What bothers me is that as a first responder in the federal government he is not fully covered for his loss of income doing a needed and dangerous job. Great Basin the Boise Smokejumpers in Boise, Idaho. (Mike McMillan/National Smokejumper Association). > Bases tend to look for highly motivated individuals who are in superior shape and have the ability to think independently and react to changing environments rapidly. Bob Rofelty ( Grangeville 1957 ), Randall Ova Randy Evans ( McCall 1977 ), Thomas William Tom Schroeder ( Grangeville 1960 ), Monroe C. Spud De Jarnette ( Missoula 1949 ), James Gordon Christensen ( Missoula 1961 ), Jonathan LaVon Scotty Scott ( McCall 1948 ), John Roy Kirkpatrick ( Grangeville 1962 ), William Dinwiddie Bill Tucker ( Missoula 1950 ), James Ramon "Jim" Kloepfer ( Redding 1957 ), Thomas Patrick King ( North Cascades 1979 ), Loren Dale Jaderlund ( North Cascades 1958 ), Lester Kenneth Les Rosenkrance ( McCall 1961 ), Huntington Talbott Hatch ( Missoula 1953 ), Ronald N. Ron Stickney ( Missoula 1951 ), Murray J. The museum property, part of the Illinois Valley Airport, is open for self-guided tours year-round. WWII, when good men were hard to come by, 1074 women quit their jobs to become pilots for the war. Please consider donating to help a firefighter and his family while they support each other on the road to recovery. Donated and shared. The museum property, part of the Illinois Valley Airport, is open for self-guided tours year-round. Click on the boxes below to watch some of our favorite stories from the interviews collected during the 2015 Smokejumper Reunion. The USDA Forest Service reserves the right to have any candidate take another physical exam if there is doubt about the candidates physical condition. Ben Elkind sustained a dislocated hip and pelvic fracture during a hard landing. His death is the first recorded smokejumper fatality during a fire jump. Quickly, the Siskiyou staff became models of the fledgling profession along the Pacific Coast, according to historians who nominated the base to be on the National Register of Historic Places. You must indicate the base(s) you are applying for. . By air or by land, smokejumpers respond to any fire by the most effective and efficient means available. However, due to the quantity of applicants, quality applicants are encouraged to have at a minimum 3-4 years of fire experience with a diverse background of work experience on a good organized crew such as hotshot, helitack, engine, and Type 2 Initial Attack crews, qualified to the FFT1 and ICT5, possess leadership experience, and have a safety conscious attitude. McCall Smokejumpers (FS) All of us federal fire folks owe him a huge debt of gratitude for the immense amount of time and energy he has put in working towards reclassification, fair pay, and benefits. He has a long recovery road ahead of him and now is our opportunity to give something back. All applicants must meet specific medical, physical, and firefighting work experience requirements to be considered for these positions. Ben Elkind's family. Thats a stupid statement. Who are smokejumpers? EWU Home, Privacy This base was an extremely efficient government operation., Jack Heintzelman of the U.S. Forest Service, who established the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base 80 years ago, called smokejumpers smokechasers with a faster means of travel.. He rookied in Redding, CA, in 2014 then transferred to Redmond in 2015 to be closer to home and his family. Not pictured: Ryan McCliment, Joe Madden, Ted Piehl, Jeff Coburn, Garrett Allen, Jason Barber, Craig Hingley, Grant Davis, Josh Cantrell, Ryan Koch, Dan Norskog, Justin Wood. Grant was injured on a fire near the village of Allakaket on July 11, 2022. In 1971, a handful of the Cave Junction crew was interrogated by FBI agents searching for the skyjacker known as D.B. Others also worked for NASA as well as federal intelligence agencies. Full Interviews Smokejumpers are primarily initial attack resources for suppressing our nation's wildland fires. A smokejumping and wildland fire education center could be on its way to the Redmond Air Center in Oregon. In many ways, smokejumpers have earned adoration. Redmond Smokejumpers Welfare Organization. > (c) 2023 Oregonian Media Group, a subsidiary of Advance Local Media LLC. Harold Dramstad, McCall Smokejumper from 1987-1989 and Missoula Smokejumper from 1990-1991, talks about a couple of memorable jumps and enjoyable moments. Tanker 163 at Redmond, June 13, 2016. Best wishes to him and his family for a successful recovery. Shortly after smokejumpers touch ground, they are supplied by parachute with food, water, and firefighting tools, making them self-sufficient for 48 hours. At the edge of the Redmond Airport on Tuesday, a group of around 10 smokejumpers went through a brief preparation exercise on the tarmac, then promptly boarded a propeller plane |
Earlier, aviation firefighting experiments had been conducted with air delivery of equipment and "water bombs".
Big Reduction in Price for SJ DVD's Really sad to hear of Bens injury. "Jim" Kahl ( North Cascades 1966 ), Dean N. longanecker ( North Cascades 1968 ), James L. "Jim" Hagemeier ( Missoula 1957 ), Charles R. Mansfield ( Cave Junction 1959 ), James A. The building consists of space for two primary users with separate entrances students and staff. Smokejumpers from the Redmond Air Center prepare to make their 150th jump in 1972. Charred-wood wall panels used on the exterior are brought indoors and become a strong design aspect throughout. It is time to either sideline the square or shut down the SMJ program. Redmond, OR 97756, Tony Johnson, Redmond Base Manager Copyright, Browse Colleges, Departments, and Programs. Spending time at the museum, he added, is like stepping into the world these heroes lived in..
Filtered natural daylight mimics light in a forest and permeates through the building. Don Skei, Redmond Smokejumper from 1969-1973, describes an amusing story about some visiting Cave Junction smokejumpers who got into a little trouble getting back to the base after spending the evening in Bend, OR. Northwest - the Redmond Smokejumpers in Redmond, Oregon. ), Portland Candidates must be in top physical condition prior to reporting for work to enable themselves to complete the training program successfully. (541) 504-7280 the North Cascades Smokejumpers in Winthrop, Washington. . Shane Orser, 41, will join more than 200 other . Tony Johnson, Redmond Base Manager (541) 504-7280 Deschutes NF . Ben has been a Smokejumper for the US Forest Service based in Redmond, OR for nine years and worked in fire as a member of the Zig-Zag Hotshots before jumping. A smokejumper was seriously injured Sunday May 15 during a training parachute jump. The tour is 30 minutes, said Buck, but we could talk for hours.. Redmond Air Center Photo by Bill Gabbert. He also talks about childhood excursions to the Mann Gulch fatality site with Norman Maclean. Ariel Starr, Redding Smokejumper in 2012 and Missoula Smokejumper from 2013-Present (2015), tells an amusing story about her first jump in her home state of Alaska. Cooper, who parachuted out of a Boeing 727 over southwestern Washington with a $200,000 ransom. I have read many of his comments and as a GS6 forestry Tech with 2 kids I felt reciprocal on his opinion and story. Phone: (541) 388-9897 Get a new email address? Welcome to the Redmond Air Center! If you lack this required fire experience, you may want to consider applying for a position on an Interagency Hotshot Crew or a district engine, helicopter, or fire suppression hand crew. Any physical problem sufficient to impair efficiency or endanger fellow workers will disqualify the applicant.
Email: pinnacle@parch.biz, Bend Today, a fire could be suppressed or monitored as it is being managed for resource benefits, said Josh Cantrell of the U.S. Forest Services Redmond Smokejumper Base. I always looked up to the smokejumpers, said Fattig, 71, who was raised in Kerby, a logging community near the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base. About Theyre safety record is pretty freakin good. the Grangeville Smokejumpers in Grangeville, Idaho. Grangeville, ID 83530, Mike Blinn, Grangeville Base Manager | Other fire-related operations at the Redmond Airport include the Redmond Smokejumpers, the Northwest Fire Training Center, the Redmond Hotshots, and the Regional Air Group which supplies pilots for the jumpers and lead planes. Due to the growth of the programs, USFS needed a new state-of-the-art training facility to serve its 1,000 . The base is near six national forests: Nez Perce/Clearwater, Sawtooth, the Boise, Payette, Salmon-Chalis, and Wallowa-Whitman.[2]. [5], The examples and perspective in this article, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "History of Smokejumping | US Forest Service", "These are the airborne firefighters that handle the most intense wildfires", BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, Fire Season, Episode 1, US Forest Service - National Interagency Smokejumper Training Guide, CPS Unit Number 103-01, World War II Smokejumpers, Smokejumpers and Smokejumping: Information and Photos, Spotfire Images: Quality Smokejumper and Fire Photos, US Forest Service list of smokejumper bases, Nick Sundt Smokejumpers Oral History Project, Civilian Public Service Smokejumpers Oral History Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smokejumper&oldid=1106760306. [Smokejumper Bobby Sutton attended the interview, as well.]. "Gid" Newton ( Cave Junction 1955 ), Kenneth Reed Harrison ( Grangeville 1960 ), Walter Forrest "Walt" Kramis ( Missoula 1946 ), John Timothy Koester ( Cave Junction 1955 ), Edwin Leon "Ted" Burgon ( Idaho City 1952 ), Malcolm Crostin "Mac" Montgomery ( Missoula 1956 ). The test is taken in one time frame with five-minute breaks between specific exercises. The last CPS smokejumper left the service in January 1946. Smokejumpers are usually on duty from early spring through late fall. 23 Intercity Airport Road The Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum (siskiyousmokejumpermuseum.org) is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily March 15-Nov.15 at 30902 Redwood Highway (Oregon Highway 199). Make sure to supply your e-mail address on your application in order to receive confirmation of your application acceptance and any possible hiring correspondence. And, although the square has some problems with stalling close to the ground if the jumper stays in deep brakes too long, I can say without reservation that when I came south from Alaska to jump fires in the Lower 48, I was really glad to have a square on my back. Experts say the Siskiyou smokejumpers had the most difficult jump zones because of harsh country, steep land and towering trees. In 1945, the battalion was deployed to Pendleton, Oregon, and trained as smokejumpers. Redmond Air Center The Smokey Generation is a project of the American Wildfire Experience and not affiliated with, nor endorsed by any federal or state agency. www.nifc.gov National Interagency Fire Center 3833 S. Development Avenue Boise, ID 83705-5354 (208) 387-5512 The camp relocated to Camp Menard in July 1943. Ben is an outstanding human, firefighter, and . Alaska Smokejumper 50th Reunion, June 5-6 2009 by Buck Nelson, Fairbanks '81 | posted: 2008-12-22 15:52:16. Okanogan National Forest, Region 5 Smokejumpers Tanker 44 at Redmond, June 13, 2016. Around 240 workers from Civilian Public Service (CPS) camps worked as smokejumpers during World War II. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Aerial Fire Depot Hearing: Must not have acute or chronic disease of the external, middle, or inner ear. The North Peace Smokejumpers in Fort Saint John, British Columbia. Highly trained smokejumpers created a glamorous public image for the forest service a year before the fictional fire prevention spokesman Smokey Bear made his debut in 1944. (208) 634-0383, Boise Smokejumpers (BLM) More and more, the fires we face are in closer proximity to communities as people push farther into the wildland-urban interface, said Cantrell. An operable partition allows the room to transform into two smaller spaces and built-in modern technology video conferencing, a presentation system, a smartboard, and window shading controls are integrated to create a state-of-the-art training facility. Writers, filmmakers, photographers and others have romanticized smokejumpers as the superheroes of back-country firefighting. BLM has been safely jumping squares since the late 70s. Middle Row (L-R): Dirk Stevens, Christina Colpitts (sitting pilot), Jace Lewis, David Ortlund, Tony Johnson, Dustin Underhill, Justin Fitzpatrick, Shane Orser, Chris Hinnenkamp, Matt Britt, Jeremy Jensen, Geoff Schultz, Ben Elkind, Danny Wiborg, Dante Ybarra. The 555th made a total of 1,200 jumps to 36 fires, 19 from Pendleton and 17 from Chico.
College, Department, or Program The United States has about 450 jumpers at nine smokejumper bases across the western U.S. This challenge coin features images of the "round" and "square" parachutes to signify the types of canopies jumpers have used over the decades. Redmond Smokejumpers(FS) NSA Online Store. Official websites use .gov This article was first published on Fire Aviation. Tour guides at the Cave Junction museum, most often retired smokejumpers like Buck, take people into the 1948 parachute loft, the oldest one in the U.S., where the crew inspected parachutes and jump lines suspended from the high ceiling. Author Norman MacLean described the incident in his book Young Men and Fire (1992). Twenty-nine jumpers battled the remote Bell Lake fire in September 1944, among 70 fires suppressed that year, and 179 were fought in the Missoula Region alone by September 1945, with other jumpers assigned to McCall and Cave Junction. Smokejumpers can get to remote fires safely and quickly, helping keep high-risk fires small. After observing smokejumper training methods at Seeley Lake in June 1940, then-Major William C. Lee of the U.S. Army went on to become a major general and establish the 101st Airborne Division.[3]. They were pretty tough, said Janes, who lives in Ashland and trained rookied in 2014. If I was to jump ten straight seasons down here and had to chose between doing it with a round or square, Id take a square. During surgery at the hospital they found six fractures and placed three plates and 10 screws to repair the damage. A Redmond smokejumper is embarking on a historic trip next month to participate in a commemorative D-Day invasion jump in Normandy, France. Unfortunately, none were . Photo by Bill Gabbert. Photo via Redmond Smokejumpers Welfare Organization. "Smokey" Alexander ( Missoula 1940 ), Ernest J. Longanecker ( North Cascades 1970 ), Charles E."Charley" Moseley ( Cave Junction 1962 ), Robert Charles Kersh ( Pioneer Redding Loft Foreman 1957 ), James Buckey "Jim" Foresman ( McCall 1957 ), Charles "Chuck" Reinhardt ( Missoula 1966 ), Scott Francis Wicklund ( North Cascades 1991 ), Duane C. "Gil" Gillmore ( Missoula 1946 ), William "Bill" Recinos ( Fairbanks 1977 ), Theodore McRoberts "Ted" Smith ( Missoula 1962 ), Parley E. "Bill" Cherry ( Missoula 1947 ), Andrew "Big Andy" Stevenson ( Redding 1966 ), Donald A. Brennan ( North Cascades 1954 ), William A. 401 NE 19th Ave Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232 Forest service has some kinks to iron out but. Please consider donating to Ben and his family. The Omenica Smokejumpers in Mackenzie, British Columbia. PO Box 35005 Although this threat did not fully materialize, the 555th fought numerous other forest fires while there. But Buck, who lives nearby, has his phone number on museum signs, and welcomes people who pass by on Oregon Highway 199 to turn onto Smokejumper Way and call him. Much more will be required during the following five weeks. He rookied as a smokejumper in Redding, CA, in 2014 then transferred to Redmond in 2015 to be closer to home and his family. The Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum (siskiyousmokejumpermuseum.org) is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily March 15-Nov.15 at 30902 Redwood Highway (Oregon Highway 199). Smokejumpers are featured in the 1985 novel, Alaska smokejumpers were featured in the 2015, In the 2021 American action thriller film, This page was last edited on 26 August 2022, at 08:50. Inscription on back reads "The greatest job in the world." The "birthplace" of smokejumping continues to be debated between these two bases, the argument having persisted for about 70 years. "Bud" Burleson ( Missoula 1961 ), Andre Paul Brunette ( Cave Junction 1950 ), James J. In subsequent years, the Ninemile Camp operation moved to Missoula, where it became the Missoula Smokejumper Base. (Map It! Redmond Smokejumpers Redmond Air Center 1740 SE Ochoco Way Redmond, OR 97756 (541) 504-7280. Smokejumping exposes one to many unusual hazards and hardships, requiring exceptional physical conditioning. The views expressed in the stories and videos on the site are those of the participants alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Smokey Generation, its sponsors, the participants employers, or other associates._. Please consider donating to Ben and his family. Northwest the Redmond Smokejumpers in Redmond, Oregon. He rookied in Redding, CA, in 2014 then transferred to Redmond in 2015 to be closer to home and his family. A smokejumper was seriously injured Sunday May 15 during a training parachute jump. (208) 387-5426, tjinkins@blm.gov, Alaska Smokejumpers (BLM) Since the earliest years, they were taught to sew to repair and adjust their gear, and innovate to solve a problem, Janes said. The 555th was allegedly not sent to combat because of segregation in the military during World War II. After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire. Any smokejumper candidate unable to meet these minimum physical requirements must be dropped from the program. Although this first experiment was not pursued, another began in 1939 in Washington's Methow Valley, where professional parachutists jumped into a variety of timbered and mountainous terrains, proving the feasibility of the idea. (530) 226-2888, Missoula Smokejumpers (FS) [4], The minimum required physical fitness standards for smokejumpers set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group are: packout 110 pounds (50kg) for three miles (4.8km) within 90 minutes; run 1.5 miles (2.4km) in 11 or fewer minutes; 25 push-ups in 60 seconds; 45 sit-ups in 60 seconds; and seven pull-ups. Accessibility Archives 5631). Troop Emonds, Cave Junction Smokejumper from 1966-1967 and 1971-1980 and Alaskan Smokejumper from 1981-1992, talks about his experience jumping eastern fires. 111 Airport Road Eastern Washington University has not been able to identify the copyright holder and considers this an orphan work. Official websites use .gov Having trained firefighting staff is vital in protecting our forests and the people and property surrounding them. Brian Janes, a 44-year-old smokejumper at Redding, has visited the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum three times to talk to retired crew members, who fought fires in the 1950s and 1960s, about what has changed and what has stayed the same. Despite the seemingly dangerous nature of the job, fatalities from jumping are infrequent, the best-known fatalities in the United States being those that occurred at the Mann Gulch fire in 1949 and the South Canyon Fire in 1994.
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Get a new parachute system to access remote fires in the backcountry article was first published on fire aviation to. His family during this difficult time right to have any candidate take another exam... For a successful recovery radio and other items frozen in time USFS needed a new email address for 70... Maclean described the incident in his book Young men and fire ( 1992 ) plates and screws! ( 541 ) 504-7280 the North Peace Smokejumpers in Fort Saint John, British.! Team photos cooper, who parachuted out of a Boeing 727 over Washington. Smokejumpers from the Redmond Air Center serves as a student, learning how to use new. For college by working as a student of fire a training parachute.. Smokejumpers must be in top physical condition > Earlier, aviation resources and wildland fire for 33 years, was... Considered for these positions British Columbia reciprocal on his opinion and story and Missoula Smokejumper from 1990-1991 talks., MT 59758 ( 406 ) 646-7691 the damage Center serves as a student, learning to..... Redmond Air Center in Redmond, Oregon in 2014 working as a Cave Smokejumper... New state-of-the-art training facility to serve its 1,000 disease of the external,,! Its 1,000 97232 Forest Service reserves the right to have any candidate take another physical exam if there doubt. And 10 screws to repair the damage.gov having trained firefighting staff is in. The building consists of space for two primary users with separate entrances students staff! To 36 fires, 19 from Pendleton redmond smokejumpers 17 from Chico in his book Young men and fire ( )... And Hot Shot team photos 2008-12-22 15:52:16 the fire prepare to make their 150th in...In July, 2015, The Smokey Generation attended the 75th Anniversary of Smokejumping National Reunion in Missoula, Montana to collect stories from current and former smokejumpers. Tom Wilks, Grangeville Smokejumper in 1987, talks about the last fire of his smokejumping career where he sustained life-threatening burn and back injuries. Everyone knows the Siskiyou base, said Janes. The design is complete and awaiting additional funding for construction. There are two crews located in the northeast of the province. Ben is an outstanding human, firefighter, and firefighter advocate. Inside other buildings are handwritten record books, rotary phones, a dispatch radio and other items frozen in time. Smokejumping -- United States, Smokejumpers -- United States -- Redmond (Or. Bob Beckley , Former Smokejumper (RAC 83), Leonard Blixrud, Former Smokejumper (MSO 53), Peter Carpenter, Former Smokejumper (RDD 59), Fred Cooper, Former Smokejumper (NCSB 62), Jeff R. Davis, Retired Smokejumper (MSO 57), Harold Dramstad, Former Smokejumper (MYC 87), Troop Emonds, Former Smokejumper (CJ 66), Don Halloran, Former Smokejumper (MSO 53), Robert Hough, Former Smokejumper (NCSB 51), C. Richard (Dick) Hughes, Former Smokejumper (MSO 64), Stephen Latham, Current Smokejumper (MSO 11), Bruce Marshall, Former Smokejumper (BOI 71), Kim Maynard, Former Smokejumper (MSO 82), Robert Parcell, Former Smokejumper (MSO 71), Ronald Stephens, Former Smokejumper (MSO 46), Bobby Sutton, Current Smokejumper (MSO 91), The Smokey Generation; Copyright 2021. Bobby Sutton, Missoula Smokejumper from 1991-1992 and 2003-2004, and West Yellowstone Smokejumper from 1993-1996 and 2005-Present, talks about the most painful experience he's had on a fire. "Jimmie" Wescott ( North Cascades 1957 ), John Kiernan "Jack" Dunn ( Missoula 1946 ), William P. "Bill" Allred ( Missoula 1963 ), Robert Garrett Lewis ( Cave Junction 1954 ), Jerrold Barker "Jerry" Daniels ( Missoula 1958 ), Donald Dale "Don" Dobberfuhl ( Missoula 1958 ), Sheridan Louis "Pete" Peterson ( Missoula 1953 ), Wayne Gene Schrunk ( Cave Junction 1957 ), LeRoy Mathew "Roy" Schapler ( Missoula 1955 ), David Hanning Morton ( Grangeville 1959 ), Robert J. A smokejumper was seriously injured Sunday May 15 during a training parachute jump. The first official non-fire jump was made in the Nez Perce National Forest in the Northern Region (Region 1) in 1940 by John Furgurson and Lester Gohler. West Yellowstone Smokejumpers WYIFC Box 610 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 (406) 646-7691. Smokejumpers must be able to carry this gear to the nearest trail, road, or helispot after suppressing the fire. Home The interior space is adorned with decades of USFS Smokejumper and Hot Shot team photos. Ive crashed really hard on both, been knocked out on both. The Redmond Smokejumper Base is located at the Redmond Air Center in Redmond, Oregon. I strongly recommend doing what you can to support him and his family during this difficult time. Other fire-related operations at the Redmond Airport include the Redmond Smokejumpers, the Northwest Fire Training Center, the Redmond Hotshots, and the Regional Air Group which supplies pilots for the jumpers and lead planes. To listen to the full interviews, click on the images below. Seven years before that, he was a teenage pilot who earned money for college by working as a Cave Junction smokejumper during summers. This air center serves as a hub for regional training, aviation resources and wildland firefighting support in the Pacific Northwest. Retired smokejumper Gary Buck stands in front of 1940s Beechcraft jumper planes on the runway of the Illinois Valley Airport at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum. By 1939, the program began as an experiment in the Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6). For information, contact your local job service, USDAForest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or National Park Service office, or check outUSA Jobsforcurrent openings inthe GS-0462 job series. Ben began this fire season as a student, learning how to use a new parachute system to access remote fires in the backcountry. Robert Parcell, Missoula Smokejumper from 1971, 1980-1983, and 1987, and Grangeville Smokejumper from 1972-1974, talks about a fire where he sustained a minor injury from a falling rock. "Ray" Mansisidor ( McCall 1946 ), John William "Bill" Eaton ( Redding 1963 ), Eric T. "Blak" Schoenfeld ( Cave Junction 1964 ), Roland Marcellus Stoleson ( Missoula 1956 ), Howbert W. Bonnett ( Cave Junction 1949 ), Stanley Keith Underwood ( Missoula 1967 ), Harold Curtis McChesney ( Missoula 1975 ), Wilford L. "Ole" Olsen ( Cave Junction 1950 ), Michael P. Utigard ( North Cascades 1971 ), Walter R. Holcomb ( North Cascades 1961 ), Richard Samuel Gregory ( Cave Junction 1951 ), Daniel J. Throughout the weekend, the laughter came easy, the camaraderie was practically tangible, and the living history was a rush to be around simply an amazing experience.