Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Matthew Will

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Matthew Will

Photo of Matt Will

Gov. Schwarzenegger today released the following statement regarding the death of CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO) Matthew Richard Will of Hollister:

“It is with great sorrow and deep sadness that Maria and I mourn the passing of Matthew Will. We join all Californians in expressing our sincere gratitude to Matthew for his faithful and dedicated service in protecting the citizens of this great state. Our hearts and prayers are with his family, loved ones and fellow firefighters as they grieve the loss of a brave public servant.”

Will, 30, died Oct. 9 as a result of injuries sustained in a bulldozer rollover accident on Oct. 8 while battling the Colorado Fire in Monterey County. He started with CAL FIRE in May 2003 as an HFEO and recently graduated from the CAL FIRE Academy at Ione. He was assigned to the Hollister Air Attack Base and is survived by his wife, Diana, and a son and daughter.

In honor of HFEO Will, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.

Official press release

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

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Tuesday, October 9, 2007