Past IAWF VP Rick Gale dies
Richard T. "Rick" Gale died on March 27 at his home in Boise, Idaho. A longtime member of the IAWF, Gale served on the board of directors for two consecutive three-year terms and as vice president for a two-year term. He retired from the board in December after reaching his term limit. Gale had a distinguished 41-year career in the National Park Service, retiring in 2002.
For those in the U.S. wildland fire business, and for many internationally, Rick was "Mr. Fire" for the National Park Service and had been for decades, beginning his fire career in 1958 as a fire control aide for California's Lava Beds National Monument. He was one of the very first Type 1 incident commanders and area commanders in the country, serving as area commander during the 1988 fires in the Greater Yellowstone area. He shared his experience at those fires during the recent IAWF conference in Jackson, Wyo., which I am sure was inspiring to many who had heard of Rick but had never had the opportunity to meet him in person.
Rick took very seriously his involvement in wildland fire instruction of the "younger crowd," whom he knew would be carrying the flame forward. He spent more than 25 years as a course instructor and helped to develop numerous wildland fire courses, frequently acting as a course evaluator. He served on the faculty and as the steering committee chair for both Advanced Incident Management S-520 and Area Command S-620.
Prior to his move to Washington, D.C., as the National Park Service's deputy chief ranger, he served as chief of fire operations at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. He never tired of working for increased wildland firefighter safety and better management of our forests and rangelands.
Rick was the recipient of the very first Harry Yount Lifetime Achievement Award, presented in 1994 by President Bill Clinton. He also received both the National Park Service's Meritorious and Distinguished Service awards.
Rick will be missed by all of us, and the IAWF sends condolences to his family.
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