Several FWFSA members gathered this past weekend at the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in Boise, Idaho to offer respect, support and companionship to friends and families of those lost from the wildland firefighting community over the years.

 

The Foundation, led by Vicki Minor and son Burk are an inspiration to all of us as they provide rapid intervention and assistance to those that have lost loved ones over the years. As many of you know they also provide assistance to those seriously injured while performing their heroic duties.

 

Family Day allows Moms, Dads, Sisters, Brothers, Sons, Daughters and all others to share rememberances of their loved ones and to learn they can lean on others who have faced the same heartache of such a loss. For those who have not visited the Foundation or the memorial across the street next to the grounds of the National Interagency Fire Center, Family Day, especially walking among the headstones in the memorial identifying those lost, is a sobering reminder of the dangers wildland firefighters face each and every year.  

 

Imagine children of those recently lost attending their first Family Day. No one watching and listening to the children relate their love and affection for those they lost can come away without shedding tears. The Foundation, most notably Vicki, Burk & Staff play an integral role in letting families know they are not alone in their loss and sorrow.

 

Many FWFSA members contribute to the Foundation, especially through it's popular 52 Club. In recent years the number of FWFSA members has grown in Idaho, Montana and surrounding states and we'd certainly like to see more FWFSA members attend Family Day and honor those lost and their families.

 

We are particularly proud of our members who participated in the multi-agency Honor Guard. Micah Bell, (far left in picture) traveled all the way from Indiana to be a part of the Honor Guard. Familiar to many, Betty Ashe (far right in picture) has not only been a member of the Honor Guard for many years but consistently assists the Foundation in so many ways.

 

Unfortunately, missing from the picture is Paul Lemmon, also a member of the Honor Guard and the newest applicant to the FWFSA.

 

While Boise Idaho isn't the easiest place to get to from all corners of the US, I am hopeful the FWFSA Board would consider holding a membership conference there to coincide with next year's Family Day so our FWFSA family can share all that is special with Family Day.