Survivor family member, Sylvia Kratzke, presents Brian with a plaque from the Foundation for his amazing efforts for firefighters.

Klamath Hotshot Brian Janes Completes MILLION+ Steps

Friday, April 6, Brian Janes completed his goal to complete 220 miles in his "Footsteps for Firefighters" personal endeavor to raise money for the Foundation. Brian secured donations on his own and we've had support from the wildland firefighting community. We'll post a photo of Brian as soon as we get it. Sylvia Kratzke, mother of Heather DePaolo (Stanza Fire fatality 2002) attended as a representative of survivor families and for the Foundation. We are so proud of Brian and his compassionate heart. Brian and Ken Perry have been brainstorming ideas for ongoing physical endurance activities to raise money for, and through, the 52 Club.

Thank you Brian for an amazing example of the "Power of One."

Lucky Peak Challenge held in Memory of Roger Roth


Dan Buckley shows his "run wounds"

The run is about spending time together outside and remembering Roger. Nick Soverel received the official race bib this year and won the Cork Dork award as well for setting the new speed record for the event. The number of run participants has quadrupled since year one. This year 8 people made it to the top of Lucky Peak - 6 miles and 3,000 feet uphill! 7 and 7/8ths made it down. Dan Buckley rolled most of the way down! Thank you to Mark Koontz, Dan Buckley, Chad Fisher, Jim Roth, Staci Schilling, Jon Matthews, Nick Soveral, and Dennis McCoy for making the trip.

The after party was a great success too. A collection can for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation brought in a grand total of $1,339. On Monday, Cuk, Sarah, Mark, Rick and Chad (pictured above) delivered the funds to Vicki at the Foundation. Steve Nurse (a friend of Roger's) sent a check to Buck, and Jim Roth (Roger's brother) of Storm King Mountain Technologies matched the donations, plus sent a little bit more. Not a bad day's haul considering how much fun they had, eh? Vicki was very appreciative of the donation, saying it would be used to fly the young children of fallen firefighters to this year's family day held the weekend of May 19th. That alone makes it worth it. (By Chad Fisher)

To Roger's Buddies: I'm proud of you guys and gals for helping us get some kids here for Family Day. These children's families receive little or no benefits, the benefit they have received is Roger Roth's legacy and you. Thanks for what you've done.

Vicki Minor

On August 6, California Inter-Agency Type 1 Incident Management Team 2 (Molumby) took command of the Zaca Fire in Santa Barbara County. After 14 days of managing and directing the Zaca Fire away from the populated areas of Santa Barbara and Montecito, CIIMT2 transitioned out to another team. CIIMT2 held their customary Team dinner at the Hotal Andalucia in Santa Barbara. During their private dinner on the rooftop terrace of the hotel, CIIMT2 members realized that legendary Jonathan Winters was also in the restaurant. After entertaining the team and sharing dinner with them, Mr. Winters was driven home by close friend Jamie Brown. At the end of the evening, CIIMT2 was surprised to learn that Mr. Winters and Jamie Brown had paid for the entire team's dinner.

With Mr. Winters and Jamie Brown's generosity and compassion for firefighters, CIIMT2 voted unanimously to donate the money that was collected to pay for their dinners to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, in remembrance of fallen comrades and to help the families they leave behind.

We’re helping save your community,
will you help our families if something happens to us?

By donating to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, you are helping:

• Provide immediate travel assistance to get an injured firefighter's family to their firefighter's bedside and assist with expenses for families while their firefighter is recovering.
• Arrange travel for crews to be able to take their fallen brothers home.
• Network crews and families with information and support after an injury or fatality.
• Give financial assistance to families of firefighters killed in the line of duty, ensuring the home is maintained and children are provided for.
• Help an injured firefighter meet their financial needs until they receive benefits, or are able to go back to work.
• Track injured firefighters to ensure they are receiving worker's comp benefits.
• Assist children returning to school after the loss of a parent.
• Ensure survivors are able to attend "Family Fire" the Foundation's annual gathering of families, co-workers, and wildland fire service personnel. Families share their path of healing and their children meet other kids struggling with the loss of a parent.
• Organize a Disneyland trip for children of our fallen wildland firefighters.

Campers Donate to Foundation

Kids at Deer Valley Summer Adventure Camp in Park City, Utah raised $600. The 5-12 year old campers spent several weeks creating all sorts of art projects, from structures made out of recyclables, to paper mache pinatas, to hand print banners, for a community Art Show fundraising event held Friday, July 27th.

Parents, friends, and employees from Deer Valley purchased the creations to support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, raising over $600. Campers learned about the important work of firefighters, the seriousness of wildfires that have spread throughout the west this summer, and enjoyed an interactive presentation from local firefighters. Campers, staff, and the Park City community were thrilled to support such a touching cause, and hope it will make a difference in the lives of firefighters who are working so selflessly to protect us and the environment.

Thank you campers, you are good little kids! We are honored by your generosity to wildland firefighters!

These Are Not Scenes From a Movie. This is Real Life.

Wildland Firefighter Foundation starts a public awareness campaign with an eye-opening Public Service Announcement

Boise, ID- Smoke blanketing the skies has been a hot topic this summer as the Valley has continued to break pollution records, but few are aware of the personal, heart-wrenching impact these fires bring to many Idahoans lives, because of the scores of those mutilated or killed fighting fires—That is why the local Wildland Firefighter Foundation is turning to Public Service Announcements to bring awareness to local communities. The PSAs will air on local TV channels starting August 15th.

Vicki Minor, Director of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in Boise, is heading the campaign.  Prior to starting the foundation, she worked 20 years delivering goods to firefighters. While serving, she witnessed what would change her heart forever: Firefighters, after their heroic acts, left to themselves, injured, not knowing where to turn for help. “Our wildland firefighters need our help, now more than ever,” Minor says with conviction. “That is why the Public Service Announcement is so important.”

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation helps aid the injured or families of fallen firefighters on many levels, from giving financial support to rallying for proper healthcare attention. The Foundation recently intervened on behalf of firefighters released from Saint Alphonsus, ensuring these firefighters received the best possible care at a burn center.

“More than any other state, Idaho, as a land and people, has a connection to wildland firefighters,” Minor says. Idaho’s natural resources are intact and gratefully experienced on a regular basis by hikers, hunters, boaters and more. Each year on average, twenty-five wildland firefighters will die while protecting the environment and natural resources. Now, you can help those who help us.