# 18 firefighters dead- Yarnell (Phoenix)



## 9D4 (Jun 30, 2013)

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Yarnell-Hill-fire-burning-northwest-of-the-Valley-213756531.html
I live about 30 miles south of here and the crew I do my ride alongs with were dispatched out there. No word yet on who was injured (there's been another 4 injured) or killed.


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## STXmedic (Jun 30, 2013)

A different article I read stated there were another 19 missing. Not a good year...

Edit: It's unclear from CNN's article if 19 are additional, or a part of the 18 confirmed.


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## chaz90 (Jun 30, 2013)

Jesus. Just saw this story online. It's really an almost unimaginable toll. My thoughts are with the surviving members of Prescott fire along with the friends and families of those who were lost.


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## 9D4 (Jun 30, 2013)

PoeticInjustice said:


> A different article I read stated there were another 19 missing. Not a good year...


It was originally 19 missing, one was found, they are assuming the other 18 are dead.


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## shfd739 (Jun 30, 2013)

The Secret List is reporting 18 dead from a Prescott based hot shot crew from a "very serious incident"'

Thoughts and prayers with those families.


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## STXmedic (Jun 30, 2013)

9D4 said:


> It was originally 19 missing, one was found, they are assuming the other 18 are dead.



Gotcha. Thanks


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## shfd739 (Jun 30, 2013)

9D4 said:


> It was originally 19 missing, one was found, they are assuming the other 18 are dead.



Initial Secret List said 19 missing then accounted for and EMS air resources were requested. Second report was that they were killed.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jun 30, 2013)

Just read about it on Facebook. This has not been a good year for emergency personnel.


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## 9D4 (Jun 30, 2013)

shfd739 said:


> Initial Secret List said 19 missing then accounted for and EMS air resources were requested. Second report was that they were killed.


 You're right it does seem to be 19. Latest statement said 19, from the Prescott fire spokesman.
The evacuation is now down to less than 15 miles north of my house.


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## socalmedic (Jun 30, 2013)

Has emtlife ever gone black for LODD?


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## shfd739 (Jun 30, 2013)

9D4 said:


> You're right it does seem to be 19. Latest statement said 19, from the Prescott fire spokesman.
> The evacuation is now down to less than 15 miles north of my house.



I'm wondering if they were overrun given that it was a fast moving fire. 

15 miles is still a good distance away. Stay safe.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jun 30, 2013)

socalmedic said:


> Has emtlife ever gone black for LODD?



Sadly if it did it would be black everyday


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## DesertMedic66 (Jun 30, 2013)

shfd739 said:


> I'm wondering if they were overrun given that it was a fast moving fire.
> 
> 15 miles is still a good distance away. Stay safe.




I just read a new report that said they were overrun by the fire and had to deploy their shelters. Not sure if that is true of not.


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## 9D4 (Jul 1, 2013)

DesertEMT66 said:


> I just read a new report that said they were overrun by the fire and had to deploy their shelters. Not sure if that is true of not.


I just read the same one. It was a person in charge of forestry services that stated it, so I'm sure that's a legitimate source.


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## socalmedic (Jul 1, 2013)

this link may clear it up some, with the help of the other sources as well.

8 injuries where reported earlier in the day, those were unfounded.

19 firefighters were missing

1 missing firefighter was located alive but injured

19 bodies where located

1 body was identified as not a firefighter

http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=120733&TM=81194.44


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## mycrofft (Jul 1, 2013)

*Not again. Not again.*

Google "South Canyon fire deaths" and "Mann Gulch fire". (These were written about by Norman Maclean and his son John, in reverse order).
Mann Gulch due to bad luck, dropping in with too much wind maybe, and a crew who didn't trust their leader; South Canyon (aka "Storm King Mountain") due to crap cooperation and intel amongst different firefighting agencies.  If the shake n bakes failed, this may lead to more changes in wildland firefighting.


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## PotatoMedic (Jul 1, 2013)

My thoughts and prayers are with them.


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## DrParasite (Jul 1, 2013)

so sad.....


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## socalmedic (Jul 1, 2013)

I just got bad news. I knew one of the firemen, grew up here in socal. RIP Kevin Woyjeck. he was an EMT for Care in orange as well.


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## 9D4 (Jul 1, 2013)

socalmedic said:


> I just got bad news. I knew one of the firemen, grew up here in socal. RIP Kevin Woyjeck. he was an EMT for Care in orange as well.


Sorry for your loss. 
Are you positive on the spelling? I was good friends with a girl in hs named Wojcik (pronounced the same) and I remember her saying something about her uncle being a firefighter up north a while back. Can't be that common of a name.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 1, 2013)

socalmedic said:


> this link may clear it up some, with the help of the other sources as well.
> 
> 8 injuries where reported earlier in the day, those were unfounded.
> 
> ...



I haven't heard anything about a non firefighter being killed. All the news reports and statements given by fire department PIOs are saying 19 hotshot firefighters. The link you posted also says 19 hotshots and nothing about a civilian.


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## Anonymous (Jul 1, 2013)

9D4 said:


> Sorry for your loss.
> Are you positive on the spelling? I was good friends with a girl in hs named Wojcik (pronounced the same) and I remember her saying something about her uncle being a firefighter up north a while back. Can't be that common of a name.



Woyjeck is the correct spelling.

RIP Kevin


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## RocketMedic (Jul 1, 2013)

Wow....this is tragic.


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## socalmedic (Jul 1, 2013)

DesertEMT66 said:


> I haven't heard anything about a non firefighter being killed. All the news reports and statements given by fire department PIOs are saying 19 hotshot firefighters. The link you posted also says 19 hotshots and nothing about a civilian.



that is definitely what the story said. looks like they have all been edited now to show 19 firemen.


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## 9D4 (Jul 1, 2013)

Thanks for the clarification, anon. No less sad, however. 
An update for the fire, it grew from 2,000 acres to over 8,000 overnight and is still 0% contained.


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## Dan216 (Jul 1, 2013)

So were these guys structural firefighters but also Hot Shots and considered wildland too?

This is terrible. My thoughts to everyone effected by this.


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## KneecapBTLS (Jul 1, 2013)

*Terrible*

They were some young guys, too.  The northern part of this state is beautiful but I can't imagine how fast those fires must move.  

I know there are other 100 Clubs out there but the one for AZ is located at 100club.org.  From their site:

“The 100 Club of Arizona has set up a memorial in Memory of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.  We will be assisting survivors, covering costs for flights of family members of the victims, helping the injured and purchasing replacement equipment for the Prescott Fire Department.  We will continue to assess the needs of the community and be there to assist them.”


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## Chimpie (Jul 1, 2013)

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/jul/01/bodies-firefighters-killed-arizona-wildfire-recove/



> The tragedy Sunday evening all but wiped out the 20-member Granite Mountain Hotshots, a unit based at Prescott, authorities said Monday as the last of the bodies were retrieved from the mountain in the town of Yarnell. Only one member survived, and that was because he was moving the unit's truck at the time.



I can't imagine how the "one" is feeling right now. <sad>


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## JPINFV (Jul 1, 2013)

9D4 said:


> Sorry for your loss.
> Are you positive on the spelling? I was good friends with a girl in hs named Wojcik (pronounced the same) and I remember her saying something about her uncle being a firefighter up north a while back. Can't be that common of a name.


"Woycheck was also a member  of Los Angeles County Fire Department Explorer Post 9 and worked for  Care Ambulance Service in Southern California, the Los Angeles County  department reported."

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_23577098/kevin-woyjeck-seal-beach-firefighter-explorer-among-19


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## socalmedic (Jul 1, 2013)

Dan216 said:


> So were these guys structural firefighters but also Hot Shots and considered wildland too?
> 
> This is terrible. My thoughts to everyone effected by this.



They are not structure, they are a Municipal-Interagency Hotshot crew. they are run and employed by the Prescott FD but respond only to wildfires. they also most likely do fuels mitigation and the occasional SAR, but I don't have any info on that.


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## mycrofft (Jul 2, 2013)

Word now is they deployed their shake-n-bakes, with what success we won't know for a while. Such blowups cause unimaginable local winds with superheated gasses. The shelters delam at about 500deg F, not designed to withstand direct flame impingement  any event. You can deploy it perfectly and have it ripped off you, have flame or superheated gasses destroy it, use up or lose the breathable air trapped in with you and you lose consciousness, or something falls on you. You can find it impossible to get it done right and in time due to smoke, wind, blowing soot and embers.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 4, 2013)

Our local US forest service folks are out at a local concert/firework show collecting money for the families of the firefighters. And there was also something floating around Facebook about US Airways giving the families free flights and $15,000 each to help a little bit (I saw it on Facebook so that it for what it's worth).


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## 9D4 (Jul 5, 2013)

DesertEMT66 said:


> Our local US forest service folks are out at a local concert/firework show collecting money for the families of the firefighters. And there was also something floating around Facebook about US Airways giving the families free flights and $15,000 each to help a little bit (I saw it on Facebook so that it for what it's worth).


I haven't seen that. I know that the 100 club donated that much to each family the day after and then the Suns had a benefit event and all proceeds went to the 100 club and they were also providing free flights. That was held at US airways center, so maybe they're doing the flights and the Suns provided an additional 15k each? I'm not sure, but everywhere I've gone lately has had benefits and they've all been pretty successful from what I've heard.


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## AlphaOmega (Jul 8, 2013)

Prayera and thoughts go out to all of the family members. Rough days ahead.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 20, 2013)

Also:







A picture I found of one of the 19 firefighters passing thru my response area. Palm Springs FD and CalFire saluting as they passed under the bridge.


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## 9D4 (Jul 20, 2013)

It's been insane the amount of support that's been going on in the area around here. It's nice to see that it's not just here either.
I've seen probably 50 benefit car washes, my local fd held a BBQ and raised a few hundred just by that, a local retiree is doing a 150 mile bicycle ride to the Granite Mountain station to try and raise support, not to mention all the people that lined up and down Grand ave when the procession went by. There's even a brewing company one of the hotshots used to work at that is bottling a special memorial beer to try and raise money.
This was a group that followed the procession route to show support, some 800 bikes showed up.


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## NomadicMedic (Jul 20, 2013)

The post with the details on the FF Memorial Challenge Coins has been move to the advertising section.

http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?p=492032#post492032


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