JACKSON CO., Ore. — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a first of its kind award from the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association this week. Sheriff Sickler said the office is both happy and humbled by the first-of-its kind award.
Every year, the OSSA gives out awards for life saving actions, lifetime service awards and other honorable actions by law enforcement. Due to the amount of wildfires and heroism this past year, the OSSA created a new award, The ‘Community Hero Award.’ JCSO received the award for its work during the Almeda Fire.
“There were hundreds of not thousands of lives saved that day, but it was a massive event. So, I think giving 80, 90 or 100 people life-saving awards would have been pretty daunting,” said Sheriff Sickler.
The Sheriff’s Office does nominate officers and events to the OSSA board for consideration. Other Oregon sheriff’s offices also received the award for their efforts during fires in their regions. Sheriff Sickler said the award is a great representation of how the agency was able to get people out of harms way during the Almeda Fire.
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