Lt. Darrell Taylor, center, is recognized by the Sutter County Board of Supervisors on April 28, flanked by Lt. Brad Long, left, Supervisor Karm Bains, Chair Mike Ziegenmeyer and Supervisor Jeff Stevens. Photo courtesy of Sutter County

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - The Sutter County Board of Supervisors on April 28 honored Sutter County Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Darrell Taylor with a Gold Resolution recognizing his retirement after 30 years of service.

Taylor joined the department June 1, 1995, as a volunteer firefighter and was promoted to engineer in 1996. He advanced to volunteer lieutenant in 2009, taking on leadership roles that included training and mentoring other volunteers.

Over his career, Taylor became a hazardous materials specialist and earned his emergency medical technician certification, expanding his role in emergency response.

The resolution highlighted his dedication, reliability and commitment to public safety, stating his service left a lasting impact on the department and the community.

Board Chair Mike Ziegenmeyer emphasized the demands placed on volunteer firefighters and Taylor’s role in meeting them.

“It’s not just an 8 to 5 volunteer,” Ziegenmeyer said. “It’s waking up at two in the morning if there’s a structure fire.”

He also pointed to Taylor’s involvement beyond emergency calls, including mentoring newer volunteers and supporting community efforts such as Operation Santa Claus.

Taylor thanked the board for the recognition and said his time with the department spanned decades, with a brief absence during deployment to Iraq, and that he plans to remain involved in a support role, joking he may continue as “treasurer for life.”

“It’s been interesting, been a lot of fun, a lot of memories,” Taylor said.