2000's FIRST LODD AT A WILDLAND FIRE

I just read the FIREHOUSE Web Site and saw that the year 2000's first LODD was that of a 64 year old structural firefighter from Missouri. He was working at a brushfire on December 31st and collapsed at the scene. He died from his injuries on January 1, 2000. Our condolences go to his family, brother and sister firefighters and friends.

Last year I read of 11 or 12 LODDs involving structural firefighters who were or had just been working at wildland fires.

Please be very careful out there. Wear the right PPE. Stay in shape and be healthy. Take it slow and rehab often. Train for safety.



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DFCWINS

It is sad to see that the first LODD for this year and this century was connected with a wildland fire. What is worse, is that it was within a department not only from my state, but just a few miles from me.
I like many other firefighters from across the U.S., send my condolences to the family, friends, fellow firefighter, department, and community for which he gave so much.
Many times we as firefighter forget what we do and just do it. But let us not have another year like 1999. I hope someday to go back and visit the National Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg and not see a flag at half staff or another name of a fallen firefighter on a plaque or a piece of stone.



[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited January 06, 2000).]

USFA National Fallen Firefighters Memorial listed another firefighter death. This one was enroute to a grass fire in Oklahoma.

Robert J. Jackson, Age: 35
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Volunteer Emergency
Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 02/29/2000
Duty Type: Responding/Returning from Alarm
Incident Time: 17:05
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 02/29/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Street/Road
Fire Dept. Info:
Harmony Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 1114
Atoka, Oklahoma 74525
Chief: Dale Nanney

Initial Summary: Died from injuries sustained when fire apparatus collided with another vehicle. Firefighter Jackson was enroute to a grass fire.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the Community of Atoka.

The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Robert Buhler
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 62
Status: Volunteer
Date of Incident: March 6, 2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 14:41
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property
Date of Death: March 15, 2000
Initial Summary: Died from burns sustained while fighting a wildland fire.

Fire Dept.: Chief Kevin Hanten, Delmont Volunteer Fire Department,
P.O. Box 126, Delmont, South Dakota 57330

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the Community of Delmont, SD.



[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited March 16, 2000).]

For more on the above LODD, here is link to the story from the area newspaper Firefighter dies from burns

In the article, it states the FF was not wearing his PPE, thus significantly contributing to his injuries.

Dave

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Be Safe and Remember LCES, and the 10 Standard FIRE ORDERS & 18 Watchouts.

Name: Lamar Y'Barbo
Rank: Forest Technician III
Age: 55
Cause of Death: Exposure
Nature of Death: Burns
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: No
Incident Date: 03/13/2000
Duty Type: Other
Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus

Death Date: 04/07/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property
Fire Dept. Info: Texas Forest Service
301 Tarrow Street
College Station, Texas 77840
Chief: James Hull

Initial Summary: Died as a result of burns received from a motor vehicle accident at a prescribed burn.

Please accept my condolences for the recent and past losses of the Wildland's finest. My thoughts go out to the crews and families of these heroes.


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Eric Bush, Firefighter (retired)
Houston, Texas USA

http://www.lastalarm.org
A National Internet Site for our fallen heroes of the fire/rescue services

On April 7th 2000 Firefighter James Griffith with the Winterset Volunteer Fire Department died as a result of massive injuries and trauma received when struck by steel debris from a exploding tank.Firefighter Griffith was fighting a grass fire nearby.My throughts are with his family and fellow firefighters.

[This message has been edited by ff emt-p bleve (edited April 12, 2000).]

And the list grows:

Griffith, James
Age: 25
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 04/07/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 11:12
Activity Type: Advancing Hose Lines/Fire Attack
Death Date: 04/07/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property
Fire Dept. Info:
Winterset Volunteer Fire Department
c/o City Hall
Winterset, Iowa 50273
Chief: Dale Cleghorn

Initial Summary: Died as a result of massive injuries and trauma received when struck by steel debris from an exploding tank. Firefighter Griffith was fighting a grass fire.


Liston, David J.
Age: 28
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Smokejumper
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: No
Incident Date: 04/29/2000
Duty Type: Training
Incident Time: 17:00
Activity Type: Other
Death Date: 04/29/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property
Fire Dept. Info:
Alaska Fire Service
P.O. Box 35005
Ft. Wainwright, Alaska 99703
Chief: Scott Billing
Initial Summary: Died from injuries sustained in parachute training jump involving parachute malfunction(s).

Name: Carl Ray Payne
Rank: Pilot
Age: 66
Status: Career
Date of Incident: 05/07/2000
Date of Death: 05/07/2000
Fire Department: Texas Forest Service - Rural Fire Defense, PO Box 310, Lufkin,
TX 75901
Cause of Death: After dropping water from an "Air Tractor" water tanker on a portion of the Cook Branch Wildfire, Firefighter Payne's plane struck a radio
tower and crashed.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the Texas Forest Service



[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited May 17, 2000).]

More information to follow:
May 16, 2000
A Forest Service employee and contracted pilot were killed in a plane crash en route to a reconnaissance flight over the Lincoln National Forest yesterday. The crash sparked a small brush fire near the Alamogordo Airport, but the fire was quickly controlled.

Initial Summary: Aircraft accident in support of suppression activities related to the New Mexico wildfires.

Koponen, Leo
Age: 49
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Contract Pilot
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 05/15/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 23:30
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 05/15/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info: U.S. Forest Service
Lincoln National Forest
11 New York Avenue
Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310
Chief: Jose Martinez


Tobias, Sam
Age: 47
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: Air Tactical Group Sup.
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 05/15/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 23:30
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 05/15/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info: U.S. Forest Service
Lincoln National Forest
11 New York Avenue
Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310
Chief: Jose Martinez

Our thought and prayers go out to the family, fellow workers, friends and communities of these two individuals.



[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited May 17, 2000).]

Name: George "Bo" Burton
Rank: Firefighter/Rotor Craft Pilot
Status: Career
Age: 48
Date of Incident: June 4, 2000
Date of Death: June 4, 2000

Fire Dept.: District Manager Hank Graham, Division of Forestry, 10941 Palm
Beach Blvd., Ft. Myers, Florida 33905,
berczib@doacs.state.fl.us

Preliminary Determination of the Cause of Death: Died from injuries sustained
from helicopter crash while fighting a wildfire in Lee County, Florida.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the Florida Division of Forestry


[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited June 06, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited June 06, 2000).]

Just off wire...
August 4th, 2000
A helicopter working a series of fires northeast of Elko, NV crashed yesterday evening. One passenger suffered fatal injuries. The entire firefighting community extends its condolences to the family and friends.

Name: Phillip Conner
Rank: Seasonal Firefighter
Status: Career
Age: 29
Date of Incident: August 3, 2000
Date of Death: August 3, 2000
Fire Dept.: Superintendent Alan O'Neill, National Park Service, Lake Mead
National Recreation Area, 601 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, Nevada 89005

Preliminary Determination of the Cause of Death: Died from injuries sustained
from helicopter crash while returning to Command Post after fighting a wildfire
in Nevada.
Funeral: Tuesday, August 8, 2000,
Central Christian Church, Henderson, Nevada

Again Condolences to his Family, Fellow workers, Friends, and to the Community to which he served.

Hickman

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited August 09, 2000).]

Yet another bad report from the west:

A Bell 412 helicopter crashed while conducting water drops on the Twin Peaks fire in Nevada. The pilot was fatally injured. There were no passengers on the flight. The entire fire community wishes to extend condolences to the family and friends of the pilot.

additional information to follow-

Burnett, James
Age: 51
Cause of Death: Exposure
Rank: District Forester
Nature of Death: Burns
Status: Career Emergency
Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/11/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 14:00
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 08/11/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info: Department of Agriculture/Forestry Services
P.O. Box 528804
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73152
Chief: Roger Davis

Initial Summary: Died from burns while attempting to get to a safety zone and was overrun by fire. Firefighter Burnett was fighting a Wyoming wildfire.

Again our condolances go out to the family, fellow fire fighters, freinds, and James's community on their loss.

Shadrick, Lester Lee
Age: 53
Cause of Death: Struck By/Contact with Object
Rank: IFR Captain
Nature of Death: Internal Trauma
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/13/2000
Duty Type: Other
Incident Time: 16:40
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus

Death Date: 08/13/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
BLM c/o ERA Aviation Inc.
P.O. Box 6550
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70606
Chief: Chief Pilot Peter Bowden

Initial Summary: Died from injuries sustained when helicopter crashed while fighting a wildfire in Nevada.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and Lester's Louisiana Community

Two firefighters on the Flame-N-Go Type II crew were fatally injured by lightning while working on the North Stansbury fire in Utah yesterday. Four other crew members received injuries.
The entire fire community wishes to extend condolences to the family and friends of the crewmembers.

More information to follow..
Hickman

Bishop, Michael
Age: 27

&

Braithwaite, Rodgie
Age: 26

Cause of Death:
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Electrocution
Status:
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/23/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 12:30
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 08/23/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property
Fire Dept. Info: Utah State Department of Corrections

Initial Summary: Firefighter Bishop and Braithwaite, both members of the Flame-N-Go's program, were struck by lightning while fighting a fire in the Stansbury Mountains.

To the Families, Fellow Firefighters, and Friends of these fellow firefighters, we send our condolences.

John Paul 'J.P.'Pritchett, Sr.
Age: 57
Cause of Death: Exposure
Rank: Fire Crew Chief
Nature of Death: Burns
Status: Career
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/20/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 09/03/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: N/A
Fire Dept. Info: Mississippi Forestry Commission, Webster County
P.O. Box 368
Walthall, Mississippi 39771
Chief: Russell Swords

Initial Summary: Crew Chief Pritchett died from injuries he suffered Aug. 20 while fighting a forest fire in a pine plantation near the county line separating Webster and Clay counties, MS. Pritchett was using a bulldozer to plow a firebreak when a change in wind pushed a wall of fire toward him. Pritchett tried to use the blade of his bulldozer to clear an area around his position and scoop out a shallow depression so he could take cover, but the flames covered him causing serious burns.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to JP's family, fellow firefighters, friends, and community.

Frank Funston
Age: 47
Cause of Death:
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death:
Status: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 08/27/2000
Duty Type: Fireground Operations
Incident Time: 10:00
Activity Type: Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland)
Death Date: 08/29/2000
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info: Kootenai National Forest
1101 US Hwy. #2 West
Libby, Montana 59923
Chief: Bob Castaneda

Initial Summary: Firefighter Funston was working a Montana wildfire when he became ill and was assisted from the fireline. Funston went to the hospital for treatment then returned to his hotel room where he died two days later of a cause still to be determined by the Lincoln County Coroner.

Thought and prayers go out to Frank's family, fellow firefighters, friends, and community.