Very sad news...

[2112]

Destry Horton, the Chickasha firefighter who was severely burned while fighting grass fires on mutual aid in the Duncan area March 1, has died.

Horton suffered burns to about 50 percent of his body, including his lungs, when his fire truck got stuck in a smoke-filled area. Both of his arms were amputated in hopes that his life could be saved, but he succumbed to infection late this evening. He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.

Donations to the Destry Horton family can be made at the following locations:

Arvest Bank (any branch... note Destry Horton)
2203 N. Hwy. 81
Duncan, OK
(580) 255-7121

First National Bank & Trust Company in Chickasha www.fnbchickasha.com
Destry Horton Relief Fund
PO Box 1130
Chickasha, OK 73023-1130

FNB Rush Springs branch
222 W. Blakely
Rush Springs, OK 73082

 

[GlacierClipper]

Thanks for posting the information.

 

[warhead2]

my mom is a nurse in the burn center and helpd take care of him

 

[fireant]

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. They just need to catch the sorry indivduals whom start these fires and send them to prison. All though the truth be known the best statement about the justice system I have ever heard is "There is no justice in the criminal justice system". Back on topic hated to hear this news was thinking he was going to make it through this.

fireant

 

[CommShrek]

Nothing like hearing a story like this to make me want to go back out on the fireground and take my chances...for FREE. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to volunteer in a dangerous job with a wife and 3 kids at home does it? I guess some of us just see a need in the community and respond to it. It's a shame that man had to die for it though.

 

[scanjunkie]

My prayers are with him and his family...God Bless, may he rest in the peace of our Lord!!!

 

[car2back]

This reminds of how dangerous Firefighting can be... This man was a real hero: he gave his life protecting others' while recieving no compensation for it.

May God bless him and those he left behind.

 

[crayon]

I am very firefighter naive ..

Shouldn't fireground SOP's dictate that protective clothing be worn and have breathing equipment on or close at hand?

I understand that his truck was stuck, but what went wrong so that the fire overtook him?

 

[car2back]

sometimes despite PPE fires can still horribly injure firefighters. I am not familar with what exactly happened in this case, but have heard stories of guys being burned so severly under their coats & pants on wildfires that after the blaze upon removing their gear, the firefighter's skin comes off with it from 3rd degree burns. Also some FD's SOP dictate for them to wear "wildland-gear".... I disagree very strongly with this as it offers almost no protection should a mishap occur. Most all depts in my area (Skiatook) wear full structural PPE minus the SCBA.

I have had a scare before where the inflow on the fire has acctually sucked enough oxygen out of the atmosphere in front of the fire that our grass-rig's motor & gas powered pump died. all we could do was set inside while the fire swept over the truck... it was intense. The most vivid thing i can remember is the rubber gasket around the passenger side window was melting and running down the window.

 

[crayon]

The most vivid thing i can remember is the rubber gasket around the passenger side window was melting and running down the window.

dude. That is way too close to a fire.

 

[K5MAR]

I don't mean to seem hard-hearted, but given the extent of his burns this was probably a kindness. When I was a teenager, I suffered 2nd degree burns over my entire right arm and chest due to a gasoline explosion, nothing near as severe as Destry received. The pain I experienced was plenty bad, I shudder to imagine what he would have gone through had he survived. My heart goes out to his family, and my hat's off to all the brave firefighters who risk these injuries on a daily basis.

Mark S.

 

[2112]

Shouldn't fireground SOP's dictate that protective clothing be worn and have breathing equipment on or close at hand?

SOP's are great to have, but in the very end, they cannot possible cover every potential scenario. And, even if the SOP's happen to apply and are being followed in a certain time, place, and with a certain situation, things can still go wrong, and PPE/SCUBA don't protect universally or last forever.

I understand that his truck was stuck, but what went wrong so that the fire overtook him?

I'm not clear if the rig got hung up on the ground or if the fire's inflow choked the engine out. I've been told (by other firefighters) that after the rig got stuck, Horton got out to check on his partner, who apparently fell off the rig.

 

[CommShrek]

sometimes despite PPE fires can still horribly injure firefighters. I am not familar with what exactly happened in this case, but have heard stories of guys being burned so severly under their coats & pants on wildfires that after the blaze upon removing their gear, the firefighter's skin comes off with it from 3rd degree burns. Also some FD's SOP dictate for them to wear "wildland-gear".... I disagree very strongly with this as it offers almost no protection should a mishap occur. Most all depts in my area (Skiatook) wear full structural PPE minus the SCBA.

I have had a scare before where the inflow on the fire has acctually sucked enough oxygen out of the atmosphere in front of the fire that our grass-rig's motor & gas powered pump died. all we could do was set inside while the fire swept over the truck... it was intense. The most vivid thing i can remember is the rubber gasket around the passenger side window was melting and running down the window.

I don't know where you come up with wildland gear offers almost no protection. Maybe you should read the specs on the wildland gear before making a statement like that.

What's ignorant is to send firefighters out on a grass fire in full structural firefighting PPE. How long do you think those guys are going to last out in the heat on a fast moving grass fire with those on. Not to mention mobility restrictions that can get a firefighter hurt, and the list goes on.

 

[car2back]

I don't know where you come up with wildland gear offers almost no protection. Maybe you should read the specs on the wildland gear before making a statement like that.

What's ignorant is to send firefighters out on a grass fire in full structural firefighting PPE. How long do you think those guys are going to last out in the heat on a fast moving grass fire with those on. Not to mention mobility restrictions that can get a firefighter hurt, and the list goes on.

TwoBravo, Does Structural turnout gear (i.e. pants, coat, gloves, hood, helmet) not offer more heat resistance than wildland gear?

I wouldn't wear that wildland crap if it was issued to me. I like to have more than "9 ounce flame resistant FR-7A cotton fabric" between me and the fire. Strucural gear allows us to make up close, agressive attacks on the fire that saves us hours of tedious work we would be spending wearing thin yellow jumpsuits. I agree that structual gear does limit mobilty, but why not just use you head and stay out of situations that are going to get you hurt. Plus what happens if a structure becomes involved while on a grass-fire and you 'caught with your pants down' wearing you wildland gear? do you waste precious minutes to run back to the station and change? That sounds ignorant to me.

These last few months I have a learned respect for the equipment/tactics the forestry department uses to fight fire, but they are limited in what they can do by the gear they wear.

 

[hoser147]

Sorry to hear this my heart goes out to his family. With over 25 years in the fire service alot of times these things happen due to a wind or draft change and offen the personel have the fact that the only cover to them is jump into the rig and hope it flashes by fast enough. Lots of times the pump operator doesnt were full turnout gear due to an as needed basis. We lost a truck to wind change and drafts caused by the enormous need the fire has for the O2 luck and the Lord was with our men. Wildland fire gear is for Wildland FF who are trained and need lighter gear to preform their job. God Bess this fallen brother as his last alarm bell is sounded, Amen hoser147

 

[2112]

Coverage of the today's services is here:

http://www.newsok.com/article/1802251/?template=home/main

 

[CommShrek]

I guess I'll have to visit www.bugmenot.com for a login.

 

[car2back]

I heard there was thousands of people there; including one Firefighter from FDNY