Saturday Memorial for Ex-CAL FIRE Pilot Killed in Copter Crash
A Memorial service will be held Saturday in Redding to honor a CAL FIRE pioneer who died in last week's devastating helicopter crash in Trinity County.
U.S. Forest Service helicopter inspector pilot James Ramage will be honored in ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, August 16th, beginning at 2:00pm at the Redding Convention Center (details below).
Ramage, 63, was among nine people who died August 5th in the crash of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, which was transporting firefighters working on the Iron Complex.
A 20-year CAL FIRE veteran, Ramage was the first firefighting pilot hired by the former California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Appropriately, he wore Badge #1 during his two-decade CAL FIRE career. In 2004, Ramage retired from CAL FIRE and went to work for the U.S. Forest Service as a helicopter inspector pilot. It was in this capacity that Brother Ramage gave his life.
Ramage is survived by his wife, Diane, and daughter Ginger.
The ceremonies honoring Ramage will come one day after a memorial service in Medford, OR that will honor the seven private firefighters and one contract pilot who lost their lives in the crash.
Information about the Medford memorial can be found HERE.
Celebration of Life -- James Ramage
DATE: Saturday, August 16, 2008
TIME: Fire Apparatus Procession -- 1:30pm; Memorial Service -- 2:00pm
LOCATION: Redding Convention Center, 777 Auditorium Drive, Redding, CA (CLICK HERE FOR MAP)
UNIFORM: Class A or Station Uniform
Further information will be provided as it becomes available. Local 2881 personnel are providing assistance to the U.S. Forest Service in the planning process.
Click HERE to read about Ramage at the Local 2881 Web site.
Condolences
Condolence messages to Ramage's family may be addressed as follows:
Diane and Ginger Ramage
P.O. Box 486
Shasta, CA 96087