As weather conditions gradually change over time, fire behavior continues to evolve with it, challenging traditional firefighting strategies and tactics. 

Nearly two thirds of all wildfires are human caused and avoidable - many of these are from debris burning and unintentional carelessness. Seeing the dramatic effect that wildfires can have on our communities and lives have spurred local and state governments to institute burn bans and prohibit shooting and fireworks earlier in the year on state, federal, tribal and even private land. 

On June 30, 2016, Washington Commissioner of public lands, Peter Goldmark, announced a burn ban to be effective beginning Saturday, July 2nd on all state protected forest land east of the Cascade mountains. According to the Department of Natural Resources website, “The ban applies to all outdoor burning on state forests, state parks and forestlands under DNR fire protection east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains. It does not include federally owned lands such as national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges or other areas administered by federal agencies. Counties and local fire districts may have additional burn restrictions.” The ban is scheduled to extend until September 30th, a date that could be changed based on fire weather as the season progresses. 

All privately owned forested land that pays a forest fire protection assessment as part of the property tax is assigned fire protection by the Department of Natural Resources. This land is included in the burn ban. If you are uncertain whether your land falls under the fire protection of the DNR, check your country property tax statement or contact your local DNR regional office. 

The ban includes outdoor burning other than recreational fires at designated fire pits at state and municipal campgrounds. According to the website, “Fireworks and incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns, or tracer ammunition are illegal on all DNR-protected forestlands.” In addition to the burn ban, shooting ranges in high fire danger areas have been closed seasonally as well. Check with your local city and county fire districts for specific bans in your area on lands that are not protected by the state. 

On June 28th, 2016, Stevens County Sheriff Kendle Allen issued a county wide burn ban covering open burning in all unincorporated areas of Stevens County (outside of city limits). This ban does not include barbecues and recreational fires that do not exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height. All burning of vegetative waste is prohibited. The Ferry County Sheriff’s Office instituted an identical burn ban on July 1st of 2016: “Effective July 1, 2016 all open flames are prohibited in the unincorporated areas of Ferry County. This order is not intended to preclude the use of backyard barbecues, chimneys or other patio/deck warmers as long as only approved fuel is used; seasoned (clean and dry) firewood, briquettes or propane. Approved campfires at designated places in parks and campgrounds are also allowed as determined by agencies with jurisdiction. Disposal of vegetative waste in recreational fire is prohibited. This restriction is in effect immediately (July 1st) and until further notice.” 

Never leave a recreational fire unattended and always make sure your campfire is dead out - smoldering remains have rekindled with a little help from the wind and weather even days after being abandoned. Carelessly tossed cigarettes and reckless discharge of firearms and fireworks have all caused fires across the state. Think before you act and understand the devastating consequences of your choices. 

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/WildfirePrevention

http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/062816%20Burn%20Ban.pdf

Tied Together - Chewelah Chataqua and the community

By Liv Stecker

An Iroquois word that means “a bag tied in the middle” or “two moccasins tied together”, chautauqua was borrowed by American Methodists from their Native American neighbors in the late 19th century. The Chatauqua Society was formed in New York and began hosting large gatherings of people that were dedicated to the cultural, educational and spiritual enrichment of communities. Theodore Roosevelt once called the chatauqua meetings “the most American thing in America”, as throngs collected to hear lectures and teachers and entertainers of the day in large outdoor venues that would move across geographic areas to reach new audiences. Chatauqua assemblies began in 1874 and grew in vogue over the next half a century until the advent of radio and television entertainment and travel by automobile became more common place. 

In 1974, a committee of citizens in Chewelah, Washington, incorporated a non-profit group called Community Celebrations to facilitate an event to display Native American relics and artwork. The following year the group created an event they called the “Bison-tennial” to celebrate the 200th year of American Independence. The “bison-tennial” laid the groundwork at the format for the Chewelah event that has continued as a tradition for over 40 years. In 1978 the event was renamed “Chataqua”, with a spelling modification to the Native word for simplicity and pronunciation. Still focused on bringing cultural education and entertainment to the local community, Chataqua preserves the tradition started 140 years ago. 

A permanent stage was completed in Chewelah city park in the 1980s, replacing the unceremonious piano in the back of a truck that had complemented the temporary wooden platform at the first Bison-tennials. Local performers as well as acts of international renown have graced the stage, drawing thousands to the event. 

Chewelah is hosting the 2016 Chataqua from July 7-10th and featuring vendors and entertainers from all over the northwest. The Center Stage lineup includes comedian Kevin Wolfe, The Haran Dancers, The Kelly Hughes Band as the Saturday night headliner and The Sara Brown Band closing things out on Sunday afternoon. As always, the full-fledged carnival will be in operation, as well as the arts and crafts show and the best food vendors that the northwest has to offer, included Brown Boyz Hawaiian BBQ and Bombing Blue. 

It’s the Bomb...ing Blue!

By Liv Stecker

From Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, the food truck trend of recent years has introduced a taste of all ethnicities and imaginations to the masses. Large urban communities have embraced the micro-cuisine fascination as a quick and inexpensive way to enjoy a variety of tastes and cultures during the workweek on the fly. Once relegated to iffy taco trucks and the occasional elephant ear, dishes as basic as a hand-dipped corn dog and as elegant as curry-basted eggplant have become standard lunchtime fare for urban residents across the nation. 

Diners in rural areas and small towns have traditionally enjoyed the food truck culture only in the contexts of fairs and events, waiting months for annual indulgences like teriyaki noodles and German bratwurst. But for Colville, Washington residents, there is no need to travel to festivals or brave the crowds to try a flame broiled Bombing Blue Burger, a delectable Indian Taco, or a mouth watering beef brisket sandwich. Bombing Blue, Colville’s own resident food truck, opened in early May of 2016, after a long and winding road relocated them to this area from North Dakota. 

Hannah Green and her husband Ben moved to the lower 48 states from Alaska in the quest for a simpler and more stress free lifestyle. Settling in Nampa outside of Boise, Idaho, the former supervisor of custodial services for a large school district and the electrician didn’t find exactly what they were looking for. Ben took a job as an electrician in North Dakota during the oil boom and Hannah followed soon after. The Bombing Blue began when Hannah made home cooked meals for the guys working on the pipeline. With no background in foodservice, Hannah laughs. “We like to play with our food - we know what we like and the food we make is what we like to eat!” 

Soon the obvious need for commercial dining in the area drove Hannah into an entrepreneurial adventure that she hadn’t counted on - all the way to Texas where she purchased a fully equipped catering trailer that she hauled back up to North Dakota where she started experimenting with feeding hoards of hungry oil workers a few of their favorite things. At the top of the menu was the Bombing Blue burger - a delectable surprise of a hamburger, loaded with bacon, blue cheese and apricot jam. 

Bombing Blue soon established a firm fan following in the Midwest.The unique twists on classic favorites that they offered were irresistible after a long shift of hard work. Hannah named her business after the trademark burger that has earned it’s own fan club. Moving around in the Kildeer area, the Bombing Blue was a mainstay in high quality fast food. 

Hannah Green isn’t into cutting corners when it comes to the quality of the food she serves. “We spend a lot of money on product to serve a high end meal.” She says. And while Bombing Blue might not be the cheapest burger in town, the mother of four grown boys understands how to fill a belly with portion sizes that make the lankiest teenager happy. Green says running a food truck wasn’t really part of her long term plan, but feeding her crew of boys gave her the experience she needed to please a hungry crowd.

 “It’s kind of ironic because I wouldn't eat out of a food truck before,” she laughs, recounting an experience with a questionable dinner in Portland, an area famous for its quirky food truck offerings. But Bombing Blue is looking to redefine that stigma by offering top of the line food out of a sparking clean kitchen. Her standards are high, but she says she’d rather shut down then lower them to cut cost or save time, and for Hannah, time is what it’s all about. 

Leaving a barrage of stress between her job and a wave of tragedies and troubles with her extended family in Alaska, Hannah and Ben were seeking quiet days on lake front property somewhere in the Northwest. They happened to find a spot outside of Colville and are working hard to make sure they are running the business so they get the family time that they want and need.

Bombing Blue is closed on Sunday and Monday, and opens at 11 AM Tuesday-Saturday. The few breakfast items on the menu - remnants from a much more demanding schedule in North Dakota, will potentially disappear from the menu all together. Hannah says that she isn’t entirely sure what the future holds for Bombing Blue as fall approaches and different possibilities arise. 

The Greens haven’t ruled out moving into a fixed location as an option, and they have plans to do a couple more events this summer with the truck, including the Area 36 Blues and Music Festival and the Chewelah Chataqua on July 7-10. Hannah says moving the trailer to events is a major production, and often the menu they are allowed to serve is so limited that Bombing Blue isn’t being fairly represented. But it’s a good chance to meet new people and introduce them to the new burger in town. Down the road she looks forward to doing less events, and they are already mulling over what the winter season looks like for the big blue trailer. But for now, you can check out the Bombing Blue and a collection of other mouth watering offerings and daily specials at 1000 N Highway 395 or give them a call to pre-order at 684-1212. 

Making a Difference - Barb Blackman

 

By Liv Stecker

Barb Blackman enrolled in the Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance EMT class in the summer of 1989. An employee of the US Forest Service, wife and mother, Barb says that she had always wanted to do something in the medical field. She had considered nursing school but ruled it out because of the expense. She took the class under instructor Terry Gordon, and then immediately joined the SCSA crew for a volunteer career that would span almost three decades. 

Unlike many EMTs and first responders, Barb says it wasn’t the adrenaline rush and the dramatic trauma calls that attracted her to the service, “I didn’t care about the blood and guts - I cared about making a difference.” After a horrific car accident that Barb responded to early in her career that involved four critical patients when her partner suffered a seizure on scene, Barb says she has always preferred responding to medical calls and dealing with the elderly. “I just love doing it. Knowing I might make a difference in someone’s life.” She recalls holding the hand of many frightened senior citizens in their moment of crisis.

Barbara Denhert grew up on the west side of the state in the Kent area just south of Seattle. After a visit to the Colville area, Barb and her family fell in love with the place. She relocated here in 1978 and got a job with the Forest Service as an Information Technology specialist, where she remained until her retirement after 33 years with the agency. The Forest Service was flexible with Barb when she worked extra shifts on call during times that staffing was low at SCSA. “They knew if I came to work in my EMT uniform that I might run out any second,” she laughs. Most of her shifts over more than 26 years were during the night - some packed with calls from start to finish, so she’d stagger into work the next day sleepless and exhausted. 

As soon as the ambulance service offered the EMT intermediate class, Barb jumped on board, learning how to administer IVs and use a variety of life saving drugs. She served as an EMTI for a large part of her career with the ambulance. For all of the hard parts of being a volunteer EMT, including sleepless nights and long drives to remote locations only to be cancelled when the patient changed their mind, Barb says it was worth it. “It’s such a gratifying feeling - knowing you might make a difference.” She emphasizes the word might, reflecting on many calls that didn’t end in success. Even still, being there for the family members, and knowing how to help in the event of a tragedy, is enough. In fact, it’s one of the reasons she decided to take the EMT class - after her dad took a spill from a horse, and later when she witnessed a bad car wreck, Barb didn’t know what to do. Until she became an EMT. 

It was while Barb was working as an EMT that she met a tall, laid back police officer who was working for the city of Colville. She married Tim Blackman and they raised their combined family in Colville. After 11 years with the Colville Police Department, he went to work as a Stevens County Deputy for 17 years, until he retired last year. 

In addition to faithfully performing six shifts a month - three primary crew and three back up shifts (this is the agency minimum requirement at SCSA), Barb also helped tirelessly with training new recruits for the ambulance service. A CPR and first aid instructor, she taught and assisted with countless classes, as well as teaching mandatory first aid for all of the ranger districts on the Colville National Forest. She developed a mentor program to correspond with incoming EMT classes to provide on-the-job peer training for new EMTs, making sure students emerged from the process with enough experience to survive in the field. For the last two decades every student that has joined SCSA from the EMT basic class has enjoyed the privilege of training with Barb under her concise, no nonsense strategy of hands-on learning. “It feels good to watch somebody I helped train move on in the medical field,” she says. Many former EMT basics have gone on to become paramedics and more. “I like to think I helped them get further than I did!” she smiles. Barb has a knack for letting new EMTs figure out how to apply text book rules to the dynamic and ever-changing scenarios in the field. “Every run is different, every patient is different - you can’t just pull out a book and read how to treat somebody on a call. You have to think out of the box.” She says. 

Mentoring new EMTs has been a huge part of Barb’s service to the community as SCSA. Watching new candidates come into the classes is always an adventure, knowing not all of them will stay the course. “You have to know that this is really what you want to do,” she says. “It’s not all about trauma...You have to commit to all of the parts and pieces, missing out on things, sacrificing time.” Barb knows this sacrifice first hand, after more than 26 years, but she also knows the reward. “It matters. You (the responder) matter. What you do for the community every single day matters.” She says. And Barb understands how important it is to do what matters. In February of 2016, Barb retired from Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance, two years after her retirement from the Forest Service. Her husband Tim was recently diagnosed with cancer, and Barb said that once again her EMT skills have proven useful at home as she walks through the trials of chemotherapy with him. Between treatments, the Blackmans are capturing the most of every minute, spending time with family, camping and traveling - enjoying retirement in good form. 

For new EMTs, or people who are considering taking the class and becoming community volunteers, Barb says she has no regrets. All of the time, the lost sleep, the missed events - she says the commitment was worth it in the investment into her community. As both she and Tim have served the county diligently for nearly 30 years, they are set to enjoy retirement while the community they have loved gears up to kick back a little bit in their direction. On August 27th, at the Fort Colville Grange, there will be a “Bingo for Blue” fundraiser for Tim and his family to offset the growing expenses of his cancer treatments. The evening starts at 5:00 with a spaghetti feed and includes a live auction, silent auction, raffle, and bingo for a $5 buy in. For more information or to donate raffle prizes, there is a Facebook event page called Bingo for Blue.