Did you know…
John Kelso (aka Cowboy) was our (usfs) first fire apprentice to fall in the line of duty. In his Academy - he came thru in the early days - he was loved by everyone and made a huge impression on all of the staff/cadre. That rascal ended up receiving an award named something along the lines of “most badass firefighter award” and it would become what is now the John Kelso Leadership Award. It is a high bar that staff & students honor & respect to this day. I hope it never goes away.
I didnt get to meet John but i spoke to many who knew him. I wish i had met him. In my academy we met Tony Johnson who was also on the fire that day along with his brother Rob. Tony is responsible for saving my life and the lives of those who worked for me because of something he shared with my crew about that day and the wind - it changed my life forever, and to this day i still notice every time the wind changes or a fan turns on. Im beyond thankful for the the lessons that the 14 are still teaching us and i still wish those lessons did not require such a high price… #remember #always&forever
Tomorrow July 6th 2026 will mark 32 years since we lost 14 of the best humans / wildlanders you could ever hope to meet!
Their passing and the lessons they tragically passed on to us mark a titanic shift in the wildland fire paradigm on many levels.
Please learn their story if you don’t know it.
Please teach their story and the lessons learned to younglings aspiring to be wildlanders.
And please keep the 14 fallen along with their families and the survivors in your thoughts..
#neverforgotten #SK14