Our condolences to the Dawdy family, the Cotton City Fire
Department, the Animas Volunteer Fire and Rescue, and the
New Mexico State Forestry Service. Cotton City Fire Chief
Ralph Dawdy, 47, a veteran firefighter, also of the Animas
Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Bootheel Search and Rescue,
died Thursday night June 26, 2003. Ralph was responding to
the Jenny Fire in Gila National Forest with a loaded Animas
water tanker when he left the roadway of Forest Road 150
falling 123 feet into Terry Canyon overturning the tanker 3
times. Ralph was thrown from tanker and died at the scene.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Ralph Dawdy Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
6/26/03 Attention WFD Members
The following are the results of the Local 1339 election: Treasurer - Jim
Santa Lucia, Executive Board - Brian Finkenzeller, Dan French, and Ken
Tamborra. No candidate received a majority for Vice President, therefore
a run-off election will be held between Mike Bergin and Frank Walsh on
Monday July 7, 2003 3-7PM at the Union Offices in the Elton Hotel.
6/25/03 Photo Gallery Update
K.C. Rist from Orange County, New York sent me 6 more Orange
County apparatus photos to add to his photo gallery, including
this photo of Warwick Truck 633 and the Orange County Firefighters
Memorial. There are 27 photos in the
K.C. Rist
photo gallery.
Hilton Fire Department Fire Photographer Dan Hasenauer sent
me 4 pictures of a roaring warehouse fire, fully involved on
arrival at 2:30AM. 4 companies from the Hilton Fire Department
of New York State responded to this blaze. There are 10 photos in the
Dan Hasenauer
photo gallery.
6/21/03 Line of Duty Death - Whiteriver, AZ
Our condolences to the Lupe family and the Bureau of Indian Affairs of
Arizona. Fuels Management Specialist Rick Lupe, 42, a 20 year
veteran hotshot firefighter with the Bureau of Indian Affairs died
Thursday June 19, 2003. Rick received third degree burns to forty
percent of his body during a prescribed burn near Whiteriver on the
Fort Apache Reservation on Wednesday May 14, 2003. Rick walked
a half mile before being picked up by a helicopter and transported to
a hospital. He was treated and kept in an induced coma at Maricopa
Burn Center in Phoenix for five weeks while he underwent two skin
graft surgeries.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Rick Lupe Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
6/19/03 Line of Duty Death - Grayson, KY
Our condolences to the Utley family, the Grayson Fire Department,
and Carter County EMS of Kentucky. FireFighter/EMT Randy Utley,
30, a 2 year veteran volunteer firefighter with the Grayson Fire
Department and a 1 year veteran EMT with Carter County EMS
died Monday June 16, 2003. Randy was responding to a emergency
call in Carter County with his personal vehicle when his Ford Ranger
left the roadway and struck a billboard sign post. Randy was extricated
from the vehicle and rushed by ambulance to a trauma center in West
Virginia where he died a short time later.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Randy Utley Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
6/18/03 Line of Duty Death - Bellefonte, PA
Our condolences to the Schreckengast family and the Logan Fire
Company of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Fire Police Officer Donald
Schreckengast, 55, a 25 year veteran volunteer firefighter with
the Logan Fire Company died Saturday June 14, 2003. Donald was
directing traffic at the annual Bellefonte Cruise Parade when he
collapsed from an apparent heart attack. He was rushed to Centre
Community Hospital where he later died.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Donald Schreckengast Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
6/17/03 Line of Duty Death - Memphis, TN
Our condolences to the Kirk family, the Zachary family, and the Memphis
Fire Department of Tennessee. Lieutenant Trent Kirk, 39, a 11 year
veteran of the Memphis Fire Department, and FireFighter Charles Zachary,
29, a 19 year veteran of the Memphis Fire Department died Sunday June
15, 2003. Three Memphis firefighters were trapped when a metal truss roof
collapsed on them while they were searching for trapped victims in a Family
Dollar Store fire Sunday evening. Charles was pulled from the building in 15
minutes and rushed to Regional Medical Center where succumbed to his
injuries on Monday morning. Trent was trapped for several hours before
rescuers were able to reach him under the roof collapse. A third firefighter
was treated and released after being pulled from the collapse also.
For more news, information, and photos, please visit the
Trent Kirk and Charles Zachary Memorial in the
Fallen Brothers Section.
6/16/03 Attention WFD Members
It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Joseph Troland,
grandfather of Waterbury Fire Department FireFighter John DeBisschop,
assigned to the Emergency Reporting Center on the B Shift. Calling hours
for Jospeh will be held on Monday June 16, 2003 5-8PM at Woodtick
Memorial in Wolcott, CT. A funeral mass will be held for Joseph on
Tuesday June 17, 2003 9:30AM at St. Francis Xavier.
6/13/03 2nd Annual Torrington FD Bike Ride
The 2nd Annual Torrington Firefighters Local 1567 Bike Ride to
benefit the Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital will be held on
Sunday June 22, 2003. Registration will be at fire headquaters
at 111 Water Street in Torrington at 10AM and the ride will start
at 11AM. Registration cost is $20 per bike ($25 with a passenger).
Lunch is included. Rain date is the following Sunday June 29. For
more information contact (860) 489-2255.
6/11/03 Photo Gallery Update
Christy Key, sister of
Fallen Brother James Taylor
who died in the line of duty this past January, sent me 3 photos
of James' memorial stone and the memorialized ambulance that
replaced the one that James was killed in. There are 3 photos in the
James Taylor Memorial Gallery.
6/7/03 Photo Gallery Update
Coldenham Fire Department Photographer David Weimer sent
me 10 pictures of apparatus from the Coldenham Fire Department
and the Maybrook Fire Department. David is also the 2nd Battalion
Photographer for Orange County, New York. There are 10 photos
in the
David Weimer
photo gallery.
Hilton Fire Department Photographer Dan Hasenauer sent
me 6 pictures of a roaring structure fire, fully involved on
arrival. The Hilton Fire Department is in New York State.
There are 6 photos in the
Dan Hasenauer
photo gallery.
6/3/03 Poker Run to Benefit Bradley FireFighter
There will be a poker run to benefit Bradley International
Airport FireFighter Ralph Mendoza. Ralph is undergoing
treatment for cancer. The run will be held on Saturday
June 28, 2003 (Rain Date 6/29) leaving Bradley
International Airport Fire Department Station 1 in Hartford,
CT at 10:15 AM and ending at the Shamrock Cafe in
Suffield, CT with live music by Shovelhead and food. Entry
$20.00 per rider/$10.00 per passenger with registration
9:15-10:15AM. For more information contact Joe Killen @
(860) 982-4629.
6/2/03 Attention WFD Members
The June meeting of Local 1339 will be Wednesday June 18,
2003 7PM at the Elton Hotel. Voting will be held from 3-7PM
prior to the meeting at the Elton Hotel. The ballot will be:
| VICE PRESIDENT: |
Frank Walsh
Coral Barnes
Steve Ayotte |
Mike Bergin
Joe Bochicchio
|
| TREASURER: |
Jim Santalucia |
|
EXECUTIVE BOARD:
Elect 3 |
Brian Finkenzeller
Ken Tamborra
Mike Stanco |
Jim Peplau
Dave Mirabilio
Dan French |
6/1/03 Photo Gallery Update
Wayne Tomblinson, fire photographer, has sent me 17 more
samples of his work. These are from a recent church fire,
another structure fire, and a semi versus pickup mva with
CareFlite photos. You can see more of his photographs on
his website
Amazing Fire Photos.com.
There are 68 photos in the
Wayne Tomblinson
photo gallery.
K.C. Rist from Orange County, New York sent me 12 more
Orange County, New York apparatus photos to add to his
photo gallery, including this nice closeup of goldleaf lettering
on a chief's car. There are 21 photos in the
K.C. Rist
photo gallery.
