Our condolences to the Gibson, Hammer, Hengel, James, Moore, Price, Ransdell, and Ruiz families, the United States Forest Service and First Strike Environmental of Oregon. Eight contract firefighters with the Roseburg, Oregon based company, First Strike Environmental, died Sunday August 24, 2003. FireFighters Paul Gibson, 25, David Hammer, 25, Jeff Hengel, 21, Jesse James, 22, Richard Moore II, 21, Leland Price Jr, 27, Mark Randsell, 23, and Ricardo Ruiz, 19, were returning from two weeks of firefighting at Boise National Forest in South Fork, Idaho when their van collided head on with a tractor trailer west of Vale, Oregon, exploding in flames. The chassis of the van was split in two pieces from the force of the impact. The two occupants of the tractor trailer were able to free themselves and were treated for burns and dislocations at an Ontario Hospital.

Paul Gibson	David Hammer	Jeff Hengel	Jesse James
Richard Moore II	Leland Price Jr.	Mark Ransdell	Ricardo Ruiz

     A Community Memorial Service will be held for the eight First Strike FireFighters will be held Friday September 5, 2003 4PM at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Roseburg. A memorial fund has been established for the families of the fallen firefighters, and donations can be made to: