Barbara Fenley Wiki – Biography
Barbara Fenley was an Eastland County sheriff’s deputy who died Thursday night while trying to save others from one of the many wildfires sweeping through the central and western parts of Texas, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
Low humidity and gusty winds added fuel to what is known as the Eastland Complex of wildfires centred in Eastland County, about 100 miles west of Fort Worth. So far, the fires contain burned dozens of structures and forced evacuations of homes in small communities.
Age
She was 51 years old.
Barbara Fenley Died in Wildfire
Eastland County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Barbara Fenley was among the multiple law enforcement agencies helping with traffic control and evacuations in Carbon, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
“While evacuating people and going door-to-door, Fenley was last heard that she was going to check on an elderly individual,” the statement read. “With the extreme deteriorating conditions and low visibility from smoke, Sgt. Fenley ran off the roadway and was engulfed in the fire.”
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“Sgt. Fenley gave her life in the service of others and loved her community,” the statement continued.
Family Statement
Fenley’s sister-in-law, Anna Olvera, told NBC 5 that Fenley was driving to help an older woman, lost control of her vehicle, ended up in a field filled with fire, and became engulfed.
At a press conference Friday, Governor Greg Abbott presented Olvera with a folded flag hanging outside the state capitol.
“She was a good woman. She loved her community, she loved her job, and she died doing what she liked to do,” Olvera said.
Career
Fenley began her law enforcement career in 2003 as a patrol officer for the City of Gorman, where she grew up. She was later appointed as Gorman Chief of Police in January 2007. She served as Chief until 2013 when she became a deputy for Eastland County Sheriff’s Office, where she has worked since.
Fenley leaves behind a husband, three sons — Jon, Trent, and Sheldon — and two grandchildren.
