Incident Name: Coal Canyon Fire
Date: 8/11/11
Personnel: Trampus Haskvitz
Age: 23
Agency/Organization: South Dakota Dept of Agriculture, South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division
Position: firefighter
Summary: At approximately 1330, on August, 11, 2011; Forest Service, State and Volunteer Fire Department crews responded to a fire in Coal Canyon. After working the fire for a short amount of time, rapidly spreading fire overtook the egress route out of the fire area, entrapping firefighters. Trampus Haskvitz died and four others were injured.
Maps
Burnover location on the Coal Canyon Fire
{mosmap lat=’43.433005’|lon=’-103.850157’|marker=’0’|text=’Burnover Location on the Coal Canyon Fire’}
9 miles north of Edgemont, on FS land (Black Hills NF)
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- South Dakota State: News Release on the SD web
- Forest Service: News Release
- Forest Service: Inciweb screen capture
- Serious Accident Investigation Team: Expanded 72 Hour Report (18 K pdf)
- Facilitated Learning Analysis Team: 320 Road Entrapment Avoidance (1,152 K pdf) Lessons learned in a near entrapment incident on the Coal Canyon Fire the day after Trampus died.
- Serious Accident Investigation: Coal Canyon Fire (6,569 K pdf)
- Coal Canyon Accident Review Board Safety Action Plan: Page 1 and Page 2
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports.
- SD Firefighter Died A ‘Hero’August 12, 2011, 12:50 PM | Online Article
RAPID CITY, SD – A firefighter has died and four others were injured while battling the Coal Canyon Fire Thursday afternoon.
Fire officials say it happened on U.S. Forest Service land nine miles north of Edgemont.
South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division Director Joe Lowe said the men came in on a mid-slope road and the fire was up the hill from them on the initial attack. He says it was windy and an ember went up in the air and started a fire downhill from the men. The flames then grew to two large fires and surrounded them by fire and blocked their exit.
Firefighter Trampus Haskvitz, 23, of Hot Springs died from his injuries.
Firefighter Austin Whitney, 20, has burns on his arms and third degree burns on his hands and neck. He was treated in Rapid City before being transported to the burn center in Greely, Colorado.
Firefighter Kevin Fees, 20, has minor burns on his hands and neck has already been released from the hospital. He’s expected to make a full recovery.
Lowe says you can’t ask more from a public servant than to give their life for what they do.
“In this case, some came and some gave all. And in this case Trampus gave all. He’ll die a hero. He will always be remembered by the fire service community here,” Lowe said.
Two other federal firefighters were also hurt but their names and details on their injuries have not been released.
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- Trampus Haskvitz Safety Standdown One Year Anniversary on the Hotlist (pdf Press Release Download 44 K)
- Never Forgotten:
From Besy Haskvitz, Trampus’ mom from the WFF Facebook page, 4th anniversary
- USFA Memorial Database: Trampas S. Haskvitz
- Obituary: Trampus S Haskvitz was born December 28, 1987, in Custer, South Dakota, to Don and LuJean Haskvitz. Born six minutes after his twin brother, John, he joined brother Benjamin and sister Betsy. He was blessed with lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends he had gained over the years. He was an amazing Uncle to Ella Lou. At the time of his death, he was living in Buffalo Gap, South Dakota.Trampus attended Hot Springs public schools and was involved in football, basketball, baseball and track. After high school he attended Dickinson State University, where he played football for the Blue Hawks and graduated in 2010 with a major in business administration and a minor in manufacturing technology. For the last five years of his life, Trampus worked as a seasonal firefighter.
Trampus was the most kindhearted, caring person, always putting other people first and taking care of everyone. He was his family’s rock. After losing Trampus we learned how much Trampus had taken care of his college friends, giving crosses to people who were having hard times. He told his sister to wear a cross and keep it close to her heart, for then God is always with you. Trampus will always be remembered for his strong heart, gentle spirit, and fearless approach to life. He was a leader and had a knack for mischief. He could make pulling weeds fun.
Ben and John always wanted their little brother—the youngest by six minutes—to look up to them. “But it was really us who looked up to him,” Ben said. “We emulated him and tried to find a piece of his character to put into our own. He could talk to anybody. The guy could make friends with a wall.” People always wanted to help Trampus since he was often the smallest in the group, but usually it was Trampus who was helping others.
All three brothers were seasonal firefighters for the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, and they had the opportunity to work side by side on the fire line for the summers of 2008 and 2009. Trampus joined the ranks in 2007 and was in his fifth summer season when he died fighting the Coal Canyon Fire.
The City of Hot Springs, South Dakota, has proclaimed August 11th Trampus Haskvitz Day. An annual golf tournament will be held every June to raise money for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, as well as a motorcycle poker run and softball tournament in honor of Trampus. “Never Forgotten” is the vow of his family, friends, and area firefighters. If love alone could have spared him, he would have lived forever.
Contributors to this article: SoCal CalFire, Portage Pulaski, Vicki Minor
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