By Laura Swanson
Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue (NBFR) is beginning the new year with a significant gift that will strengthen emergency response capabilities across the Nehalem Bay region. At the December board meeting, long-time volunteers and community advocates John and Velda Handler announced a $225,000 donation to the district in support of its solar resiliency project.
John and Velda Handler are deeply rooted in the North County community and have dedicated decades to public service. John served the Nehalem Bay Fire Departments for 40 years as a firefighter, Fire Chief, and most recently as a member of the NBFR Board of Directors, retiring from board service in December. Velda, a Nehalem native, earned her nursing degree at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland and spent 8 years working in the ICU before returning to Nehalem in 1980 with John and their son, Chad. She went on to serve the community for 6 years at Rinehart Hospital and 39 years at Adventist Tillamook Hospital in a variety of roles, with a lifelong focus on emergency preparedness and emergency care.
For the past 17 years, Velda has volunteered with the Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay, where she serves as Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator, Shelter Division Lead, and a Red Cross shelter volunteer.
“Our lifelong goal has been to ensure that emergency care in our region is strong, sustainable, and deeply rooted in service,” said John and Velda Handler. “We are thankful and grateful to be able to support that goal in a meaningful way. Thank you to Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue for your leadership, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to our community’s safety.”
The Handlers have requested that their donation be used to support NBFR’s solar installation and battery backup project currently in development. Should outside funding be secured for that project, they have asked that the donation instead be directed toward the development of a firefighter training facility in the Nehalem Bay region.
NBFR applied for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant in 2022 to fund the resilient solar power and battery backup system and was notified of a grant award. However, all FEMA grants are currently paused, leaving the timing and availability of those funds uncertain.
“We simply don’t know if or when those grant funds might be released,” said Fire Chief Frank Knight. “The Handlers’ donation comes at exactly the right time, and we are incredibly grateful for their generosity.”
The solar resiliency project will enable the district’s main fire station to remain fully operational during power outages, including during catastrophic events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, or extreme coastal storms.
“The solar array and battery backup system will provide enough power to run the station during extended outages,” explained Chief Knight. “In normal conditions, the system will also generate surplus power that can be sold back to Tillamook PUD.”
The Handlers emphasized that their donation reflects the values instilled by their families and reinforced through years of service.
“Both of us come from families who modeled service, generosity, and responsibility to community,” they shared. “We thank the NBFR Board for its continued advocacy, vision and steadfast support. That strong foundation allows the Chief, staff, and volunteers to focus fully on protecting themselves and the people they serve.”
NBFR plans to begin construction on the solar resiliency project in early 2026. If FEMA grant funding is ultimately released, the Handlers’ donation will be redirected toward the planned firefighter training facility at the district’s three-acre satellite station located off Highway 53—an investment that will further strengthen emergency preparedness for years to come.