Hector Blanco attended the seemingly routine monthly meeting of the greeters in April.
The Keizer Fire District division chief listened to the presentations at the meeting put on by the Keizer Chamber of Commerce.
Then he heard his name, followed by applause.
At first, he assumed the chamber was recognizing his impending retirement. It wasn’t until hearing the words “grand marshal” that he realized what was happening: The Chamber was nominating him to lead the KeizerFEST parade.
“I was pretty honored. It’s a small city, but we know each other, and it’s a big deal for us,” Blanco said.
He looks forward most to being a part of the festival setup for KeizerFEST – which will take place Thursday through Sunday, May 15-18, at Keizer Rapids Park.
“My favorite part is all the background stuff…the individuals who come and really give their whole week to go out there and make sure things are where they are supposed to be,” he said.
Blanco was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter in 1981, where he spent eight years.
He then started working as a contracted firefighter for the U.S. Department of Defense, supporting government operations.
After two decades as a government contractor, he decided to move on and join a fire department in Nevada as a training officer.
In 2010, he applied to the Keizer Fire District. The Pacific Northwest had always appealed to him, and he longed for a change of scenery.
“Basically, I was ready to get out of the desert,” he said.
He was hired as a division chief that same year.
Reflecting on his 15-year career in Keizer, Blanco fondly remembers his co-workers who integrated him into the district.
“Aaron Pittis and Bill Herring…those guys reached out to me and told me what was going on and how to function in the community,” he said.
Blanco found a fire agency more advanced than he was used to with computers and a technical infrastructure. He said having willing people to teach him new systems proved invaluable in those early days.
Looking back, he’s most proud watching recruits adapt and effect change at the station.
“A lot of new ideas are always coming in,” he said.
Blanco is also proud to have instigated a health and wellness revival at the station, which includes a greater emphasis on exercise and regular physical exams.
The agency also developed a “peer wellness” program to help the firefighters handle traumatic events through counseling
“Now they have people they can talk to, people they can report to,” he said.
Fire Chief Ryan Russell credits Blanco for developing the district’s Community Risk Reduction program, an initiative to safeguard Keizer residents. He also has been “working to increase community outreach,” Russell noted.
Blanco’s last day will be May 30.
“I’ve abused my body for basically 44 years,” he said.
In the place of fighting fires, he plans to play golf, softball, and basketball. He’ll also spend more time with his two grandkids.
“They keep us active with baseball, swimming, and whatever else,” he joked.
News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: riley.keizertimes@2005amanpreetgmail-com
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