Incident Name: positioned for firefighting
Date: 8/21/2016
Personnel: Ian Lewis Howard
Age: 36
Agency/Organization: US Forest Service
Position: engine operator firefighter
Summary: On the morning of August 21, 2016, Ian Howard was found dead … He and his Engine 16 crew from the Plumas National Forest (Beckwourth Ranger District) were positioned for firefighting at the Paskenta Work Center on the Mendocino National Forest and had stayed overnight in Corning. Cause of his death is unknown at this time.
Photo from the US Forest Service
prepositioned at the Paskenta Work Center on the Mendocino National Forest; stayed overnight in Corning
{mosmap lat=’39.884976’|lon=’-122.179156’|marker=’0’|text=’Corning, CA’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- U.S. Forest Service mourns passing of firefighterRelease Date: Aug 25, 2016
SPARKS, Nevada – August 25, 2016 – It is with great sadness that the U.S. Forest Service mourns the passing of firefighter Ian Howard. Crew members on Engine 16 from the Plumas National Forest discovered their friend and colleague’s passing last Sunday morning. The cause of death is unknown at this time. The crew was prepositioned for firefighting at the Paskenta Work Center on the Mendocino National Forest and were staying overnight in Corning, CA. At the time of Ian’s passing, his engine was not assigned to an active wildfire incident.
Ian was a fire engine operator assigned to Engine 16 from the Beckwourth Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest. He was a respected and dedicated employee and his passing is a big loss, not only for the Plumas National Forest, but also for the Forest Service. In Ian’s time as an employee with the Forest Service, his contributions were that of a selfless public servant. He will be greatly missed.
Please keep the Howard family, Engine 16’s crew, his coworkers and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Condolences for the family can be sent to: Beckwourth Ranger District, P.O. Box 7, Blairsden, CA 96103.
Ian’s body will be flown via Forest Service aircraft to Reno-Stead Airport on Friday, August 26, and escorted to a funeral home by his Plumas National Forest crewmates and other fire, law enforcement, and first responder vehicles. Media agencies are invited to collect imagery and interview a Forest Service spokesperson at this event, beginning at 10:00 AM at the front entrance of Reno-Stead Airport. Please RSVP to the contact information above by 8:00 AM on Friday. Reno-Stead Airport is located at 4895 Texas Ave, Reno, NV 89506.
Wildlandfire.com Links:
- Wildlandfire.com Hotlist: CA-MNF-Ian Howard has died
- Wildland firefighters mourn loss of Reno colleague8/25/16 | Online Article
Firefighters in the Plumas National Forest are mourning the loss of Ian Howard, who was found dead Sunday morning in Corning, Calif.
Howard, 36, of Reno, was a crew member on Engine 16 for the Plumas National Forest in the Beckwourth Ranger District. At the time of death the crew was positioned for firefighting at the Paskenta Work Center on the Mendocino National Forest. (more at the link…)
- Body of U.S. Forest Service Firefighter Flown to Reno8/26/16 | Online Article with video
- Ian Lewis Howard Obituary
Howard – Ian Lewis Howard, 36, of Reno, NV died on Sunday, August 21st in Corning. Arrangements are pending at Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers in Red Bluff (530-527-1174).
- Condolences for the family can be sent to: Beckwourth Ranger District, P.O. Box 7, Blairsden, CA 96103.
- Ian’s body will be flown via Forest Service aircraft to Reno-Stead Airport on Friday, August 26, and escorted to a funeral home by his Plumas National Forest crewmates and other fire, law enforcement, and first responder vehicles. Media agencies are invited to collect imagery and interview a Forest Service spokesperson at this event, beginning at 10:00 AM at the front entrance of Reno-Stead Airport. Please RSVP to the contact information above by 8:00 AM on Friday. Reno-Stead Airport is located at 4895 Texas Ave, Reno, NV 89506.
- From the U.S. Forest Service, Public Invited to Memorial Service For Firefighter Ian Howard:
The family of Plumas National Forest firefighter Ian Howard will hold a memorial service for Ian on Monday, August 29, at 11:30 AM at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. The church is located at 100 Bishop Manogue Drive, Reno, NV 89511. The service will be open to the public, to give everyone who wishes a chance to honor and remember Ian.
The service will start promptly at 11:30 AM and access will be limited after this time. The church does not permit flash photography or filming inside the building to preserve an atmosphere of respect. Appropriate funeral attire is recommended.
The Howard family has also established a memorial fund for Ian. Those who wish to donate may contact City National Bank at the following information:
City National Bank
Ian Howard Memorial Fund
5470 Kietzke Blvd, Building 3
Reno, NV 89511
(775) 783-7000
The Howard family wishes to thank all who have expressed condolences and support following their loss. Condolence messages may be sent to:
Beckwourth Ranger District
c/o Carrie Howard
P.O. Box 7
Blairsden, CA 96103
(530) 836-2575
- Photo from the US Forest Service:
From the Reno Fire Department’s Facebook page
- Ian Lewis Howard was born on January 31, 1980 in Corona, California to Dan Howard and Linda Howard. He passed away unexpectedly on August 21, 2016 at the age of 36.
Ian grew up in Santa Cruz, California and attended Harbor High School. Ian had a love for the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, hunting, scuba diving, camping, golfing, swimming with his kids, and target shooting. He loved snow skiing and had worked in the past at Kirkwood Mountain as well as Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe as a ski instructor and race coach.
Ian was a longtime, enthusiastic firefighter whose career spanned 14 years of public service between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the US Forest Service. He began his fire career in 2002 with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, were he served as a squad leader of a hand crew based in Carson City. He transferred to the Forest Service in 2008, finding a home on the Beckwourth Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest. He served as a fire engine operator on Engine 16, and worked eight seasons before he passed away. While at Frenchman Lake Station, Ian was instrumental in making the station what it is today. Ian was more mechanically inclined than most, and this was reflected in the work done at Frenchman Lake Station during his tenure there.
Ian met his wife, Carrie Hunter, in July of 2005, and they were married on October 5, 2008 at Edgewood Tahoe. They welcomed their son, Cole in 2009 and daughter, Ella, in 2010.
Ian was a caring man with a huge heart and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Ian is survived by his wife, Carrie; his children, Cole and Ella; his parents, Dan Howard and Linda Howard; and his sister, Shannon Howard.
- USFA Memorial Database: Ian Howard
Contributors to this article: John Miller, Mellie
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