05/28/2026
A letter from Smith River Fire Captain Susan Rutledge
To My Community, My Department, and My Fire Family, After 35 years of serving this community, it is time for me to officially retire from the fire service. I have thought a lot about this moment and what I wanted to say, because how do you properly say goodbye to
something that has shaped your life for more than three decades?
This department has been more than a place I responded from. It has been part of my identity, part of my family, and part of my heart. The calls, the trainings, the station memories, the long nights, the hard days, the
laughter, the tears, and the people I have met along the way will stay with me forever.
My journey into the fire service really began before I ever put on a uniform. In 1980, my family lost our home to a fire. We had gone to the drive-in that night, and when we came home, a kerosene heater was lit and caught
fire. My sister was eight months pregnant at the time, and several members of my family suffered burns. In one night, everything changed. We lost our home, our belongings, and the sense of security that so many
people take for granted. But what I remember most is not only what we lost. I remember what this community gave. People showed up for us. They donated what they could. They helped my family rebuild. They helped us
find our footing again when we had lost everything. They reminded us that even in the middle of tragedy, you are not alone when you live in a community that cares.
That experience stayed with me. It became part of who I am. Years later, in July of 1991, when I joined the department, I did it because I wanted to give back to the same community that had once helped my family. I wanted to help people during their hardest moments. I wanted to be the person who showed up when someone else was scared, hurting, or unsure of what came next. When firefighter Jack Snider recruited me, he believed I
had a place in this department. He saw something in me and believed I could become a future leader here. At the time, that belief meant more than he probably knew. Sometimes all it takes is one person seeing your potential before you fully see it yourself.
Myron Williamson, a former Fire Chief, helped show me the ropes and taught me that this job is about much more than emergency response. He taught me the importance of empathy, compassion, and truly caring for the
people we serve. Former Chief Glen Hill also made a lasting impact on me because he fought for firefighters and made sure we were taken care of. Those people helped shape the firefighter, officer, and leader I became.
They taught me that leadership is not about a title. It is about showing up, doing the work, taking care of your people, and never forgetting why you started. This department has meant so much to me over the years, but more than anything, it gave me the chance to be part of something bigger than myself. It gave me purpose. It gave me responsibility. It gave me a family. From Smith River to Hiouchi, this fire service family has been one of the greatest parts of my life. We have stood
together on difficult calls, trained together, laughed together, supported each other, and watched each other grow. When you serve alongside people in this line of work, they become more than coworkers or fellow
responders. They become family.
There are moments in this career that I will carry with me forever. One of my proudest moments was saving my first person through CPR. It started as a difficulty breathing call
and quickly became something much more serious. That person survived, and I still see them in the community to this day. There is no way to fully explain what that feels like. To know that you were part of giving someone more time with their family is something that never leaves you. I am also proud of becoming
the first Hispanic captain in the department. I am proud of earning my CDL so I could drive the fire engine. I am proud of earning my Firefighter 1. Each of those accomplishments took work, commitment, and determination. But more than anything, I am proud that I was able to show my mom, my family, and my
community that I could do this. That was not always easy. Being a female minority in the fire service meant I had to prove myself time and time again. There were challenges, doubts, and moments when I had to work
harder just to be seen the same. But I kept showing up. I kept learning. I kept working. I kept serving. And I hope that part of my story reminds others that they belong here too, even when the road is hard. If you care
about people, if you are willing to learn, if you are willing to serve, and if you are willing to keep showing up, there is a place for you in this work. The fire service taught me lessons that carried into every part of my life: integrity, honesty, and caring for
people. Those values may sound simple, but they are everything in this work. When someone calls for help, they are often scared, hurt, overwhelmed, or having one of the worst days of their life. They may not
remember every detail of what happened, but they will remember how you made them feel. They will remember whether you were kind. They will remember whether you listened. They will remember whether you treated them with dignity. That is what I hope this community remembers about me. I hope people remember that I was honest, caring, and professional. I hope they remember that I served this community 24/7 and made sacrifices because I believed in this work. I hope they remember that when the community needed me, I showed up, even if that meant responding by myself. There were countless holidays, family moments, dinners, quiet evenings, and nights of sleep interrupted by the call for help. That is part of the job, but it is also part of the sacrifice that many people never see. Behind every firefighter is a family, a support system, and a life that pauses when the pager goes off. One of the most meaningful parts of this career has been the relationship with the community. It is an amazing feeling when
people know your name, ask for you by name, and trust you when you arrive on a call. That kind of trust is earned over many years, call by call, conversation by conversation, and I have never taken it for granted.
I have also watched this department and community grow and change. The community has grown. The department has evolved. We have more modern equipment, stronger training, and new tools that help us serve
better. We have adapted to changing times, new expectations, and new challenges. But the heart of it has stayed the same. We take care of each other. We take care of the community. We keep showing up. Some of my favorite memories are not only from calls, but from the life we built around the department. The family trips, the team-building, the station memories, and the times our families came together are things I will always cherish. This department has never just been a place to respond from. It has been one big family. To the next generation of firefighters and officers, my advice is simple: be good people. Show compassion. Keep
learning. Learn something from every call, and share those experiences so others can grow too. If you become an officer, remember that you are only as good as your people. Learn your people. Learn your community.
Know their strengths, support them through their challenges, and never forget that leadership is about service. A great captain is someone who shows up, acts with integrity, and takes the time to truly know the people they lead.
I also want to thank my family and support system, especially my mom. My mom was my number one fan. She overcame so many challenges in her own life, and she was tough as nails, but she was always my cheerleader. She would sit patiently in the car while I responded to emergencies, and she always made sure I was okay. She was so proud of what I accomplished, and that meant everything to me. Her strength helped
shape my strength. Her pride in me helped carry me through the hard days. I hope I made her proud.
I would also like to thank the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Del Norte Ambulance, and the many partner agencies
and responders who have stood beside us over the years. Brent and Brandon with DNA, thank you for always responding to our calls and being there when we needed you. This work is never done alone, and I am grateful
for every person and agency that helped us serve this community.
As I move into retirement, I am looking forward to a different kind of life. I am looking forward to getting in my jammers and taking a little break! I cannot wait to travel with my husband and our fur babies and enjoy
this next chapter. Still, walking away from something that has been such a big part of my life is not easy. The fire service gets
into your heart. It changes how you see people, how you see community, and how you understand service. Through all the sweat and tears, I want to thank this community and this department for allowing me to be part
of this family. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for letting me serve. The legacy I hope to leave behind is simple. I hope the community remembers me for who I am and for the 35
years of sacrifice I gave to the people and this department.
If I could sum up my career in one sentence, it would be this: I would do it all over again.
With love, gratitude, and pride,
Captain Susan Rutledge
