GEOFFREY “CRAIG” HUNT
“My dad died a hero. There was not a day that went by that I didn't talk to my dad. He was my best friend”, Sarah Hunt Lauterbach.
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| GEOFFREY “CRAIG” HUNT |
CAL FIRE Plans Memorial Service for Airtanker Pilot
San Jose – Firefighters will gather together to pay their respects to Airtanker Pilot Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt as well as to his family, who paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life while fighting the Dog Rock fire near El Portal, California. A celebration of Craig’s life, with a full Line of Duty Death fire service honors, will take place Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 10 a.m.
On October 7, 2014, Dyncorp Pilot Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt was involved in a fatal crash while flying a CAL FIRE S-2T Airtanker over the Dog Rock fire burning near Yosemite’s Arch Rock. “We continue to mourn the tragic loss of Craig.” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “We know Wildland firefighting is an inherently dangerous job, but Craig made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot’s family during this difficult time,” said Jeff Cavarra, program director for DynCorp International.
Geoffrey ”Craig” Hunt was born October 14, 1951 in Richmond, IN. He is survived by his wife, Sally, whom he married in September of 1975, and his two daughters, Nancy Hunt and Sarah Hunt Lauterbach. Hunt served as a US Navy P3 pilot from 1975-1984 and was in the reserves for 20 years. Hunt earned a Masters in Business as well as in Biochemistry and was a chemistry teacher in the off season at the University of Santa Cruz. He had a love for flying, golfing, fishing, hiking, bird watching, scuba diving, math/sciences, teaching and dogs.
Memorial Service
Location: Church on the Hill, 500 Sands Dr., San Jose, CA 95125
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 10 a.m.
Attire: Uniformed personnel is to be either Department Class A Uniform or Work Uniform with tie.
Public Safety Departments or Agencies that wish to attend or send apparatus for the memorial static display, please click here. Please arrive at the church by 9:00 a.m. for set up.
Media representatives that plan to attend the memorial service, please RSVP here. There will be a media briefing, day of, at the church at 9:15 a.m.
Cards can be sent to the family in care of:
The Hunt Family
c/o CAL FIRE Firefighters Local 2881
1731 J Street, Ste. 100
Sacramento, CA 95811
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to:
Craig Hunt Memorial Fund
Ashville School
360 Ashville School Road
Ashville, NC 28806
This fund will be designated for scholarship and athletics at the Ashville School.
Contact: Tom Marberger at (828) 254-6345 ext. 4081
CAL FIRE Local 2881 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE OCTOBER 8, 2014
Brothers and Sisters,
Unfortunately, we work in a profession where there are going to be terrible reminders of the constant dangers associated with protecting lives and property. As you know by now, CAL FIRE Tanker 81 tragically crashed yesterday while battling the Dog Rock Fire near Yosemite National Park. The plane reportedly went down near the Dog Rock Fire within a mile from the park’s western entrance. Last night CAL FIRE, U.S. Forest Service and rescue crews hiked through extremely rugged terrain to reach the wreckage and confirm the death of the pilot. At this time, the family asked for an opportunity to make notifications to family members before his name is released publicly.
Our lost pilot is a 13 year veteran and is an employee of DynCorp., a contractor that provides the pilots for all CAL FIRE air tankers. Make no mistake about it, he was one of ours and his loss is deeply personal for all firefighters. CAL FIRE Local2881 will be treating this as a Type I funeral; the pilot will be honored for sacrificing his life for the safety of the community and fellow firefighters. He was a man of extraordinary skill and talent and he will be missed by those who worked with him and those who loved him.
The term “Fire Season” no longer holds true for the men and women of CAL FIRE. The way we fight fires are a way of life throughout the year. Even if the rains come early which is not expected, the job we do is done on a daily basis 365 days year. Whether you work in the San Diego Unit on a truck company or in Siskiyou on a Type III, CAL FIRE and its partners never leaves the front lines and are always available to answer a call for help from the people of California.
Again, fire dangers are far from over so please take care of yourself and others. You are important, and your safety matters to family, friends, colleagues and the communities we protect.
Please keep our lost firefighter, and his family, in your prayers.
Fraternally,
Mike Lopez
Contact CAL FIRE Local 2881
P:(916) 609-8700 | F:(916) 609-8711
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San Jose – Firefighters will gather together to pay their respects to Airtanker Pilot Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt as well as to his family, who paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life while fighting the Dog Rock fire near El Portal, California. A celebration of Craig’s life, with a full Line of Duty Death fire service honors, will take place Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 10 a.m.
On October 7, 2014, Dyncorp Pilot Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt was involved in a fatal crash while flying a CAL FIRE S-2T Airtanker over the Dog Rock fire burning near Yosemite’s Arch Rock. “We continue to mourn the tragic loss of Craig.” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “We know Wildland firefighting is an inherently dangerous job, but Craig made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot’s family during this difficult time,” said Jeff Cavarra, program director for DynCorp International.
Geoffrey ”Craig” Hunt was born October 14, 1951 in Richmond, IN. He is survived by his wife, Sally, whom he married in September of 1975, and his two daughters, Nancy Hunt and Sarah Hunt Lauterbach. Hunt served as a US Navy P3 pilot from 1975-1984 and was in the reserves for 20 years. Hunt earned a Masters in Business as well as in Biochemistry and was a chemistry teacher in the off season at the University of Santa Cruz. He had a love for flying, golfing, fishing, hiking, bird watching, scuba diving, math/sciences, teaching and dogs.
Memorial Service
Location: Church on the Hill, 500 Sands Dr., San Jose, CA 95125
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 10 a.m.
Attire: Uniformed personnel is to be either Department Class A Uniform or Work Uniform with tie.
Public Safety Departments or Agencies that wish to attend or send apparatus for the memorial static display, please click here. Please arrive at the church by 9:00 a.m. for set up.
Media representatives that plan to attend the memorial service, please RSVP here. There will be a media briefing, day of, at the church at 9:15 a.m.
Cards can be sent to the family in care of:
The Hunt Family
c/o CAL FIRE Firefighters Local 2881
1731 J Street, Ste. 100
Sacramento, CA 95811
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to:
Craig Hunt Memorial Fund
Ashville School
360 Ashville School Road
Ashville, NC 28806
This fund will be designated for scholarship and athletics at the Ashville School.
Contact: Tom Marberger at (828) 254-6345 ext. 4081
CAL FIRE Local 2881 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE OCTOBER 8, 2014
Brothers and Sisters,
Unfortunately, we work in a profession where there are going to be terrible reminders of the constant dangers associated with protecting lives and property. As you know by now, CAL FIRE Tanker 81 tragically crashed yesterday while battling the Dog Rock Fire near Yosemite National Park. The plane reportedly went down near the Dog Rock Fire within a mile from the park’s western entrance. Last night CAL FIRE, U.S. Forest Service and rescue crews hiked through extremely rugged terrain to reach the wreckage and confirm the death of the pilot. At this time, the family asked for an opportunity to make notifications to family members before his name is released publicly.
Our lost pilot is a 13 year veteran and is an employee of DynCorp., a contractor that provides the pilots for all CAL FIRE air tankers. Make no mistake about it, he was one of ours and his loss is deeply personal for all firefighters. CAL FIRE Local2881 will be treating this as a Type I funeral; the pilot will be honored for sacrificing his life for the safety of the community and fellow firefighters. He was a man of extraordinary skill and talent and he will be missed by those who worked with him and those who loved him.
The term “Fire Season” no longer holds true for the men and women of CAL FIRE. The way we fight fires are a way of life throughout the year. Even if the rains come early which is not expected, the job we do is done on a daily basis 365 days year. Whether you work in the San Diego Unit on a truck company or in Siskiyou on a Type III, CAL FIRE and its partners never leaves the front lines and are always available to answer a call for help from the people of California.
Again, fire dangers are far from over so please take care of yourself and others. You are important, and your safety matters to family, friends, colleagues and the communities we protect.
Please keep our lost firefighter, and his family, in your prayers.
Fraternally,
Mike Lopez
Contact CAL FIRE Local 2881
P:(916) 609-8700 | F:(916) 609-8711
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