I believe one of the passed firemen either graduated from App or attended App. Rip to all of them and grant them peace lord.

Eric Marsh, 44
Grew up in Jefferson and graduated from Ashe Central HS then
Graduated ASU with BS Biology, founded Omega Tau chapter of Pi Lambda Phi
Superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

RIP
http://jeffersonpost.com/view/full_stor ... a-wildfire?

I knew of this happening and had changed my image to my usual fire/rescue mourning crest but I didn't realize until this evening that it was Eric's crew. Our cable and internet was out most of the day and I didn't get called until late this evening.

I've known Eric from about the time he started firefighting. He was a couple of years younger then me but we were members in adjoining counties and we all trained together. We also fought fires together, first as mutual aid departments between counties and then as members of the NFS Wildland Fire Suppression local crews. When I moved to Florida I stayed active in WFS there and later in Virginia. I knew Eric helped start the Granite Mountain Hot Shot crew but I was late getting the news that they were the ones involved.

Needless to say all my thoughts and prayers go out to Eric and the entire Marsh family as well as the families of the other members who were lost. All Hot Shot and NFS crews as well as first responders around the world share in your mourning. We do what we do not because we have to but because we want to.

firemoose wrote:I knew of this happening and had changed my image to my usual fire/rescue mourning crest but I didn't realize until this evening that it was Eric's crew. Our cable and internet was out most of the day and I didn't get called until late this evening.

I've known Eric from about the time he started firefighting. He was a couple of years younger then me but we were members in adjoining counties and we all trained together. We also fought fires together, first as mutual aid departments between counties and then as members of the NFS Wildland Fire Suppression local crews. When I moved to Florida I stayed active in WFS there and later in Virginia. I knew Eric helped start the Granite Mountain Hot Shot crew but I was late getting the news that they were the ones involved.

Needless to say all my thoughts and prayers go out to Eric and the entire Marsh family as well as the families of the other members who were lost. All Hot Shot and NFS crews as well as first responders around the world share in your mourning. We do what we do not because we have to but because we want to.

AS much as you share with us I thought you would find some peace with this article.

God Speed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/0 ... 41571.html

asutrnr81 wrote:AS much as you share with us I thought you would find some peace with this article.

God Speed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/0 ... 41571.html

Thanks for that article. Eric was a good man and will be missed by many, as will all of the GMHS members would lost their lives. Their motto, in English, is "To be, rather than to seem" They died doing what they loved.

As I just posted the the Recruiting thread wildland fires are one of the most dangerous fires to fight as it is a living, breathing animal than can generate it's on conditions, if large enough, and can turn on you in an instant. WFS and Hot Shot crews go into the belly of the beast to try and slow it down enough for surrounding crews to contain it. I've been lucky more time than I care to count. Sometimes you don't get a chance to be lucky. It's happened before and unfortunately will again someday. It's the nature of the job.

All my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the lost.

I hope this does not come across as disrespectful, but this was posted on reddit.com and thought it worth sharing since some knew the leader of the group personally.