8/31/15 Memorial Concluded

The memorial has concluded and posting to this blog has ended.  While there will be no new posts, the blog will remain visible to allow you to access the donation information in support of the families.

Thank you
The Memorial Staff

FOREST SERVICE REQUESTS DRONE FREE AIR SPACE ON SUNDAY

Wenatchee, WA.  (August 29, 2015) – U.S. Forest Service officials today asked the public to avoid using any type of unmanned aerial vehicles (“drones”) between the hours of 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM in the City of Wenatchee on Sunday, August 30. The request comes as part of an effort to clear air space so that an aircraft is able to drop three ceremonial streamers in the vicinity of the Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Avenue. The streamers are being dropped as a part of the memorial honoring Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski who died in the line of duty on August 19 while assigned to the Twisp River Fire.

If a drone is detected near the operational area, the Forest Service aircraft must immediately exit the area and will not be able to drop the streamers.  Remember, “If you fly, we can’t”! 

FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL UPDATE AUGUST 28, 2015

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, USDA Forest Service
Issue #6

Memorial Invitation
A memorial for firefighters Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, August 30, 2015.  It will be at the Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Avenue, in Wenatchee.  All Forest Service employees, retirees and spouses are welcome to attend. The doors to the Toyota Center will open at 11:00 am.  Forest Service employees will be directed to a designated seating area.   Those who have been designated as official representatives for their unit are authorized to drive a government vehicle to the memorial. Everyone else should drive their personal vehicle and attend on their own time.  Members of the public will be seated as space allows after family members and agency personnel have been seated.  The venue will accommodate up to 4,500 people. 

Parking and Shuttle Bus Information
Those who plan to attend are encouraged to arrive early, carpool if possible, or consider taking the shuttle bus.  Limited parking will be available at the Town Toyota Center and space will be provided on a first come, first served basis.  Additional parking will be available at Lowes, Cetto’s, Walla Walla Park – North and South, and Good Fellow Brothers (ADA accessible).  Parking will also be available at Pybus Market, located at 3 North Worthen Street; from this location, a shuttle bus will take guests to the Town Toyota Center beginning at 10:00 AM.  The shuttle bus will return guests to their vehicles after the memorial.    See this map for parking details: Parking maps  

Procession
A procession of agency vehicles and emergency apparatus will travel through downtown Wenatchee on Sunday morning before the memorial.  Traffic delays should be expected.  Those who wish to pay their respects are invited to line the procession route. Click here for a map of the procession route: Procession Route Map

The procession will begin at approximately 11:10 AM near the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Supervisor’s Office at the Big Lot store parking lot.   Emergency Service personnel who are planning to participate in the procession should contact Wenatchee Police Department Captain John Kruse at 509-888-4203 or jkruse@wenatcheewa.gov  

The procession route is as follows:
South on Access Road to Penny Drive
Right on Penny Drive
Left to on-ramp State Route 285 (Wenatchee Avenue)
Left on 5th Street
Left on Pierre Street
Right on 9th Street
Left on Walla Walla Avenue
Left into Town Toyota Center

Media
The families have given permission for media representatives to cover the memorial.  A live broadcast of the memorial will be available on line at Q13Fox.com.  Here is the URL: 
http://q13fox.com/  The planning team is looking into options for those who are not able to watch the live broadcast and details will be published on the blog spot once they are confirmed. 

To date, the media has been very professional and respectful and we have every reason to believe that this will continue through the memorial.  The media will be located on the second floor of the Town Toyota Center, away from family members and employees.  Numerous Public Information Officers will be on hand to escort the media for the duration of the memorial.  

Attire
All attendees are encouraged to wear the field uniform (short-sleeved shirt, no tie, dark green pants, green nomex pants) or crew shirts and nomex pants.  Shrouds will be available for FS badges and they should be positioned horizontally across the badge.  Purple ribbons or pins should be worn above or to the left of the badge.  Those who do not have a Forest Service uniform should be prepared to show government identification to access the seating area that has been reserved for Forest Service employees.

Please visit our blog at http://twispriverfirememorial.blogspot.com/ for the most recent information about the memorial.  New information is posted throughout the day as plans are confirmed.  

No flash photography will be permitted. Cell phones should be placed on silent before the start of the event. 

FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL UPDATE AUGUST 27, 2015

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, USDA Forest Service

                                                  Issue #5

The memorial to honor firefighters Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski, who died in the line of duty, will be at 1:00 PM on Sunday, August 30, 2015.  It will be at the Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Avenue, Wenatchee, WA.  Once family members and agency personnel have been seated, the public will be seated as space allows.  This venue can accommodate up to 4,500 people.

Parking in the area is limited and those planning to attend should look to ride share.  A park and shuttle option is being evaluated and any arrangements will be posted later. 

In honor of these three men, a procession of emergency service vehicles will travel through downtown Wenatchee on Sunday, prior to the memorial.  Please be advised that the procession will likely cause traffic delays.  Members of the public who wish to pay their respects are invited to line the procession route.  The procession will begin at approximately 11:10 AM near the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Supervisor’s Office.  It will take approximately 20 minutes for vehicles to drive the four mile course to the Town Toyota Center. 

The procession route is as follows:

South on Access Road to Penny Drive

Right on Penny Drive

Left to on-ramp State Route 285 (Wenatchee Avenue)

Left on 5^th Street

Left on Piere Street

Right on 9^th Street

Left on Walla Walla Avenue

Left into Town Toyota Center

Show Your Support

Proudly Display Your Purple Ribbon

Showing your support for the wildland firefighter community is as simple as a purple ribbon.  This small gesture shows your appreciation and gratitude for their sacrifice while protecting our Nation's communities and natural resources. 

The symbolic flame of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) coupled with purple ribbon symbolizes the extended fire families' commitment to wildland firefighters.  The purple ribbon is worn and displayed in memory of all wildland firefighters. 

 Show your support today and on the day of the memorial. Make one for you and one to share.

FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL UPDATE AUGUST 26, 2015

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Issue #4

The memorial to honor firefighters Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski, who died in the line of duty, will be at 1:00 PM on Sunday, August 30, 2015.  It will be at the Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Avenue, Wenatchee, WA.  Once family members and agency personnel have been seated, the public will be seated as space allows.  This venue can accommodate up to 4,500 people.

In honor of these three men, a procession of emergency service vehicles will travel through downtown Wenatchee on Sunday, prior to the memorial.  The route and time will be posted on our blog site as the information is confirmed. 

Please visit our blog at http://www.twispriverfirememorial.blogspot.com/ for the most recent information about the memorial; or leave a message for Judith Downing, US Forest Service Information Officer, at 458-202-1101.  

FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL UPDATE 8/25/15

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, USDA Forest Service

Issue #3

The U. S. Forest Service will host a memorial to honor firefighters Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski, who died in the line of duty last week while assigned to the Twisp River Fire.  The memorial will be at 1:00 PM on Sunday, August 30, 2015.  It will be at the Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Avenue, in Wenatchee, WA.  Once family members and agency personnel have been seated, the public will be seated as space allows.

Media representatives are invited to attend.  Media should call 458-202-1101 to confirm participation.