By Terra Avilla
In a world that is ever changing, with current events it can be hard to stay up to date. Masks required. Masks not required. Businesses open, businesses closed.
However, luckily for our county, we have a Public Health Department that has made it its mission to help streamline necessary information to us in the community.
At the very head of this effort is a person who I hold very near and dear to my heart, Jim Uruburu.
I first met Jim when he was doing other heroic things, like be a fire fighting captain. Several years ago, Jim and his crew participated in our county wide active shooting drill. He and his team went above and beyond to collaborate with the other agencies to ensure the safest response to an emergency within our community.
Naturally, it when Jim transitioned to his position at Public Health, it was a really good fit for him. An innate public servant, who has a sincere desire to help safeguard our community.
I am not a betting person, but if I was, I would guess that Jim probably has not had a normal forty-hour week, since mid-March when Covid-19 lockdowns began.
I have seen Jim every week since then, and despite the long hours, stressful situation and constant demands placed on him, he remains the sweet, calm, and focused Jim that I met several years ago. A true leader.
Anyone on the team will tell you that the work he is doing to track, monitor and implement safeguard measures for our community knows no bounds. Jayson Vial, who is on his team, messaged me about Jim, discussing how dedicated Jim and his team have been, and how truly lucky Lassen County is to have him at the helm of our public health department during this pandemic.
And if Jayson Vial thinks that – I am telling you it is true guys. Jim is a one in a million man, who balances having the tenacity it takes for his position, while balancing his softer side and servant’s heart.
Jim is a very dedicated family man who you can often see eating lunch with his wife – almost every day. Yes. Every day that man makes time to see and dote on his wife during their lunch break. Over the past years when I have spotted the couple on their lunch dates, it always makes me smile. Family man, fire fighter, public servant extraordinaire.
Annnnnnddd if that was enough to make you love this man – you should see him go nuts with the children for Holiday with a Hero. Always one of the first to volunteer and he cherishes the time he gets with his assigned kiddo. Spoiling them rotten. He usually has a bigger smile than the children.
Jim is just a one-of-a-kind human being. Who, in all honesty, serves this community in ways that we can never compensate him for. He does not do it for money or accolades, he does it because he is a great person, and one of the reasons I love the place we live.
