2020 WOR Day 7: Honor Through Learning

“We as firefighters can most honor them by recognizing and cherishing the lessons they have imparted to us at the greatest price.” – Paul Gleason

The Week of Remembrance is a somber time for all of us. Spending an entire week discussing loss should cause even the proudest among us to reflect. What we do with that reflection is how we honor those memories.

This is our history. Learn from it today.  Use it tomorrow.

Today we mark the anniversary of the South Canyon Fire and through learning we honor those lost on the fireline that day. Anniversaries of such events provide an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our mission and seek improvement. Reflecting on the pieces written by the authors for this Week of Remembrance, it becomes clear how tightly entwined learning and tragedy are. As a result of these tragedies, we have learned countless lessons that are passed to us through our leaders, our teachers, our mentors, and our conversations with each other.

“We honor and remember through learning.” – Brit Rosso

ACTION: We encourage all fireline personnel, incident management, fire support staff, and program management to take a moment of remembrance, when/if appropriate, to reflect on, and discuss lessons we learned from this Week of Remembrance, and how we will apply those lessons.

In memory of the firefighters mentioned during this Week of Remembrance and to all whose ultimate sacrifice has allowed us to learn…Never Forgotten.

Kathi Beck
Tamera Bickett
Scott Blecha
Levi Brinkley
Douglas Dunbar
Terri Hagen
Bonnie Holtby
Rob Johnson
Jon Kelso
Don Mackey
Roger Roth
Jim Thrash
Robert Browning, Jr.
Richard Tyler
Andrew Ashcraft
Anthony Rose
Christopher MacKenzie
Clayton Whitted

Photo of the Wildland Firefighter Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center, Boise ID.

Dustin Deford
Eric Marsh
Garret Zuppiger
Grant McKee
Jesse Steed
Joe Thurston
John Percin
Kevin Woyjeck
Robert Caldwell
Scott Norris
Sean Misner
Travis Carter
Travis Turbyfill
Wade Parker
William Warneke
Daniel Holmes
Brian Hughes
Andy Palmer