Firefighters

[Lamplighter]

I did not find a recent thread devoted to firefighters,
but the deaths in current wildfires in Arizona deserve mention.

Nineteen "hot shots" dead.... all but one from this team.
This team was known as the Granite Mountain Hot Shots out of Prescott, AZ
The wildfire was north of Phoenix, blowing down on the small town of Yarnell.

I've said to my wife before, the only thing I could see driving these young people
might be a high level of testosterone or some other special hormone.
For the most part, they are individually only known locally.
But here is an news article that tells a little about a few of these young men,
and the names and ages of the others.



Back in 1994, there was the Storm King fire in Colorado when there were 14 firefighters killed.
Here in Oregon, we heard a lot about the "Prineville Hot Shots" that lost 9 young people.

Prineville, OR is a very small town that is now the center of "ranching".
Back it the day, it was the center of the "pine furniture", but that timber industry has faded.
On the corner of a down-town street is an old classic stone bank building.
The interior still has the brass tellers windows and the Manager's office.
But this old bank has been given over to a museum to commorate
the "wild west" days of ranching and lumbering and founding families.

Upstairs on the messanine is a memorial to the Prineville Hot Shots.
These were not homeless, wandering boys just looking for summer work.
They were the sons and daughters of families that have been
fighting forest fires since Oregon's earliest days.
The memorial portrays their service as their duty and gift to the community.
.
.

[ZenGum]

This is very sad news.

Is anyone able to contact Bullitt? Last visit was 04-30-2013.

[classicman]

I've been in touch with him. He is well.
He's a paramedic and just got engaged to his longtime GF.

[ZenGum]

Thanks. Glad he's doing well.

[Griff]

Thanks for posting about the Hotshots and for checking in on Bullitt. Right after they were killed a talking head read a statement from the traveling executive that missed the mark, referring to fireman as the heros we would never know. These guys are our friends and neighbors and a big part of our communities. We know them, that is why the tragedy touches us.

[BigV]

thanks for the update on Bullitt. he came to my mind too.

This is a terrible tragedy, a terrible way to die, but they were not ambushed, they were overwhelmed. So, so sad.

[classicman]

From his FB page ...

[BigV]

that is an impressive shot.

I hope those that participated felt their memory was honored.

[JBKlyde]

The heros just keep comeing...

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Griff

<snip>These guys are our friends and neighbors and a big part of our communities.
We know them, that is why the tragedy touches us.

By coincidence, when Griff posted the above,
I was not aware one of the 19 was actually from my local area.
This was in the news today...

KOIN.com
Chris Woodard
July 10, 2013

Body of West Linn’s Percin now in Lake Oswego

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (KOIN) — The body of John Percin Jr.,
one of 19 Hotshot firefighters who died battling an Arizona wildfire,
arrived at the Lake Oswego Fire Station Wednesday afternoon.



Percin’s family attends a church in Lake Oswego.
The front of the fire station is lined with flags from a local Boy Scout troop.
Percin’s remains were carried in a Wildland firefighting engine to the Lake Oswego Fire Station.
Firefighters stand watch over the urn with Percin’s remains.
They will stand there through the public memorial on Thursday.