KMAX Fatal crash 8-24-20 White River Oregon Fire
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KMAX Fatal crash 8-24-20 White River Oregon Fire
https://www.kulr8.com/regional/pilot...4692d6559.html
BOZEMAN- U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Governor Steve Bullock have issued statements after learning Tom Duffy, a firefighting pilot from Bozeman, died while fighting the White River Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.
Sen. Steve Daines’ statement:
"I am saddened to hear about the passing of Bozeman’s very own Tom Duffy," Daines said. "Tom Duffy tragically passed fighting the fires at Mt. Hood National Forest in service of the people of Oregon. Cindy and I offer our prayers to Tom’s family and loved ones."
Gov. Steve Bullock’s statement:
“Tom’s dedication to protecting lives from the devastation of fires led him to lend his skills as a pilot to our neighbors in Oregon. His spirit of service and bravery represents the best of Montana. Lisa and I are heartbroken to learn of his loss and we will be keeping his family and friends in our thoughts.”
Earlier Tuesday, Mt. Hood National Forest issued the following news release about the crash:
TYGH VALLEY, Ore. (Aug. 25, 2020) — On August 24, a pilot flying a Type 1 K-MAX helicopter on the White River Fire on Mt. Hood National Forest was killed while conducting bucket drops to help battle the blaze.
The pilot was the only individual on board of the aircraft at the time of the crash. The helicopter was a private contractor aircraft operating under a Call When Needed agreement with federal agencies.
Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and USDA Forest Service responded immediately to the crash by sending air and ground resources to the scene. The crash site is in rugged terrain, and the safety of first responders is our priority at this time.
“Yesterday, we lost a member of our firefighting family in a tragic helicopter crash,” said Glenn Casamassa, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service. “We convey our deepest sympathy to the family, incident management team, firefighters, friends and emergency responders involved. The courage to selflessly protect lives and property are respected and admired. Their ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten. Firefighting is dangerous work and risk is well known to those who fight the flames. We honor, we remember, we support the families and their loved ones. We affirm that we are a community and that the family is part of the firefighting family as well.”
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in effect to protect firefighter safety, so we are reminding people that it is critical not to fly in the vicinity of White River Fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been notified and the USDA Forest Service will be working with the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate further. As official reports become available, we will share more information.
We are working with the family on notifications and ask the media to respect their privacy during their time of bereavement.
"We don't ever forget those people that are protecting our public lands and are on the front lines for us and our local communities," said Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill.
A Critical Incident Stress Management team will be assisting firefighters working on the incident.
The White River Fire, located is 13 miles SW of Government Camp in the White River drainage near Forest Road 48, is currently 1,289 acres and 15 % containment. There are 354 personnel engaged in the firefighting efforts. Level 1 evacuations are in effect for Sportmans Park, which is approximately 8 miles east of the fire. Three additional Type 1 helicopters, including another K-MAX, and one Type 3 helicopter are still actively supporting suppression efforts on the fire.
While air resources such as these helicopters may be assigned to help with a specific fire, they are managed as an interagency pool that are flexible and responsive, often assisting with other fires when the opportunity and need arises.
Please respect area, road, recreation site, and trail closures surrounding the White River Fire which are in place to protect the safety of the public, firefighters, and first responders.
MT. HOOD, Oregon - A Montana pilot has reportedly died in a helicopter crash while fighting a wildfire in Oregon.
The crash happened Monday, August 24 in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
The Type 1 Kmax was conducting bucket drops on the White River Fire in rough terrain, according to fire information officers.
Suzanne Flory, Acting Director of Communications, Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service, confirmed the pilot is a white male from Montana, who was flying a Montana-based helicopter.
At a press conference involving the Mt. Hood National Forest, fire officials and the Wasco County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff indicated the helicopter is contracted out of Bozeman.
Additional details about the pilot have not been released.
The following a release from the Mt. Hood National Forest:
On Monday, August 24, we lost a member of our firefighting family in a tragic helicopter accident on Mt. Hood National Forest.
The helicopter was a Type 1 Kmax that was conducting bucket drops on the White River Fire to help battle the blaze, which was burning in rough terrain.
Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and USDA Forest Service air and ground resources responded immediately to the accident site. There will be an investigation into the accident, and the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been notified.
The firefighting community is heartbroken to learn of this tragic loss and our condolences go out to the pilot's family, friends, and co-workers.
There will be a virtual media briefing with the USDA Forest Service and Wasco County Sheriff’s Department sometime tomorrow. More details and a link will be provided when they are finalized.
More than 300 firefighters are assigned to 1,200+ acre White River Fire.
Pilot who died in helicopter crash fighting Oregon fire identified as Bozeman man
- Noah Schmick Wake Up Montana & Rachel Louise Just ABC FOX Montana
- Aug 25, 2020
BOZEMAN- U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Governor Steve Bullock have issued statements after learning Tom Duffy, a firefighting pilot from Bozeman, died while fighting the White River Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.
Sen. Steve Daines’ statement:
"I am saddened to hear about the passing of Bozeman’s very own Tom Duffy," Daines said. "Tom Duffy tragically passed fighting the fires at Mt. Hood National Forest in service of the people of Oregon. Cindy and I offer our prayers to Tom’s family and loved ones."
Gov. Steve Bullock’s statement:
“Tom’s dedication to protecting lives from the devastation of fires led him to lend his skills as a pilot to our neighbors in Oregon. His spirit of service and bravery represents the best of Montana. Lisa and I are heartbroken to learn of his loss and we will be keeping his family and friends in our thoughts.”
Earlier Tuesday, Mt. Hood National Forest issued the following news release about the crash:
TYGH VALLEY, Ore. (Aug. 25, 2020) — On August 24, a pilot flying a Type 1 K-MAX helicopter on the White River Fire on Mt. Hood National Forest was killed while conducting bucket drops to help battle the blaze.
The pilot was the only individual on board of the aircraft at the time of the crash. The helicopter was a private contractor aircraft operating under a Call When Needed agreement with federal agencies.
Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and USDA Forest Service responded immediately to the crash by sending air and ground resources to the scene. The crash site is in rugged terrain, and the safety of first responders is our priority at this time.
“Yesterday, we lost a member of our firefighting family in a tragic helicopter crash,” said Glenn Casamassa, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service. “We convey our deepest sympathy to the family, incident management team, firefighters, friends and emergency responders involved. The courage to selflessly protect lives and property are respected and admired. Their ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten. Firefighting is dangerous work and risk is well known to those who fight the flames. We honor, we remember, we support the families and their loved ones. We affirm that we are a community and that the family is part of the firefighting family as well.”
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in effect to protect firefighter safety, so we are reminding people that it is critical not to fly in the vicinity of White River Fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been notified and the USDA Forest Service will be working with the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate further. As official reports become available, we will share more information.
We are working with the family on notifications and ask the media to respect their privacy during their time of bereavement.
"We don't ever forget those people that are protecting our public lands and are on the front lines for us and our local communities," said Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill.
A Critical Incident Stress Management team will be assisting firefighters working on the incident.
The White River Fire, located is 13 miles SW of Government Camp in the White River drainage near Forest Road 48, is currently 1,289 acres and 15 % containment. There are 354 personnel engaged in the firefighting efforts. Level 1 evacuations are in effect for Sportmans Park, which is approximately 8 miles east of the fire. Three additional Type 1 helicopters, including another K-MAX, and one Type 3 helicopter are still actively supporting suppression efforts on the fire.
While air resources such as these helicopters may be assigned to help with a specific fire, they are managed as an interagency pool that are flexible and responsive, often assisting with other fires when the opportunity and need arises.
Please respect area, road, recreation site, and trail closures surrounding the White River Fire which are in place to protect the safety of the public, firefighters, and first responders.
MT. HOOD, Oregon - A Montana pilot has reportedly died in a helicopter crash while fighting a wildfire in Oregon.
The crash happened Monday, August 24 in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
The Type 1 Kmax was conducting bucket drops on the White River Fire in rough terrain, according to fire information officers.
Suzanne Flory, Acting Director of Communications, Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service, confirmed the pilot is a white male from Montana, who was flying a Montana-based helicopter.
At a press conference involving the Mt. Hood National Forest, fire officials and the Wasco County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff indicated the helicopter is contracted out of Bozeman.
Additional details about the pilot have not been released.
The following a release from the Mt. Hood National Forest:
On Monday, August 24, we lost a member of our firefighting family in a tragic helicopter accident on Mt. Hood National Forest.
The helicopter was a Type 1 Kmax that was conducting bucket drops on the White River Fire to help battle the blaze, which was burning in rough terrain.
Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and USDA Forest Service air and ground resources responded immediately to the accident site. There will be an investigation into the accident, and the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been notified.
The firefighting community is heartbroken to learn of this tragic loss and our condolences go out to the pilot's family, friends, and co-workers.
There will be a virtual media briefing with the USDA Forest Service and Wasco County Sheriff’s Department sometime tomorrow. More details and a link will be provided when they are finalized.
More than 300 firefighters are assigned to 1,200+ acre White River Fire.
RIP, Tom. and thank you, Mark.
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...al/5748438002/
BILLINGS – A helicopter pilot carried out several daring rescues involving people injured in climbing accidents over the weekend just hours before he attended the funeral for his son, who died in a firefighting helicopter crash in Oregon last month.
One person was killed and two people were injured during the climbing accidents, authorities said.
The first accident involved a man who fell about 100 feet (30 meters) after slipping Saturday while trying to cross an area called the Snow Bridge on the eastern route of Granite Peak, the highest mountain in the state. The man had been climbing with his brother, said St. Tad Dykstra with the Park County Sheriff's Office.
The second accident happened on the southeast face of Granite Peak, where four men from Idaho were rappelling on a slope. The large boulder they had anchored into gave way, Dykstra said.
"The boulder rolled down and possibly struck or knocked another subject off balance," Dykstra told The Billings Gazette. One man fell 1,000 feet (300 meters) and died.Another man was injured. The victim's name has not been released.
A helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls attempted to fly a rescue mission on Saturday but turned back because of high winds in the area just north of Yellowstone National Park.
The wind, the difficulty of flying rescues on Granite Peak and limited helicopter availability due to a fire north of Bozeman required rescuers to wait until Sunday.
"Granite Peak has intense wind events up there," Dykstra said. "It takes a very specialized pilot and a specialized team in order to complete the rescue."
Mark Duffy of Bozeman flew seven short-haul rescues on Sunday morning before attending the funeral of his son. Tom Duffy, 40, was killed in a helicopter crash on Aug. 24 while dropping water on a wildfire in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon. "This morning, Mark showed his true commitment to rescuing those in need," Dykstra wrote on the Park County Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Sunday.
The man who slid from Snow Ridge was the first person rescued because his injuries were believed to be the most critical. A short-haul helicopter rescue involves a rescuer on a helicopter long line who tethers themselves to another person before both are lifted out. The rescuers were with Gallatin County's high-angle rescue team.
The injured people were flown to a nearby landing zone where they were picked up by medical helicopters and taken to area hospitals.
A member of the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team stayed overnight with the man who fell from Snow Bridge. She had been climbing with another person when they came across the incident, Dykstra said.
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...al/5748438002/
Fallen Montana firefighter's father pilots 7 rescues on day of son's funeral
Associated PressBILLINGS – A helicopter pilot carried out several daring rescues involving people injured in climbing accidents over the weekend just hours before he attended the funeral for his son, who died in a firefighting helicopter crash in Oregon last month.One person was killed and two people were injured during the climbing accidents, authorities said.
The first accident involved a man who fell about 100 feet (30 meters) after slipping Saturday while trying to cross an area called the Snow Bridge on the eastern route of Granite Peak, the highest mountain in the state. The man had been climbing with his brother, said St. Tad Dykstra with the Park County Sheriff's Office.
The second accident happened on the southeast face of Granite Peak, where four men from Idaho were rappelling on a slope. The large boulder they had anchored into gave way, Dykstra said.
"The boulder rolled down and possibly struck or knocked another subject off balance," Dykstra told The Billings Gazette. One man fell 1,000 feet (300 meters) and died.Another man was injured. The victim's name has not been released.
A helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls attempted to fly a rescue mission on Saturday but turned back because of high winds in the area just north of Yellowstone National Park.
The wind, the difficulty of flying rescues on Granite Peak and limited helicopter availability due to a fire north of Bozeman required rescuers to wait until Sunday.
"Granite Peak has intense wind events up there," Dykstra said. "It takes a very specialized pilot and a specialized team in order to complete the rescue."
Mark Duffy of Bozeman flew seven short-haul rescues on Sunday morning before attending the funeral of his son. Tom Duffy, 40, was killed in a helicopter crash on Aug. 24 while dropping water on a wildfire in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon. "This morning, Mark showed his true commitment to rescuing those in need," Dykstra wrote on the Park County Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Sunday.
The man who slid from Snow Ridge was the first person rescued because his injuries were believed to be the most critical. A short-haul helicopter rescue involves a rescuer on a helicopter long line who tethers themselves to another person before both are lifted out. The rescuers were with Gallatin County's high-angle rescue team.
The injured people were flown to a nearby landing zone where they were picked up by medical helicopters and taken to area hospitals.
A member of the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team stayed overnight with the man who fell from Snow Bridge. She had been climbing with another person when they came across the incident, Dykstra said.
