Marin Firefighter News

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday in Redding to honor a CAL FIRE pioneer who died in last week's devastating helicopter crash in Trinity County. U.S. Forest Service helicopter inspector pilot James Ramage -- CAL FIRE's very first firefighting helicopter pilot -- will be honored in ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, August 16th, beginning at 2:00pm at the Redding Convention Center. Ramage, 63, was among nine people who died August 5th in the crash of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, which was transporting firefighters working on the Iron Complex.

The first forestry pilot hired by CAL FIRE -- then the Department of Forestry -- was among those who died in last week's devastating helicopter crash in Trinity County. James Ramage, 63, was on board the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter that went down August 5th, killing nine and injuring four. Ramage worked for CAL FIRE for two decades before retiring in 2004. He then moved over to the U.S. Forest Service, for whom he worked as a helicopter inspection pilot.

Officials have officially declared that nine people died in the crash of a firefighting helicopter on the Iron Complex in Trinity County. The nine -- a USFS official, one of the pilots and eight private firefighters -- were on board a Sikorsky S-61 firefighting helicopter when it went down Tuesday evening near the 18,000-acre Buckhorn Fire. Four other individuals have been hospitalized, and one remain in critical condition. 

If you've been watching the news from Sacramento, you know that California is in the second month of a difficult budget stalemate. Some retirees have expressed concern that their benefits might be caught in the fiscal crossfire. But CalPERS Chair Rob Feckner says retirees ... and those about to retire ... have nothing to fear from the budget battle.

A 60-day Special Election to fill the post of CPF Secretary-Treasurer has ended with the election of Burbank Fire Fighters Local 778 President Lew Stone. Stone, who has served as CPF 2nd District Vice President since 2001, was sworn in this week at a meeting of the CPF Executive Board.