By Ty Walker, The Mountain Times
It was the winter of 2023. Holiday season. Zachary Cram had been a volunteer firefighter at Hoodland Fire District for just a few months.
That’s when he received one of the most memorable calls he has ever gotten during his short time as a member of a first-responder team. Here’s how Cram remembers that day he helped rescue crash victims on the mountain.
A truck had rolled over on Lolo Pass, trapping a couple of people inside the vehicle. They were on their way home, transporting a Christmas tree strapped in the back of their truck, when they took a tumble off the side of the narrow roadway.
Using saws and a spreader, firefighters cut them out of their truck. Then they were placed on backboards, pulled up the side of the hill using a rope system, and loaded into the ambulance. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.
“This happened last winter when I was a recruit,” Cram said. “I was still the fresh new guy.”
The tree was slightly damaged from the accident. But in the spirit of the season, firefighters made a special delivery to the crash victims’ home later that night.
“It was kind of cool seeing the firefighters load up the tree and deliver it to them,” Cram said. “It was a little banged up but we still delivered it out to them.”
Cram, 32, volunteers as much as he can at the Hoodland Fire District station, but being a fulltime bricklayer for the past 12 years demands most of his time. He is actively interviewing with other districts in hopes of becoming a paid career firefighter. Hoodland is his training ground, helping him get the experience and skills needed.
“I love it, it’s fun,” Cram said. “Pat McAbery has been my mentor, a Hoodland guy most of his life. Serving the community up there is pretty awesome. Helping them out anyway we can. The experience we get up there is actually pretty great. The training we have, the people we have there really know their stuff, so it’s kind of a good experience up there.”
Cram lives in Sandy with his wife and three young children. He graduated from Reynolds High School in Troutdale and earned his emergency medical technician (EMT) certification from Mt. Hood Community College.
He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing golf, basketball and football. Still an avid golfer, his best score is 71, par for the course at Trystree Golf in Corvallis.
He also enjoys camping with his family and going fishing for Fall Chinook salmon with his dad, boating on the Columbia River.
Hoodland Fire District has approximately 30 volunteer staff members. They are the backbone of first-response efforts, working alongside career staff to help meet the community’s needs during emergencies and support training and outreach programs.
The fire district has 11 full-time employees, including career firefighters, paramedics and emergency responders available 24/7 to provide critical fire, rescue and medical services.
“Hoodland Fire is great,” Cram said. “I advise anyone who wants to volunteer to go out there.”