Coal Canyon Fire Archives - Page 2 of 3

Update on firefighter injured on Coal Canyon fire

Bill GabbertAugust 18, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, Jim Strain, South Dakota, Wildland Firefighter Foundation2 Comments

Austin Whitney, one of the firefighters that was injured on the Coal Canyon fire in South Dakota when their engine crew was trapped between a spot fire and the main fire, is recovering from his burns in a hospital in Greely, Colorado. His fellow crew member, Trampus Haskvitz, was killed during that burn over. Austin works for the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression and their Assistant Chief for Operations, Jim Strain, has been proactive in monitoring his recovery and providing assistance to the family. Jim was involved in setting up a CaringBridge.org web site where those interested in Austin’s condition can keep up to date on his status. Here is some information from that site, which was updated on August 17:

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We’ve created it to keep friends and family updated about our loved one. Get started by reading the introduction to our website, My Story.

This story is about Austin Whitney, a State of South Dakota Div of Wildland Fire Suppression Seasonal firefigher that works in the Hot Springs Field Office. On August 11, at around 1500 hours, The crew of State Engine 561 of Trampus Haskvitz, KC Fees and Austin Whitney were entrapped in an engine burnover on the initial attack of the Coal Canyon fire. We lost Trampus in that incident, but KC and Austin survived and this is Austin’s story of recovery. Austin comes from a long family line of wildland firefighters in the Pringle SD area.

=========

by JES

Talked to Austin’s Dad, and he said that Austin is doing as well as expected after the skin grafting surgical procedure on Monday. The team grafted skin on his left arm and on his shins. The surgical dressing and wrapping should be coming off in the next few days, and that is good news. Austin is in good spirits and appreciates very much the visits from the Greeley FD, and other fire departments. In fact, Evans FD [near Greely, CO] dropped by, along with Colorado State Forest Service, and the Rocky Mountain National Park ~~Fire Use~~ Fuels Module. They dropped off crew T-shirts and Austin’s parents said that Austin appreciates very much the chance to visit and talk to his fellow firefighters about the fire and his recovery. They can talk in language that he can understand and that makes him feel bonded to the world of wildland fire. Sounds like Fort Collins and Boulder will be coming by in the future, and Austin is looking forward to those visits as well. (8-17, JES)

If you want to visit Austin, first contact his father via email at: pit boss 83 at hot mail dot com. (Remove all spaces, and you know what to do with the “at” and “dot”.) His father knows which times are best for visits. Austin is in the Western States Burn Center at the North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th Street, Greeley, CO 80631-5199.

Three other firefighters were also injured, one working for the State of South Dakota, and two who work for the U. S. Forest Service. They were all treated at a hospital and released.

I knew that the Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been assisting the families of the firefighters affected by the burn over, and I asked Jim Strain for a few more details in the case of Austin and his family. Here is his response:

As for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, enough cannot be said. Vicki Minor, the executive director, stepped up the first day and arranged hotel rooms and a rental car for Austin’s family. And Vicki stays in contact with the family and is helping to support them while they are staying the Greeley Area. Her years of experience in dealing with this type of situation is invaluable.

Consider making a donation to the WFF. They do great work for injured firefighters and their families. I just re-upped my membership in the 52 Club, which represents a dollar for each week of the year.

More information about the Coal Canyon fire burn over:

August 11: South Dakota firefighter killed on Wildfire
August 13: Update on the fatal Coal Canyon fire
August 14: Coal Canyon fire injury update
August 16: Services held for Trampus Haskvitz

Coal Canyon fire fatality, 72-hour report

Bill GabbertAugust 16, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, fatality, lodd, South Dakota

Below is a portion of the “Expanded 72-hour report” issued by the U. S. Forest Service’s Washington Office for the incident on the Coal Canyon fire which resulted in the death of firefighter Trampus S. Haskvitz.

Services held for Trampus Haskvitz (updated)

Bill GabbertAugust 16, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, South Dakota, Tom Harbour5 Comments

Tuesday afternoon the life of Trampus Haskvitz was celebrated at Hot Springs, South Dakota. Trampus was killed in the line of duty on the Coal Canyon fire northeast of Edgemont, SD on August 11 when he became trapped between a spot fire and the main fire.

The services were held at the Mueller Center in front of a standing room only crowd. There were an estimated 1,300 people in the main auditorium plus an additional 400 who watched it on video in another room.

Speakers during the service included South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, Joe Lowe director of the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, Trampus’ brother Ben, and Chaplin Morris Nelson.

While Trampus was a firefighter with the state of South Dakota, the Coal Canyon fire is primarily on U. S. Forest Service land and is listed as a USFS-responsibility fire. The USFS sent a sizeable delegation of high-ranking personnel, including Tom Harbour the Director of Fire and Aviation, and various regional officials, including, I believe, a couple of Regional Foresters.

The Rapid City Fire Department assisted with the planning of the services and also supplied the Honor Guard.

After the services in the Mueller Center, a procession of over 130 fire department vehicles escorted Trampus to the cemetery. Unlike most fire department funerals, most of the trucks were brush engines, rather than structure rigs.

The Rapid City Journal has had extensive coverage of this tragedy, and that continued with their excellent article in Wednesday’s paper written by Kevin Woster. Here is an excerpt:

They buried a hero here Tuesday, on a summer day that began with smoke from the fire that killed him hanging in the air above this Southern Hills town.

Trampus Haskvitz, 23, a Buffalo Gap native remembered for his strong heart, gentle spirit and fearless approach to life, died last Thursday fighting the Coal Canyon Fire in the rugged canyon lands near Edgemont.

And smoke from that waning blaze, which was 95 percent contained on Tuesday, created a hazy beginning to a day that drew hundreds of firefighters to say goodbye.

Chaplain Morris Nelson noted the poignant presence of that smoke during a memorial service for Haskvitz at the Mueller Center Auditorium.

“Trampus died last Thursday fighting the fire you can still smell,” Nelson said to about 1,500 people in the packed auditorium.

The crowd included Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker, who sat with officers from the city fire department and police department, which just last week buried two of its officers slain in a North Rapid gunfight that draped the city in sadness.

The death of Haskvitz heaped tragedy upon tragedy. And Chaplain Nelson urged those who knew and loved him to remember Haskvitz and his sacrifice whenever they saw or smelled a fire.

Nelson was joined by a fire commander, a governor, a teacher and a brother in offering eulogies to Haskvitz, a college football player who honed that athleticism in seasonal firefighting work for the state Wildland Fire Suppression Division.

…

In his eulogy, Gov. Dennis Daugaard turned to the John Donne poem “No Man is an Island” and its powerful message of interconnectedness, particularly “any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind.”

The ending of the poem, “never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee” was especially personal, because the memorial service ended with a traditional firefighter’s “last alarm.”

On a shining fire bell near Haskvitz’ casket, an honor squad member from the Rapid City Fire Department rang a sequence of three rings three times, concluding the service as many wept.

Other articles in the Rapid City Journal:

Editorial: Firefighters risk their lives for us
Community mourns loss of brother, friend
A gallery of photos from the funeral procession

The video below shows the first 15 minutes of the 18-minute procession as it passed by my location (YouTube has a 15-minute limit). The fire trucks begin showing up at 2:10 minutes into the video.

Here are some photos I took on Tuesday.

Trampus Haskvitz funeral — Firefighters entering the services.

Continue reading “Services held for Trampus Haskvitz (updated)”

Coal Canyon fire injury update

Bill GabbertAugust 14, 2011March 3, 2017UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, Jim Strain, South Dakota1 Comment

Jim Strain, Assistant Chief for Operations with the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression, distributed the information below about the condition of Austin Whitney who was seriously injured while fighting the Coal Canyon fire north of Edgemont, South Dakota on Thursday, August 11. This is the same fire on which Trampus Haskvisk was killed when their engine crew was burned over. Information about Trampus’ funeral can be found HERE. Three other firefighters were also injured on Thursday but were treated and released.

========================================

Just wanted to pass on an update on the condition of Austin Whitney, the SDS WFS seasonal firefighter that was involved in the burn over of State Engine 561 on the Coal Canyon fire on Thursday.

This information has been provided by the family and Austin, and they want to share this information, so feel free to pass on to anyone else that wants to know. My e-mail list is by no means inclusive.

Austin is at the Western States Burn Unit in the North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. I accompanied the family down to Greeley on Friday, and have been in contact since my arrival back home. But as of today, Austin had 13% of his body burned, and will be going procedures starting Monday to skin graft the serious burned area on his left elbow and arm. Thankfully, his lungs and airways were spared from the heat. But he has a long road ahead with recovery and rehab. Austin is engaged and alert, shows a determined spirit, visits with the nurses and family when he can, and is talking to friends and family on his cell phone.

The family asked if some of fellow fire crew members from the Hot Springs field office could visit, so I have sent down Steve Esser, Ben Maisel and Kevin Fees today to visit with family and Austin before he starts the skin graft procedure. Steve will provide an updated report to us when gets back. In addition, Bob Whitney, Austin’s dad, did an interview with the Rapid City Journal about Austin, and that should be in the newspaper soon.

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been most supportative and helpful. They have provided the rental car and motel rooms for the family and his fiancé, Becky Dawson. The Greeley Fire Department has dropped by everyday to check on the family.

Cards and letters can be sent to: North Colorado Medical Center, Attn: Austin Whitney, Burn Unit, 1801 16th St, Greeley Colorado, 80631. We will be working with the family to get a Caring Bridge website set up. Bob and Julie Whitney, Austin’s mom and dad, are always appreciative of any support they can get at this time.

Jim Strain

Asst Chief Operations

Coal Canyon fire fatality funeral arrangements

Bill GabbertAugust 14, 2011March 3, 2017UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, South Dakota

The funeral for Trampus Haskvisk who died fighting the Coal Canyon fire north of Edgemont, South Dakota will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 16 at the Mueller Center on 6th Street in Hot Springs, SD. Trampus was a five-year veteran with the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division so I hope there is a large turnout as a show of respect for him and his family.

Below is the information about the funeral service that was distributed by Rod Seals, Operations Chief for the Rapid City Fire Department:

=============================================

Schedule for Funeral Service for Firefighter Trampus Haskvitz

Note: All Public Safety and Emergency Responders are encouraged to attend the funeral/celebration of life services for Trampus Haskvitz. Because we are unsure of the number of you that will be attending, we ask that you RSVP by calling Rapid City Fire Department, Station 1 at (605) 394-4180 with the following information: Agency name, total number of personnel attending (including family) and number of emergency vehicles that will be in the procession.

Tuesday Line-Up:

 All South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, Black Hills National Forest – Hells Canyon District, and the National Park Service – Wind Cave personnel are asked to arrive at the Mueller’s Civic Center 11:30 to line up for the procession. Line-up for these agencies will be in front of the Muellers Center on 6^th street. Your family is welcome to sit with you in a designated seating area.

 All WFS, BHNF-Hells Canyon District, and NPS-Wind Cave personnel are asked to follow the signs to the staging area within the Mueller’s Civic Center. Seating will begin at 1:30 pm.

 All other Public Safety Departments & Agency Personnel not included in the list above are asked to line up on Galveston Avenue (1/2 block east of the Mueller Center) starting at 12:30 pm. Departments are asked to use the following route when lining up on Galveston Ave. Highway 18 Bypass turning right onto Galveston Avenue.

 Seating will begin at 1:00 pm.

 The funeral service will begin at 2:00 pm.

Tuesday Procession:

 Following the service, WFS, BHNF-Hells Canyon District, and NPS-Wind Cave personnel should line up outside the Mueller Civic Center as Firefighter Trampus Haskvitz is escorted to a fire engine. After Trampus is escorted firefighters are asked to return to their vehicles as quickly as possible.

 The procession will run west of 6^th street, left on South River Street, right on Cold Brook Avenue, left on School Street, entering Evergreen Cemetery. A map will be handed out as you line up in the staging area.

 During the procession the Fall River County Dispatch will sound the emergency sirens twice.

 If your agency provides you with a Class A Uniform, please wear it.

 Should you not have a Class A Uniform, you are asked to wear your Class B (tie and uniform shirt) or Class C Uniform (agency uniform with no tie).

 Crew personnel should wear their crew shirts.

 Incident personnel should wear either a Rocky Mountain Team shirt or nomex.

Update on the fatal Coal Canyon fire, August 13, 2011

Bill GabbertAugust 13, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, fatality, lodd3 Comments

Road leading through Coal Canyon fire. Credit: Black Hills National Forest

A few more details are now available about the incident that claimed the life of Trampus Haskvitz, 23, of Hot Springs, South Dakota on August 11, 2011. In addition to Mr. Haskvitz four other firefighters, two others from the state of South Dakota and two from the U.S. Forest Service, were injured. Austin Whitney, 20, of Hot Springs suffered third-degree burns to his hands and neck and is being treated at a burn center in Greeley, Colo. Kevin Fees, 20, also of Hot Springs, was treated and released Thursday at Rapid City Regional Medical Center after suffering burns to his hands and neck. Both Mr. Whitney and Mr. Fees are employed by the state of South Dakota.

Other than the fact that they were treated for injuries and released and one worked out of Custer and the other out of Hot Springs, nothing else has been released about the USFS firefighters.

Joe Lowe, director of the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, said during a news conference Friday that the firefighters had been making an initial attack with an engine on a lightning caused fire approximately 9 miles north of Edgemont, South Dakota. (It is unclear if Lowe’s description includes the two USFS injured firefighters or just the three firefighters from the state of South Dakota.) Some of the firefighters were working on a flank of the fire from a mid-slope road when strong winds from thunderstorm activity caused spotting below them. The firefighters could not suppress the spot fire and became trapped between it and the main fire. They deployed fire shelters in the timber fuel type but the heat was very intense. The aluminum hose bed on an engine melted off.

Map of the Coal fire 8-13-2011, showing heat detected by satellites. MODIS

Rocky Mountain Type 2 Incident Management Team C, Jay Esperance Incident Commander, took over management of the fire at 6 p.m., Friday evening August 12. The fire has burned 1,325 acres and is 20% contained as of Saturday night.

Visitation for Mr. Haskvitz will be held from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm, Monday, August 15, 2011, at McColley’s Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs, SD.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at the Mueller Auditorium in Hot Springs with Chaplain Morris Nelson officiating.

The Argus Leader had this quote from Joe Lowe: