On the evening of Feb. 28, Tigard American Legion Post 158 presented its Firefighter of the Year Award to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Kelly Bach.

The annual award honors a firefighter who goes above and beyond what is expected and shown a distinct pattern of community service and professional achievement. Bach, who joined TVF&R’s team in 1995 after spending five years serving with the Keizer Fire Department, has exceeded all of those requirements.

Bach’s exemplary firefighting and leadership skills are conveyed in his success at TVF&R, being the recipient of several promotions. He moved up the rankings to lieutenant in 1999 and then to captain in 2006, where he was responsible for Station 50 on Walnut Street in Tigard for 10 years. He was recently promoted to battalion chief, where he assumes command of operations at complex emergency scenes.

Bach strives for quality performance and a customer service-centric culture among assigned staff serving our communities. He has proven time and again that his dedication, leadership skills and attention to detail set him apart as an individual and supervisor. He takes great pride in the safety of his crews and the public. It is his priority to meet community expectations of providing fast and effective response services by qualified professionals.

Bach has served in various capacities beyond his career with TVF&R, where he was involved in ensuring the betterment of the fire service. He has been actively involved with the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council (OSFFC), serving as president since 2006. Under his leadership, the council ensured continued affiliation of all Oregon members in the OSFFC and increased the council’s involvement at the national level. While president, he also helped pass legislative bills, including cancer presumption. In addition to the OSFFC, Bach served on the Governor’s Fire Service Policy Committee, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Wildland Committee and was an IAFF representative on the National Fire Protection Agency Western Regional.

Bach’s commitment to his crews, the communities we serve, and TVF&R is what led him to earning this distinction as Tigard American Legion’s Firefighter of the Year.


Picture: Chief Kelly Bach, TVF&R; Patsy Nestor, Tigard American Legion; Officer Brian Orth, Tigard Police