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2026 WOR: Denio Engine Rollover – Jacob O’Malley and Will Hawkins

Letter to Leadership |  Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |   Workouts

 

Today we honor Jacob O’Malley and Will Hawkins. Jake served as a wildland firefighter for six seasons, and Will served for four seasons. On Sunday July 10, 2016, Engine 2410 was returning from patrol in the Denio, Nevada area with two other wildland fire engines and a chase vehicle from the Boise BLM District. The engine was in a rollover accident when a degraded tire failed, seriously injuring a crewmember and tragically killing both Jacob and Will.

Jacob O'Malley and Will Hawkins, July 10, 2016

Incident Summary:

On return to Winnemucca, Nevada the group was traveling at approximately 60 mph with E-2410 in the lead. At 17:03 PDT, E-2410 experienced a sudden failure of the right rear tire. When the wheel rim contacted the pavement, the vehicle pulled to the right, which the driver tried to correct by counter-steering to the left. The right rear rim continued to cut into the pavement for approximately 320 feet and then hopped or skipped off the pavement. Upon re-contact with the pavement, the vehicle gained enough traction to tip to the right side and start rolling over. The vehicle rolled several times and came to rest upright off the highway, facing in the opposite direction it had been traveling. During the rollover, the upper structure of the engine’s cab was badly damaged.

Evidence indicates all three occupants were wearing seat belts. The restraint systems for both the driver, Jacob O’Malley, and the right-side passenger, Will Hawkins, were compromised when the upper structure of the cab separated from the truck’s body. Despite having his seat belt on, Will was ejected from the engine.

Firefighters Jacob O’Malley and Will Hawkins were declared deceased at the scene by a Humbolt County Deputy Coroner. Jacob and Will leave a legacy of hard work, compassion, and engaging in their duties with full hearts.

Discussion:

  • As a result of this accident, new tire inspection protocols were developed. How does your unit record tire inspection information during preventative maintenance checks?
  • What is the proper inflation pressure for different speeds, conditions, and load weights of your unit’s vehicles? 
  • How often do tires need to be replaced (regardless of how much tread life remains)?
  • What color indicates that a dangerous level of heat has been exceeded on the heat sensor stickers of your unit’s vehicles? 
  • When an Incident Within an Incident occurs, what are key protocols if you are first on scene?

References:

Category
Week of Remembrance

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Paul Gleason Award Winners Announced

Date:  August 13, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Development Subcommittee

The NWCG Qualifications Management Committee (QMC) and Leadership Development Subcommittee (LDSC) are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Paul Gleason "Lead By Example" awards. Award categories include Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Hunter Bell, U.S. Forest Service — Initiative and Innovation
  • Shannon Deane, U.S. Wildland Fire Service— Initiative and Innovation
  • Chris Delaney, U.S. Wildland Fire Service — Motivation and Vision
  • Sean Peterson, U.S. Forest Service — Mentoring and Teamwork

References:

Paul Gleason Lead By Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)

Leadership Development Subcommittee

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species – Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

Date:  July 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics and Equipment Management Committee (LMC) issued Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels, reminding the wildland fire community that aquatic mussels continue to be a problem. Mussels rapidly colonize hard and soft surfaces, including aquatic plants and fire equipment, clogging pipes, fouling motors, disrupting water systems, and impacting native species.

To help prevent their spread, fire personnel must follow the decontamination procedures outlined in the NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444. Additionally, report any sightings immediately to your Lead Resource Advisor and include clear, close-up photos (with a pen or your hand for size reference) and location details.”

Read the complete LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001, to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Task Book Update

Date:  July 24, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG Operations Management Committee (OMC) has issued an update to the NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91. To ensure clarity for both trainees and evaluators, the updated FAL2 Position Task Book (PTB) explicitly states who is authorized to sign off on your tasks:

“Evaluators must be qualified as a FAL2, or an Advanced Faller (FAL1).”

If you are currently working out of a previously published version of the FAL2 PTB, you do not need to restart. However, OMC highly encourages you to take the following step to prevent any confusion in the field:

  • Print and replace the updated evaluator information page (page 2) in your current physical PTB.

References:

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Date:  July 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics/Equipment Management Committee (LMC) has released Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups. This advisory highlights multiple U.S. Forest Service regions reporting front driveline joint failure incidents.

This advisory recommends firefighters and fire managers to: 

  • Follow all Ram-issued inspection, maintenance, and service guidance for front driveline joints. 
  • Consider installing a driveline loop. 
  • Coordinate with fleet managers and service providers to determine the most appropriate driveline loop kit for each pickup.

For further details, please refer to the complete advisory.

References:

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Technical Service Bulletin: 03-002-21