July 11, 2025 3:40 a.m. 

On Wednesday, Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Tom Kress, and Chris Boice issued a proclamation at their weekly business meeting calling upon citizens to observe Firefighter Appreciation Week, through July 13th.

A county release said this week commissioners celebrated the men and women of Douglas County that have chosen to serve others in the firefighting profession, whether they are career, volunteer, wildland, or structural firefighters, or chief officers, company officers, battalion chiefs, engineers, lieutenants, captains, fire marshals, public information officers, those cross trained as EMTs and paramedics or fire office personnel.

Chief Michael Lane of the Sutherlin Fire Department and Chief Tyler Christopherson of the Roseburg Fire Department presented the Fireman’s Prayer, reciting the names of the 19 fallen firefighters from Douglas County and the Last Alarm poem, followed by the 200-year-old tradition of sounding a bell.

Commissioner Tim Freeman presented Firefighter Appreciation Week proclamation certificates to firefighters and fire personnel from eight local fire departments.

A copy of the live video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment