The memorial has concluded and posting to this blog has
ended. While there will be no new posts,
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support of the families.
Thank you
The Memorial Staff
Thursday, August 10, 2017
8/10/17 Brent M. Witham Memorial Livestream
Click the link below for the raw video -- an edited version of today's memorial will be uploaded at a later time.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
8/9/2017 Witham Memorial Update
WITHAM MEMORIAL CEREMONY
USDA Forest Service · 602 S Tippecanoe · San Bernardino · CA · 92408
909-382-2695 · www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com · withammemorialinfo@gmail.com
August 9, 2017, 8:00 p.m., San Bernardino, CA - The Witham Memorial Ceremony, honoring fallen firefighter Brent Witham, Vista Grande Hotshot, is scheduled to take place on August 10th at the National Orange Show, Orange Pavilion, Arrowhead entrance, San Bernardino, CA 92408. The memorial service will begin at 10:00 am and doors will open at 9:00 am. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome.
The program for the Memorial Ceremony will available at 7:00 am on Thursday, August 10th on the Witham Memorial Ceremony blog: www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com (click on the downloadable link to view or print). Although updates to the blog will end tomorrow (8/10/17), the blog will remain available for viewing.
Condolence messages may still continue to be emailed to: www.withammemorialinfo@gmail.com with the word “CONDOLENCES” typed in the subject line of the message. These messages will be given to the family.
For those of you who are not able to attend the memorial in person, the ceremony will be live-streamed and can be viewed by accessing: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cal-fire-tv. The stream will be available a few minutes before 10:00 am Pacific Time.
In response to the many inquiries from people who wish to make monetary donations, in lieu of flowers, the family has asked that we provide the following information:
- Make check out to Mark Witham
- In the memo section of the check, please write: “In Trust For the Brent Witham Trust Fund”
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
8/8/2017 Witham Memorial Update
WITHAM MEMORIAL CEREMONY
USDA Forest Service · 602 S Tippecanoe · San Bernardino · CA · 92408
August 8, 2017, 8:00 p.m., San Bernardino, CA - The Witham Memorial Ceremony, honoring fallen firefighter Brent Witham, Vista Grande Hotshot, is scheduled to take place on August 10th at the National Orange Show, Orange Pavilion, Arrowhead entrance, San Bernardino, CA 92408. The memorial service will begin at 10:00 am and doors will open at 9:00 am. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome.
The program for the memorial is being finalized and a link to download it, in its entirety, will be posted on the Witham Memorial Ceremony blog: www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com. Please visit the blog frequently, as it is being updated regularly throughout the day.
Condolence messages may be emailed to: www.withammemorialinfo@gmail.com with the word “CONDOLENCES” typed in the subject line of the message. These messages will be given to the family.
For those of you who are not able to attend the memorial in person, the ceremony will be live-streamed and can be viewed by accessing: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cal-fire-tv. The stream will be available a few minutes before 10:00 am Pacific Time.
Donations may be made to the Brent Witham Memorial Fund as follows:
- A check should be made out to Mark Witham
- In the memo section of the check, please write: “In Trust For the Brent Witham Trust Fund”
- Mail the check (no cash please) to: Brent Witham Memorial Fund, ℅ Chief Costello, 11629 Grove Drive, Yucaipa, CA 92399
As the tribute to Brent continues, through Wednesday evening, we still have two large condolence “cards” at the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Office, located at 602 S. Tippecanoe Avenue in San Bernardino, California 92408. The cards are available for messages and/or condolences for Brent’s family and cards will be given to the family as a keepsake and remembrance of Brent.
8/8/17 Condolence Card
If you would like to leave a condolence message to Brent's family, there has been a "Condolence" card set up in the lobby of the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor's Office at
602 S Tippecanoe Avenue
San Bernardino
Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
The cards will be moved to the Memorial Ceremony on Thursday and be available for signature there.
If unable to sign or attend in person, and still wish to send condolences please visit the Condolence tab.
602 S Tippecanoe Avenue
San Bernardino
Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
The cards will be moved to the Memorial Ceremony on Thursday and be available for signature there.
If unable to sign or attend in person, and still wish to send condolences please visit the Condolence tab.
Monday, August 7, 2017
8/7/2017 Memorial Update
WITHAM MEMORIAL CEREMONY
USDA Forest Service · 602 S Tippecanoe · San Bernardino · CA · 92408
909-382-2695 · www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com · withammemorialinfo@gmail.com
August 7, 2017, 7:00 p.m., San Bernardino, CA - The body of Brent Witham was returned home to San Bernardino, California today. Brent died in the line of duty while engaged in firefighting efforts in
Montana on August 2nd, on the Lolo Peak Fire. He was transported with honor, officially escorted the entire way home by Forest Service Law Enforcement and Honor Guard.
Brent was taken from the mortuary in Missoula, Montana to the Aerial Fire Depot where his Forest Service comrades escorted him aboard a Forest Service Sherpa aircraft, which flew him to the San Bernardino air tanker base. He was met there by his family, his crew, leadership from the San Bernardino National Forest and representatives of many other agencies wishing to honor him. He was then taken to the Montecito Memorial Park & Cemetery in a processional that stretched nearly a mile long with more than 50 vehicles participating.
Behind the hearse were members of his family, friends, the Vista Grande Hotshot crew, and many, many firefighting engines and emergency vehicles representing numerous agencies from surrounding cities and counties. At several locations along the route, agency personnel and members of the community gathered along the route to pay special tribute; there was an especially large contingent of uniformed personnel and engines in front of the San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters.
As the procession reached the entrance to the Montecito Memorial Park & Cemetary, it passed under a large United States flag suspended high in the air by two fire department ladder trucks. Firefighters saluted their brother, Brent, as the motorcade entered the gates of the park.
The tribute to Brent continues into the week: two large condolence “cards” will be made available at the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Office, located at 602 S. Tippecanoe Avenue in San Bernardino, California, 92408, beginning at noon on August 8th through the evening of August 9th. People are encouraged to stop by and write messages and/or condolences for the family. The cards will then be given to Brent’s family as a keepsake and remembrance of Brent. Cards may also be mailed to the address listed above. Emails with “CONDOLENCES” typed in the “subject” line may be sent to withammemorialinfo@gmail.com.
The following blog has been established: www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com and we encourage you to access the blog frequently, since it is being updated regularly throughout the day.
The memorial service for Brent Witham is scheduled for Thursday, August 10th at the National Orange Show, Orange Pavilion, Arrowhead entrance, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome. The memorial will begin at 10:00 am and the doors will be open around 9:00 am. If, for some reason, this information changes, an update will be posted on the blog.
A Memorial Fund is being set up for Brent for those who are interesting in making a monetary donation. Specific information regarding this account will be provided soon.
8/7/2017 Updated Information Posted
As information becomes available, we will update each of the tabs above so check back frequently. Please check the Procession tab for updated information.There is a video of a portion of the procession in San Bernardino in front of the Supervisor's Office on the VIDEO tab.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
8/6/17 3:30 p.m. Witham Memorial Update
USDA Forest Service · 602 S Tippecanoe · San Bernardino · CA · 92408
909-382-2695 · www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com · withammemorialinfo@gmail.com
Aug. 6, 2017, 3:30 pm, San Bernardino, CA - Vista Grande Hotshot Brent Witham, who was killed August 2, 2017 while working on the Lolo Peak Fire in Montana, is coming home Monday, August 7th. Brent will be escorted home from Montana to his family, arriving at the San Bernardino air tanker base about 3:00pm. He will be escorted the entire way by Forest Service law enforcement and Honor Guard, and received by his family, his crew, San Bernardino National Forest employees, and various interagency engines and personnel.
Brent will be honored with a processional escort to the Montecito Memorial Park & Mortuary in Colton, CA. An Honor Watch will be in place with Brent until interment. The procession route will move from the air tanker base, along 3rd Street, south along Tippecanoe in front of the Forest Service Headquarters, west on Orange Show and south on Waterman to the Montecito Memorial Park & Mortuary at 3520 E Washington St, Colton, CA 92354. Those who would like to honor Brent are encouraged to view the processional from any point along the route. This route is tentative pending final approval and the processional is expected to take about an hour.
The Lolo National Forest will be live streaming a processional and escort happening in Montana as Brent is moved to the plane that will bring him home. Watch at https://www.facebook.com/lolonationalforest/. Start time is expected to be at 8:00 am Pacific time.
The memorial service itself has been scheduled for Thursday, August 10th at the National Orange Show, Orange Pavilion, Arrowhead entrance, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome. The memorial will begin about 10 am but the doors will be open about 9. If this information is updated, it will be posted immediately on the blog.
A blog has been established to help the public, media and agency personnel find detailed information about the August 10th memorial. As information like parking, seating, times, agency attire, etc becomes available, it will be posted immediately on the blog. Please check back frequently www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com.
Condolences for the family can be mailed to the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 602 South Tippecanoe, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Emails can be sent to withammemorialinfo@gmail.com. Please put “CONDOLENCES” in the subject line. All correspondence will be give to Brent’s family. For those who would like to remember Brent with a donation, a Memorial Fund is being set up. We ask for your patience as this can’t be done until after the weekend. Updates will be posted on the blog as soon as we have them.
Saturday, August 5, 2017
8/4/17 Message From USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue
On behalf of Chief Tidwell, we are sharing Secretary Perdue's special message to Forest Service employees in memory of fallen firefighter Brent Witham.
Dear Forest Service Family:
No words of support or condolence can ever truly ease the pain of the loss of a valued family member, but we in the Office of the Secretary are compelled to communicate to you how deeply sorry we are to learn of the death of one of your brave comrades, Brent Witham. The word "family" is apt, because at USDA we are a community connected to each other by a shared mission of serving the American people. And with the news that a young firefighter from the Forest Service Vista Grande Interagency Hotshot Crew has lost his life in the line of duty, we grieve together as a USDA family.
The jobs you do protect people and property from the ravages of forest fires, and, as we are reminded today, place your own lives in great jeopardy. On behalf of a grateful citizenry, we thank you for your courage and selflessness in answering the call each time disaster strikes. The fire which claimed Brent’s life at Lolo National Forest's Lolo Peak rages on, which means the work there must continue unabated. We urge you to be cautious in your approach, ever mindful that fire is deadly and remorseless. And we thank you again for the noble work that you do in keeping the rest of us safe.
Mary and I are praying for Brent’s family and friends, and for the safety of all of you.
With shared sorrow,
Sonny Perdue
Secretary
Dear Forest Service Family:
No words of support or condolence can ever truly ease the pain of the loss of a valued family member, but we in the Office of the Secretary are compelled to communicate to you how deeply sorry we are to learn of the death of one of your brave comrades, Brent Witham. The word "family" is apt, because at USDA we are a community connected to each other by a shared mission of serving the American people. And with the news that a young firefighter from the Forest Service Vista Grande Interagency Hotshot Crew has lost his life in the line of duty, we grieve together as a USDA family.
The jobs you do protect people and property from the ravages of forest fires, and, as we are reminded today, place your own lives in great jeopardy. On behalf of a grateful citizenry, we thank you for your courage and selflessness in answering the call each time disaster strikes. The fire which claimed Brent’s life at Lolo National Forest's Lolo Peak rages on, which means the work there must continue unabated. We urge you to be cautious in your approach, ever mindful that fire is deadly and remorseless. And we thank you again for the noble work that you do in keeping the rest of us safe.
Mary and I are praying for Brent’s family and friends, and for the safety of all of you.
With shared sorrow,
Sonny Perdue
Secretary
8/3/17 Message From Forest Service Chief Tidwell
It is with a heavy heart that I officially confirm what many of you may have heard – we lost one of our own Wednesday afternoon on the Lolo National Forest’s Lolo Peak Fire in Montana. Brent Witham, 29-years-old, of the Vista Grande Interagency Hotshot Crew, on the San Bernardino National Forest, California, died on the fire line after being struck by a tree.
My heart and thoughts go out to his family, crew and friends today, and I ask you to keep his family and friends in your thoughts as well.
I also extend my gratitude to many of you for your response to the incident, as well as your acts of kindness and expressions of support for the employees of the Pacific Southwest and Northern Regions as they come to terms with this tragic accident.
This loss comes at a time when we are experiencing a significant outbreak of wildfires in the West, as a result of high temperatures and lightning. We expect these outbreaks to continue over the coming weeks. Many other crews and supporting personnel will be deployed to respond. Safety must remain paramount as we confront this severe season.
Details from Wednesday’s accident continue to emerge; we will apprise you of the latest information when it becomes available.
As we reconcile ourselves with this loss and move forward together to respond to wildfires and complete mission work at home, please take the appropriate safety measures: Take care of yourselves and each other.
Chief Tidwell
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