Firefighter Fatalities

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities:

Name: Todd Tompkins

Rank: Captain

Age: 48

Gender: Male

Status: Wildland Contract

Date of Incident: 06/03/2012

Time of Incident: 1400hrs

Date of Death: 06/03/2012

Name: Ronnie Chambless

Rank: First Officer

Age: 40

Gender: Male

Status: Wildland Contract

Date of Incident: 06/03/2012

Time of Incident: 1400hrs

Date of Death: 06/03/2012

Fire Department: Neptune Aviation Services, Inc.

Address: 1 Corporate Way, Missoula, Montana 59808

Fire Department Chief: Chief Executive Officer Kristen Nicolarsen

Incident Description: Captain Todd Tompkins and First Officer Ronnie Chambless passed away while fighting the 5,000-acre White Rock Fire which was sparked by lightning in eastern Nevada.  On the second run of the day in their model P2V Lockheed Martin aircraft, Captain Tompkins and First Officer Chambless were nearing the wildfire when they crashed in the Hamlin Valley area of Iron County, Utah, near the Utah-Nevada border.  It was estimated that the aircraft held approximately 1,600 gallons of fuel and 2,000 gallons of fire retardant.  It was reported that the NTSB, FAA, and U.S. Forest Service officials are responding to the crash for investigation.

Incident Location: Hamlin Valley area of Iron County, Utah

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Captain Todd Tompkins and First Officer Ronnie Chambless at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 36 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm