New Information 8/13/08 – The merchants at Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, Ore. are taking contributions in memory of the fallen firefighters. Proceeds will go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.
***
We at Grayback Forestry are thankful for the support of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Each year wildland firefighters fall in the line of duty. When they do, the Foundation is there to support their families emotionally and financially. We strongly encourage anyone who wants to support our fallen firefighters to donate to the Foundation.
Individuals or businesses can donate online. You can even donate in honor or in memory of a particular firefighter. To learn more about the Foundation, and the many ways that you can support wildland firefighters, visit www.wffoundation.org. Give from your heart.
So sorry for the loss of all Families. Our community feels the pain and sorrow of your loss. God Bless you and your fallen loved ones.
Grants Pass, Oregon
My thoughts and prayers have been with you all since the accident. My son is also a firefighter for Lassen/Modoc county and I pray for him and the other firefighters daily. Your pain is great but know they will always be remembered as heros.Their lifes will not go unnoticed.Even though their lifes were cut short, they made a difference for many. I will continue to pray for God’s perfect peace in your lifes.
Chico,California
We both send our thoughts and prayers to the families of the injured and fallen firefighters. As the parents of a fallen firefighter (Heather DePaolo-Johnny/Stanza Fire/2002) we know all too well what these families are going through. The shock and pain are excruciating and the thought of surviving this terrible pain is unthinkable. Our sincere condolences to the families and coworkers as they navigate through this time of grief and may your journey toward healing be blessed. Our love to youall. Sylvia and Len Kratzke, Amherst, NY
GFP Enterprises, Inc. and ASP Fire are deeply saddened by the losses of the Grayback and U.S.F.S employees. We offer our support and condolences. We are all part of one family; we will remember our fallen brothers and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and coworkers.
Don Pollard
President
GFP Enterprises, Inc.
ASP Fire
We are a firefighter’s Family…our oldest son, Mike Fleek has worked with your guys on many occasions, and he and his crew send their condolences to the family and friends and fellow firefighters, as do we.
Patriot Guard Riders also sends their condolences and stands ready to honor your firefighters if invited to. Please see our website for condolence messages. http://www.patriotguard.org
Thank you for your sacrifices! MEMORY ETERNAL!
OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH EACH OF YOU. MY HUSBAND AND FATHER ARE WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS WITH DIAMOND FIRE AND HAVE WORKED WITH THIS CREW. MY THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN OF THE FAMILIES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU… NO WORDS CAN REPLACE OUR LOVED ONES BUT THEY ARE HEREOS TO ALL.
Mike, I was so sorry to hear of the tragic news and I want to express my sympathies and support to the affected families and individuals, you and your company, and any others that are impacted. I have some familiarity with what the people invoved are going through and I wish everone well. It is difficult but you need to persevere.
I am a wildland FF/EMT from Michigan and I want you all to know that the death of “our brothers”
is being felt here. You see, when I heard that
the firefighters killed were from Grayback Forestry, I felt sick!! I worked with some of the Grayback crews last summer in Montana and I was SO impressed with their esprit de corps,
professionalism and capacity for fun! I will never forget their faces….
I would like more than ever to attend the memorial service but circumstances prevent that.
Instead, I have fashioned my own tribute. A
sign is taped on the tailgate of my truck, my
flag is at half-mast and I have made a sign to put in the front of my house.
Most folks around here aren’t concerned with a
a chopper going down in California…it is too far
aaway. But 2000 miles is no distance at all to
mitigate the pain I feel for the families of those
who perished as well as the Grayback, Carson Heli-
copter, and CalFire people.
May the Lord comfort and embrace you all in His
Loving Arms! And, for what it is worth, a big part of me will be there at the Service.
I worked the Iron Complex and specifically the Buckhorn fire as Fire Behavior Analyst for California Team 4. I Encountered one of your crews building some of the first handline constructed on Buckhorn fire .just east of DP 70. After chatting with them and walking the line they had constructed I intended to contact you and let you know that I was impressed with the work they had done. The crew supervisors were also doing a great job of paying attention to safety.
I was on Iron Complex when the Andrew Palmer tragedy occurred. Chief Dan Packer was a friend of mine also. I was heading to his memorial when I heard the tragic news of the H44 crash. My heart is heavy with loss! Please know that you are all in my prayers and that I will continue to encourage Line Officers and Overhead teams to continue to consider the risks associated with suppression strategies that include use of helicopters in remote areas.
Tom Leuschen