Wildland Firefighters LODD 2002

[Hickman]

It is with great sadness to make this post.

Name: Joan Spear
Rank: Senior Engine Supervisor
Age: 46
Status: Career
Years of Service: 10
Date of Incident: 03/18/02
Time of Incident: 1145hrs
Date of Death: 03/18/02
Fire Department: Montana Department
of Natural Resources
Conservation: Fire & Aviation Management, Dillon Unit
Fire Department Address: MT DNRC Dillon Unit, 730 North Montana
Street, Dillon, MT 59725
Fire Department Phone: 406-542-4250
Fire Department Chief: Tim Murphy
Cause of Death: Supervisor Spear was participating in fitness training when she collapsed and died from a cause still to be determined.


Thoughts and Prayers go out to her family, fellow workers, and her community on their loss.

[Hickman]

Edna Faye Bishop
Age: 29
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 04/07/2002
Duty Type: Responding/Returning from Alarm
Incident Time: 16:30
Activity Type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 04/07/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Street/Road
Fire Dept. Info:
Bon Secour Volunteer Fire Department
Bon Secour, Alabama 36511
Chief: Karl Bingert

Initial Summary:
Firefighter Bishop was died from injuries sustained when while riding in fire apparatus and responding to a brush fire, the vehicle left the roadway and rolled over several times.

Thoughts and Prayers go out to family, fellow workers, and the community on their loss.

[Hickman]

Bernes "Bernie" Schutte
Age: 69
Cause of Death: Stress/Exertion
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death:
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 03/20/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 14:15
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 03/20/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info: Palisade Volunteer Fire Department
101 Main Street
P.O. Box 263
Palisade, Nebraska 69040
Chief: Richard Miner

Initial Summary: Firefighter Schutte collapsed on the front lines while battling a wildland fire. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Thoughts and Prayers go out to family, fellow workers, and the community on their loss.

[Hickman]

Jessie A Self
Age: 48
Cause of Death: Stress/Exertion
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death:
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 04/--/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time:
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 03/--/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
Sac Osage FPD
Osceola, MO
Chief:

Initial Summary: Jessie fell while fighting a grass fire. Smoke
inhalation is believed to have cause a heart attack. Jessie was flown to Kansas City MO where he passed away.

Thoughts and Prayers go out to family, fellow workers, department, and the community on their loss.

More information will be posted as it becomes available..
Hickman

[RxFire]

Robert Brousard
Age:
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: No
Incident Date: 06/01/2002
Incident Time: 0920
Activity Type:
Death Date: 06/01/2002

Fire Dept. Info: Lakeside Fire Department
12365 Parkside St.
Lakeside, CA 92040

Initial Summary: Died while taking the Work Capacity Test. He was attended by Medics immediately. He was tubed while he was aginal. They got one shock them it went A systole.

[Hickman]

I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get these posted.

Names: Pilot Steven Ray Wass (Age 42),
Co-Pilot Craig Labare (36),
and Engineer Michael Harlow Davis (59)

Status: Career
Date of Incident: 06/17/2002
Time of Incident: 1445 hrs
Date of Death: 06/17/2002

Fire Department: U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Front Interagency Cooperators
Fire Department Address: 2311 Firebrand Circle, Minden, NV 89432
Fire Department Phone: (775) 883-5995
Fire Department Website: http://www.sierrafront.net/

Cause of Death: Just after the crew had dropped it’s load of fire retardant on a wildland blaze near Walker, CA, all three members died when the C-130 air tanker under contract to the U.S. Forest Service broke apart in flight and crashed.

And for;

Names: Firefighter/Crew Leader Daniel Rama, (Age 28)
Firefighter Jake Martindale (Age 20)
Firefighter Retha Shirley (Age 19)
Firefighter Zachary Zigich (Age 18)
Firefighter Bartholomew Bailey (Age 20 Date of Death: 06/24/2002)
Status: Career
Date of Incident: 06/21/2002
Time of Incident: 1715
Date of Death: 06/21st and 24th /2002
Fire Department: Grayback Forestry Inc.
Fire Department Address: P.O. Box 838, Merlin, OR 97532
Fire Department Phone: 800-524-5887
Fire Department Chief: Mike Wheelock
Cause of Death: Firefighters Rama, Martindale, Shirley, and Zigich were four contract wildland firefighters killed and a sixth injured when one of the vans carrying employees of Grayback Forestry Inc. left the roadway and rolled over several times while on Interstate 70 in western Colorado. The Fifth Firefighter Bailey, who suffered severe injuries and was removed from life support on the 24th of June. The crew was in transit on what was to be a 30-hour nonstop drive from Oregon to Colorado to join in the fight of the Hayman fire, the largest in Colorado state history.


Thoughts and Prayers go out to their Families, Fellow Workers, Friends, and to their Communities on their loss.

[Hickman]

Name: Alan Wayne Wyatt
Rank: Contract Wildland Firefighter
Age: 51
Status: Career
Date of Incident: 07/02/2002
Time of Incident: 1745
Date of Death: 07/02/2002

Fire Department: United States Forest Service
Fire Department Address: Incident Review Team, Columbine East Ranger
District, PO 439, Bayfield, CO 81122
Fire Department Phone: 970-884-8323
Fire Department Chief: District Ranger

Cause of Death: Firefighter Wyatt died from injuries received when a
green tree fell and struck him while he was in the process of cutting “hazard trees.”


Thoughts and Prayers go out to his Family, Fellow Workers, Friends, and to his Communities on their loss.

[NJFFSA16]

Wildfire Death

An investigative team has begun its inquiry into the death of a
firefighter who was struck by a tree while working at the
Missionary Ridge fire in southwestern Colorado near Durango.
Alan Wayne Wyatt, 51, of Ontario, Ore., was cutting down
fire-damaged trees Tuesday when he was hit on the back of the head
by a tree that looked healthy but apparently had its roots burned
away.
Colleagues said Wyatt was not working with a spotter who could
have warned him of the falling timber.
No one witnessed the accident. It wasn't until someone spotted
the rancher and part-time firefighter laying on the ground under
the tree that four other firefighters ran to help.
A five-member investigative team began reviewing evidence
Thursday afternoon and was expected to deliver its preliminary
report within 24 hours. An expanded report was expected within
three days.
Fellow timbermen say Wyatt was merely the victim of bad timing,
bad luck or just plain fate.
"Nothing he did caused that," said Mike Fortin, an old friend
of Wyatt's from Durkee, Oregon, who was working the same fire.
"Anybody standing there at that time would have gotten whacked."
The 73,145-acre wildfire north of Durango, which has destroyed
56 homes, was 75 percent contained.
In western Colorado, about 200 homes in Glenwood Springs were
evacuated for more than two hours Thursday night because of the
threat of flash floods from heavy storms over fire-charred
hillsides.
Rain also fell on a wildfire southwest of Denver Thursday,
washing debris onto a highway but causing no other damage.
In Glenwood Springs, residents were allowed to return home at 10
p.m. after winds shifted and kept the thunderstorms away. The
National Weather Service had warned the storms could trigger floods
and rock and mud slides.
Garfield County sheriff's deputies and residents have been
preparing for evacuations since the Coal Seam Fire erupted on June
8, stripping hillsides of vegetation and raising the risk of
floods.
The fire has burned more than 12,000 acres and destroyed 29
homes. The fire was 90 percent contained by Thursday.
Southwest of Denver, rain washed debris from a 137,760-acre
wildfire onto a highway but caused no significant flooding.
Homeowners and firefighters at the Hayman fire are wary about
the risk of flash floods from rain falling on ground left almost
impervious to water by a waxy layer of burned debris.
"We're watching things," fire information officer Frank Beum
said after showers sprinkled parts of the fire. "It's not really
causing us a current problem."
The fire, which was contained Tuesday, has destroyed 133 homes
and one business. It has not been extinguished.
---
On the Net:
Coal Seam fire: http://wildfires.nwcg.gov/colorado/coalseam/
Hayman fire: http://wildfires.nwcg.gov/colorado/hayman/
Missionary Ridge fire:
http://wildfires.nwcg.gov/colorado/missionary/

[Hickman]

Pilot Rick Schwartz Age: 57 and
Pilot Milt Stollak Age: 56

Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Pilots
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 07/18/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 18:45
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 07/18/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
U.S. Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center
2850 Youngfield Ave
Lakewood, Colorado 80215

Initial Summary: Pilots Rick Schwartz and Milt Stollak had just begun their run to drop slurry on the Big Elk Fire in Colorado when there was an explosion aboard their four-engine PB4Y-2 air tanker causing it to break apart and crash to the ground killing both men. The aircraft was owned and operated by Wyoming-based Hawkens and Powers Aviation Inc. under contract for the U.S. Forest Service.

Thoughts and Prayers go to their Families, Fellow Workers, Friends, and their Communities for their losses.

[Hickman]

John Self Age: 19
Steven Oustad Age: 51
Heather DePaolo Age: 29

Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Firefighters
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 07/28/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 01:30
Activity Type: Other
Death Date: 07/28/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
USDA Forest Service
Klamath National Forest
1312 Fairlane Road
Yreka, California 96097-9549
Chief: Forest Supervisor Peg Boland

Initial Summary: A wildland fire crew of 5 was monitoring a 500-acre backfire near Happy Camp, California, when their crew-cab pickup equipped with a 500-gallon water tank left the roadway and rolled 800 feet down a steep slope. These three firefighters were killed and two others injured in the incident.

Thoughts and Prayers go to John's, Steven's, and Heather's families, fellow workers, friends, and to their communities for their loss.

[Hickman]

Leonard Gordon Knight
Age: 52
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Pilot
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 07/30/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 18:45
Activity Type: Other
Death Date: 07/30/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
USDA Forest Service
Arapaho and Roosevelt Nationa
240 West Prospect
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
Chief: Forest Supervisor Jim Bedwell

Initial Summary: Pilot Knight was the only person on board of a helicopter being used to drop water on hotspots of a recently controlled 4,400-acre fire near Rocky Mountain National Park. Due to a cause still to be determined the aircraft crashed killing him.

Thoughts and Prayers go to Leonard's family, fellow workers, friends and to his community for their loss.

[Hickman]

David Martin
Age: 48
Cause of Death: Fell or Jumped
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Burns
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/01/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time:
Activity Type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 08/06/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
Opal Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 48
Opal , South Dakota 57765
Chief: Charles Vansickel

Initial Summary: While fighting a prairie fire FF Martin fell off the back of a firefighting vehicle into the fire. Martin was severely burned and died from his injuries several days later in the burn unit at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Thoughts and Prayers go to David's family, fellow workers, friends, and to his community on their loss.

[Hickman]

Travis Lyn Wiems
Age: 28
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/12/2002
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 16:30
Activity Type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 08/12/2002
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
Wichita West Volunteer Fire Department
7622 Seymour Highway
Wichita Falls, Texas 76308
Chief: Buddy Alexander

Initial Summary: Firefighter Weims was operating at a brush fire riding in a cage on the front bumper of a brush truck with a hose to fight the flames. Another vehicle traveling in low visibility conditions due to smoke from the fire struck the brush truck causing Weims to fall out of the cage and under the wheels of the apparatus killing him instantly.

Funeral: 08/17/2002 @ 1400hrs,
Life Tabernacle Church
Wichita Falls, TX.
Memorial Fund: In the name of
Firefighter Travis Lyn Wiems
C/o Wichita West Volunteer Fire Department
7622 Seymour Highway
Wichita Falls, TX 76308

Thoughts and Prayers go to Travis's family, fellow firefighters, friends, and his community on their loss.

[Rayr49]

Hickman,

The Dave Martin incident occoured in my area. He was riding in the back of a ranchers pickup with a weed sprayer set up. He was also a county highway employee that was assigned to grade the roads in the area (all gravel) due to several suspicious fires in the last several days prior to the fatal incident. It was hoped that he might be able to identify any vehicles in the area if another fire started.


A local rancher arrived at the scene of this fire with his pickup /weed sprayer but was apparently having some trouble keeeping the pump running. Dave jumped into the back of the truck and got the engine running and they proceeded to attack the head of the fire (grass) from the unburned area. We do not know at what point he fell/jumped from the pickup but it appears that he was burned over at least twice. We know that he traveled several hundred feet based on items found at the scene.

He had no protective gear as is common in ranch country. Please note that cost is a big issue as some departments consist of one brush rig 20-40 yrs old and a budget of less than $5000.00.

A 71 yr old landowner is in custody. The fire was on his property and he currently has arson and assault charges pending. The charges may be upgraded to murder or manslaughter due to Dave's death.

Stay safe

[Hickman]

Jason Hampton
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 19
Status: Volunteer
Incident Date: 09/05/02
Incident Time: 1500 hours
Date of Death: 09/05/02
Cause of Death: Struck by/Contact with Object
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Emergency Duty: Yes
Duty Type: Responding/Returning from Alarm
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Fixed Property Use: Street/Road

Fire Department Chief: Greg Capps
Fire Dept. Info:
Almaville Volunteer Fire Department
911 One Mile Lane
Smyrna, TN 37167

Initial Summary:
Firefighter Jason Hampton was responding to a brush fire in a tanker truck when the truck veered off Almaville Road and crashed. Hampton was the only one on the truck. It was the first death ever for the fire department. Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating accident.

[NJFFSA16]

LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) - A private firefighting contractor will
erect a memorial at the La Grande Fire Department to five of its
employees who were killed in a car accident on their way to fight a
Colorado wildfire.
The memorial will be unveiled at a ceremony on June 21, one year
after the accident. It will become part of a proposed memorial park
on the grass next to the fire station.
The five firefighters who died in the accident were Bartholomew
Bailey of Corvallis and Baker City; Daniel Rama of Baker City;
Retha Shirley of La Grande; Jacob Martindale of Boise; and Zach
Zigich of Twin Falls, Idaho.
They were working for private contractor Grayback Forestry and
were headed to the Hayman fire near Denver when the accident
occurred.
"We want to create a space that will be a nice, restful
place," said La Grande Fire Chief Bruce Wiemer. "We don't want it
to be a graveyard. We don't want to keep score of who has been
killed."
Preliminary designs for the memorial park were drawn by students
in an art class at Eastern Oregon University.
The firefighters' 15-passenger van veered off the road near
Parachute, Colo., and rolled several times. The driver, Megan Helm
of La Grande, pleaded guilty in February in a Colorado court to
careless driving. She was fined $200 and sentenced to 50 hours of
community service.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)