Friends recall Leach volunteer firefighter
LEACH — A Leach volunteer firefighter who was killed on his way to a fire was remembered by his friends on Thursday as a man who could be counted on.
Michael Dale Russell, 68, of Rose, died Wednesday in a singlevehicle accident while driving the department’s tanker truck.
Russell had been a volunteer firefighter for nine years. His death is thought to be the rural fire department’s first in the line of duty.
“He was not a typical 68-year-old man,” said Tom Pierce, Leach fire chief. “He was very active.”
Russell had no known medical problems and was part of a 10-man volunteer team, he said.
Firefighters had been sent out shortly before 7 a.m. on a structure fire.
A passing motorist alerted Pierce there had been an accident about three miles from the fire.
The accident was on a Delaware County road just off Scenic 412, about 10 miles west of Kansas, Oklahoma.
“I had to pull some of my men off the fire to go to the accident.” Pierce said.
About 7:15 a.m., firefighters came upon the overturned tanker truck filled with 2,000 gallons of water.
Russell was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle, according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report. He died at the scene.
“It was very foggy that morning,” Pierce said.
Russell was a hard worker, said Vince Osburn, Oaks Fire Chief.
“He got along with everyone,” Osburn said. “If anyone needed anything he was always there to help.”
Osburn, who has been with the Oaks Fire Department for 23 years, said he has known Russell for years.
Russell and his wife moved to southern Delaware County from Texas several years ago.
They bought a farm and raised cattle and sheep, Osburn said. Russell also worked for the Delaware County District 11 Water District.
“He repaired water lines and breaks,” Osburn said.