Oregon Fire Marshal Seeks Nominations for Prestigious Sparky Awards by April 15

Eight days remain to nominate a Union County fire volunteer, department, or community group for Oregon's highest fire-service honor. The Oregon State Fire Marshal's 2026 Sparky Awards nomination window closes at 5 p.m. on April 15, with forms available at oregon.gov/osfm/about-us/Pages/sparkyawards.aspx.

The Sparky Awards, established in 1977, are described by the OSFM as the agency's most prestigious recognition. Two awards are given: the Golden Sparky honors a member of the fire service for outstanding fire prevention achievement; the Silver Sparky recognizes a civilian or civilian agency for exceptional community safety contributions. The program enters its 50th year in 2026, having been presented annually since its founding.

"We know Oregonians are doing great work with fire prevention and safety in their communities," said Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. "This is a great opportunity to honor their achievements."

The 2025 winners set a clear bar for what nominators should document. Charlie Lesiecki, a volunteer firefighter with Central Coast Fire and Rescue District, won the Golden Sparky after nine years of service that included independently running his district's smoke alarm inspection and installation program in partnership with the American Red Cross, completing 24 smoke alarm sectors within district boundaries, and conducting commercial-business fire inspections alongside Oregon State Deputy Fire Marshal Shannon Miller. The Silver Sparky went to the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Corps, believed to be Oregon's largest Fire Corps with nearly 50 volunteers. In a single year, the corps trained 171 people in lifesaving skills, completed 82 smoke alarm calls, and conducted 170 wildland home assessments.

Union County's volunteer fire community fits exactly the profile the awards committee has rewarded. The county is served by the Elgin Rural Fire Department, which operates with 23 volunteers out of a single station; the Cove Rural Fire Protection District, established in 1955 and currently led by Chief Scott Loree; Imbler Fire Department; the combination Union Fire Department serving the City of Union; and Medical Springs Rural Fire Protection District. Any of these departments, or individual members within them, could be nominated for documented prevention work including smoke alarm canvasses, wildland defensible space evaluations, and school safety programs of the kind the OSFM has consistently rewarded over nearly five decades.

The awards are not exclusive to large urban departments. Past Golden Sparky recipients have included an assistant chief from the small Eastern Oregon community of Hines, giving rural volunteer departments a clear historical precedent alongside past honorees from agencies such as the Portland Fire Bureau.

The OSFM release notes that "past recipients were instrumental in creating fire-adapted communities, leading smoke alarm installations at the neighborhood level, and advocating for fire safety through creative campaigns."

No fire-service affiliation is required to submit a nomination. Nomination forms and selection criteria are posted at oregon.gov/osfm/about-us/Pages/sparkyawards.aspx, and questions can be directed to osfm.publicaffairs@osfm.oregon.gov. The window closes at 5 p.m. on April 15.