Our condolences to the Oustad, DePaolo, and Self families and the U.S. Forest Service of Klamath National Forest in
California. FireFighter Steven Oustad, 51, FireFighter Heather DePaolo, 29, and FireFighter John Self, 19, died Sunday July
28, 2002. Their crew-cab pickup with a 500-gallon water tank left a narrow roadway and rolled 800 feet down a steep slope
into a ravine in Happy Camp, 20 miles south of the Oregon border in the Klamath National Forest. Two other firefighters in
the pickup were airlifted to a nearby hospital.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
California Rollover Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/26/02 Photo Gallery Update
Just as I say the
WFD Press
photo gallery has been slow. The new Seagrave Engine 7 was blessed by Fire Chaplain Reverend Ronald Ferraro and put into
service Wednesday on Walnut Street. I added another photo to the
WFD Press
photo gallery.
7/24/02 Photo Gallery Update
It has been a long time since I added any photos to the
WFD Press
photo gallery. Most of the A-Shift went to a structure fire at 1139 North Main Street on Monday. Extra companies were called
due to the extreme fire, heat, and humidity. An off-duty EMT driving by the fire was able to help an elderly woman and 3
children escape the blaze. 4 firefighters were treated for minor injuries at the scene. I added 2 photos to the
WFD Press
photo gallery.
7/22/02 Dateline: Firehouse
Friday night, Dateline premiered the first episode of 'Firehouse'. It is a 6 part series continuing every Friday night at 6PM on
NBC for the next 5 weeks. If you missed the first episode, don't miss the rest. Members of FDNY Rescue 4 recalled fallen
brothers Ford, Fahey, and Downing at the Father's Day Fire, then the events and 343 brothers of 9-11, then the crash of Flight
587. It was very moving. The next episode follows a rookie into the Camden Yards FD of New Jersey.
7/20/02 Line of Duty Death - U.S. Forest Service
Our condolences to the Stollak and Schwartz families, the U.S. Forest Service of Colorado, and Hawkins & Powers Aviation.
Pilot Milt Stollak, 56, and Co-Pilot Rick Schwartz, 39, both veteran firefighting aviators died Thursday July 18, 2002. Their
PB4Y-2 air tanker broke apart in midair and crashed in flames while dropping fire retardant on a 1,200 acre wildfire near
Estes Park 45 miles northeast of Denver, Colorado.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Colorado Tanker Crash Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/13/02 Attention WFD Members
Jason Calabrese called me last night to inform me that John Izzi is HOME. Unbelievably, 2 months to the day, John has
returned home. He is getting around well and feeling good. He is taking visitors but please call before stopping by because
John is out of the house quite a bit attending therapy.
7/12/02 Photo Gallery Updates
I have been so busy with the many unfortunate Line of Duty Death's this past couple weeks, I haven't had time to pay
attention to other parts of the website. I added 8 new armpatches to the
Armpatch Photo Gallery,
including this one from Rural Metro. I also added 2 more helmet shields to the
Helmet Shield Photo Gallery,
including this handpainted helmet shield from BC JFL of my own Waterbury Fire Department.
7/10/02 Line of Duty Death - Anamoose, ND
Our condolences to the Dockter family and the Anamoose Volunteer Fire Department. FireFighter Barry Dockter, 44, a 2 year
veteran of the Anamoose Volunteer Fire Department died Friday July 5, 2002. Barry was standing by at the Drake Centennial
fireworks show on Thursday July 4, 2002, when he was struck by an errant fireworks shell. He was rushed by ambulance to
St. Aloisius Hospital in Harvey. He succumbed to his injuries the next day.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Barry Dockter Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/7/02 Line of Duty Death - Gloucester City, NJ
Our condolences to the Stewart, Sylvester, and West families, and the Gloucester City Fire Department and the Mount
Ephraim Volunteer Fire Department. FireFighter Thomas Stewart III of the Gloucester City Fire Department, Chief James
Sylvester and Deputy Chief John West of the Ephraim Volunteer Fire Department died Thursday July 4, 2002. Eight
firefighters and three children were trapped in a 3 family duplex structure fire in Gloucester City when the building collapsed.
Five firefighters were rescued from the rubble. The 3 children and 3 firefighters from two departments died in the collapse. A
total of nine victims were transported to area hospitals, including one civilian and eight firefighters.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Gloucester City Collapse in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/6/02 Line of Duty Death - Frederick County, MD
Our condolences to the Waybright family, the Frederick County, Maryland Department of Fire/Rescue Services, and the
Taneytown Volunteer Fire Department. Recruit FireFighter Andrew Waybright, 24, of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania died
Wednesday July 3, 2002. Andrew became dizzy during the morning exercises of his third day of training before collapsing
and suffering cardiac arrest. His instructors administered CPR. An ambulance and medic unit transported him to Frederick
Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Andrew Waybright Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/5/02 Line of Duty Death - Ontario, OR
Our condolences to the Wyatt family, the Northwest Timber Fallers, and the United States Forest Service. FireFighter Alan
Wyatt, 51, a veteran wildland firefighter and tree faller died Tuesday July 2, 2002. Alan was working with 5 others on the
Missionary Ridge fire about 20 miles northeast of Bayfield, Colorado in the San Juan National Forest. He was cutting down
a 'hazard' tree when he was struck from behind by another tree. A medical evacuation helicopter was dispatched but Alan
was declared dead on the scene.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Alan Wyatt Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/2/02 Line of Duty Death - Esko, MN
Our condolences to the Granholm family and the Esko Volunteer Fire Department of Minnesota. Captain Kim Granholm, 29,
a 3 year veteran of the Esko Volunteer Fire Department died Monday June 1, 2002. Kim was performing suppression at a
car fire on I-35 southwest of Duluth when a vehicle was struck from behind by a truck. The car careened across the highway
striking a police cruiser before crashing into the rear of the burning corvette. Kim was airlifted to St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth
where he died during surgery. Five others were injured in the crash including 2 other firefighters, an Esko police officer, and
the drivers of both cars.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Kim Granholm Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
7/1/02 Line of Duty Death - South Killingly, CT
Our condolences to the Cusson family and the South Killingly Volunteer Fire Department of Connecticut. EMT/FireFighter
Richard Cusson, 32, a 4 year veteran of the South Killingly Volunteer Fire Department died Sunday June 30, 2002. Richard
was responding with his personal vehicle to a lumberyard fire when his pickup truck left the roadway and struck a utility pole.
Richard was ejected and died at the scene.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Richard Cusson Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
