BOISE, Idaho — The community is coming together to help the loved ones of a wildland firefighter from Boise who is in critical condition.
"It hits very close to home," said Jim Wimer, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests spokesperson. "This is someone I know."
A tree hit Justin Shaw, 26, last weekend while he fought the Coffee Can Saddle Fire started by lightning in North Idaho. Wimer, who is handling media inquiries for the family, said the incident is under investigation.
Shaw was initially transported to a hospital in Lewiston before being moved to Spokane. According to a GoFundMe set up by the family, he is in the ICU for a traumatic brain injury.
The family expects Shaw to be in the hospital for "the foreseeable future." Meantime, Boise-based nonprofit Wildland Firefighter Foundation is helping support the family.
"We got involved with them right out of the gate," Executive Director Burk Minor said. "We've got them stationed in a place to stay up there, transportation [taken care of]."
The nonprofit — sustained by community donations, fundraisers put on by wildland firefighters, corporate sponsors and grants — helps the families of injured and fallen wildland firefighters across the globe.
"All families are different," Minor said. "The majority looks like getting families on an airplane to their loved one ... getting them settled in a hotel by their loved one."
Wildland firefighters face countless dangers. — including falling rocks, burns, car and plane crashes. He said the foundation gets calls about injuries and fatalities every day.
"It's like a war out there without bullets," Minor said. "It's heavy trauma for these guys. Wildland firefighters are the most underrated public servant we have walking this planet."
Even with training and experience, Wimer said accidents happen. Shaw, who has been a wildland firefighter for several years, routinely does initial attack operations.
"Not every hazard can be identified and mitigated before it becomes an event like this," he said.
Like the nonprofit, Wimer said the Forest Service will continue supporting the Shaw family however they can.
"Collectively, we're going to help the family work through some of the billing processes, make sure that they're not getting overwhelmed through the recovery efforts by hospital bills," he said. "It is going to be continuous throughout the process as long as the family needs it."