The Director of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service died Saturday afternoon while on a ski trip at the Keystone Resort southeast of Dillon, Colorado (map). Samuel Hamilton, 54, was pronounced dead after he was transported off the mountain.
The Summit County coroner, Joanne Richardson, in a press release said Mr. Hamilton had suffered chest pains and that the circumstances were consistent with an underlying heart-related condition. He was on a ski trip with friends, and was pronounced dead at 1:16 p.m.
Hamilton was sworn in as the Director of the USF&WS on September 1, 2009 after having been the Regional Director of the agency’s Southeast Region.
The USF&WS manages lands with over 75 million burnable acres and has a very active fire management program.
The Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar, issued the following statement after Hamilton’s death was reported Saturday:
The Interior Department family has suffered a great loss with the passing of Sam Hamilton. Sam was a friend, a visionary and a professional whose years of service and passionate dedication to his work have left an indelible mark on the lands and wildlife we cherish. His forward-thinking approach to conservation — including his view that we must think beyond boundaries at the landscape-scale — will continue to shape our nation’s stewardship for years to come…
Our condolences go out to the family and co-workers of Mr. Hamilton.
