Tragedy strikes Colorado helitack crew member
On July 30, within minutes of completing the article on Rocky Mountain Interagency Helitack (Ed.: See September/October 2002, available at www.wildfiremag.com), I received the phone call no one ever wants to get. The RMIH helicopter had crashed, fatally injuring our friend and pilot, Gordon Knight. Knight was supporting ground crews with water drops at the Big Elk Fire near Estes Park, Colo., when the ship experienced turbine failure.
Gordon Knight was an amazing man. Speaking at his memorial service, one of his friends captured his essence when she asked us each, in his memory, to do one incredibly generous and caring good deed each year, but to never tell anyone about it. He was that kind of person. RMIH will take forward Gordon's commitments to safety, service to others, and humility as standards for our program.
The results of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation are pending.
RMIH voluntarily suspended operations from July 30 — Aug. 11. The program reactivated on Aug.12, with renewed and strengthened commitments to safety and service to the community and an SA315B Lama supplied by Geo-Seis Helicopters Inc. We continued to support fire and search and rescue incidents through Sept. 30. We anticipate a full 120-day period of operations this year.
We think that Gordon would have wanted it that way.
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