STANLEY, Idaho — Labor Day is a day to remember and venerate all workers. Some people get the day off and it's traditionally celebrated with a get-together or a barbeque. However, not all workers have that option. The majority of people who work do not get the day off.
This is especially true of emergency responders, particularly firefighters. Fire doesn't acknowledge holidays and the Wapiti fire that has burned over 100,000 acres near Stanley is no different.
On this Labor Day, Rocky Mountain CIMT1 Safety Officer Daniel Probert, was working and looking for spot fires in the area when he stumbled across a memorial for a firefighter and a pilot that crashed on Sept. 12 in 2011.
It's a cross, rusted with age but not forgotten, still decorated with a small toy left by a loved one.
"Jamie Sexton and his pilot Jerry Reding had just dropped off some firefighters assigned to the Salt Fire southwest of Salmon," stated a social media post. "The Cessna 182 did not arrive back in Caldwell around midnight as planned. Searchers found the crash site the next day just west of Stanley. Both men appeared to have died on impact."
According to the post, finding the memorial was a heavy reminder of the risks of fighting fires.
"Whether you're a pilot, an engine driver, a dozer operator, or a hand crew member, there are a thousand ways to die on a fire. And unfortunately, we lose firefighters somewhere in the nation every year," the post stated ... "It is an inherently hazardous occupation, and all risk can never be fully mitigated. One of the things that haunts firefighters the most is knowing that every time they step out their door to head to another fire assignment, it could be the last time they see their loved ones. That is a hard burden to carry."
The post serves to honor the firefighters that put their lives at risk to save others and their property. Further, people who want to help are being directed to the Boise-based Wildland Firefighter Foundation. For more information, or to help, click here.
"We appreciate so much the support that communities around the Wapiti Fire are showing to our firefighters. Your words of appreciation and encouragement help keep us going from one day to the next. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts," the post stated.
