Memorial Events For Saturday

Please keep the family of fallen firefighter Daniel Laird from the Tahoe National Forest in your hearts today as he is laid to rest.  The Memorial ceremony will be live streamed on this Facebook page so please join us there if you cannot make it to the church. For a PDF of the Memorial program click here.


Here are the major events today:

9:15 to 9:30 am the procession will begin from Yuba Community College in Marysville headed for Sutter Cemetery.


Around 12:30 pm, the Cordon of Honor will be formed at the House of Bread Church at 6521 Hazel Ave. in Orangevale, CA. to receive Daniel's family.

The Memorial itself is expected to start around 2:00 pm.  Again the ceremony will be live streamed on this Facebook page so please join us there if you cannot make it to the church.

Viewing for Daniel Laird at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, April 5

Tonight's viewing for firefighter Daniel Laird was held at the Ullrey Memorial Chapel in Yuba City, California. Nearly 130 people came to pay their respects. The Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service Honor Guards stood watch.

Slight Changes to Memorial Plans

There have been a few changes to the Memorial event plans.  See the news release below. Changes are highlighted. The memorial will be live streamed on the Tahoe National Forest Facebook Page at 2:00 pm Pacific time.

Memorial Set For Daniel Laird

The Tahoe National Forest suffered the tragic loss of one of our own.  Daniel Laird was tragically killed in a helicopter crash March 27, during a prescribed fire on the Sam Houston National Forest in Texas.

Tragedies of this nature serve as a reminder of the honorable work and sacrifices made by firefighters like Daniel, who daily commit themselves to support and protect communities around the country. We are gathering all of the details of this tragic event and will share them as we can. 

      The following is the current list of memorial events to honor Daniel:

• Public viewing:   Friday, April 5 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, at 817 Almond Street, Yuba City, CA.
• Processional:  Saturday, April 6 from approximately 9:15 or 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. from Yuba Community College in Marysville to Sutter Cemetery at 7200 Butte House Rd. Sutter, CA.
• Graveside Service: Saturday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. This is a family service and seating is limited but they have invited any members of the Tahoe National Forest, close friends, and special guests to attend as room allows. Others are asked to head to the House of Bread Church.
• Arrival for Memorial: The Laird family will drive through the Cordon of Honor to the House of Bread Church at approximately 12:30 p.m. A media area will be promulgated for those desiring to film this event.
• Memorial: Saturday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the House of Bread Church, at 6521 Hazel Ave, Orangevale, CA.

Letters of condolence may be sent to the family through the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 631 Coyote Street, Nevada City, CA 95959.  Flowers can be sent to the House of Bread Church at 6521 Hazel Ave. Orangevale, CA 95662.

Please refer to the following for the most up to date information related to Daniel’s Memorial.

·         Blog:    DanielLairdMemorial.blogspot.com

·         Email: LairdMemorialinfo@gmail.com

·         Public Information:      530-285-0483              8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

·         Media Line:                 530-285-0792              8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For more information about the Tahoe National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Join the conversation by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender

Some Restrictions at Sutter Cemetery

Below is information for those in the

 processional and planning to attend the

 Graveside Service at the cemetery.

Procession & Graveside Instructions

Due to the overwhelming outpouring of support for Daniel and the small size of the cemetery, the graveside service will be limited to family, friends, special guests and Tahoe National Forest employees only. As the procession reaches the cemetery and the family turns in, we are requesting the procession continue to the House of Bread Church to begin set up for the Cordon of Honor. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Daniel Laird Memorial

Saturday April 6^th 2 p.m.

House of Bread Church

6521 Hazel Ave

Orangevale, CA 95662

Regional Direction on Memorial Attendance

This letter provides administrative guidance for our employees who are attending the ceremonies to honor the contributions of our fallen firefighter, Daniel Laird. This guidance is provided for those employees attending as Official Agency Representatives of the Forest Service. These ceremonies are an important tribute to the deceased and their family, and the Forest Service intent is to conduct these activities with due respect.

The procession will begin at Yuba College Staging, 2088 N. Beale Road, Marysville, CA, at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2019. The procession will resume after burial services and continue to the memorial service at the House of Bread Church, 6521 Hazel A venue, Orangevale, CA.

Forest Service official representatives are excused from duty without loss or reduction in pay or leave to travel to and attend the ceremonies. Attendance at ceremonies falls under section 1345(a) of Title 31. Official Agency Representatives are authorized salary and travel expenses per direction in FSH 6109.11, Chapter 30. Attendees should charge these expenses to their respective work-related fund and program. Ceremonies do not meet the criteria for the overtime pay provision (Public Law 106-558) and coding with prefix 11 is not permitted.

The following parameters have been determined for Official Agency Representation within
Region 5:

• The Tahoe National Forest is approved to have all operational engines and crew buggies, Chief Officer vehicles, and non-fire vehicles for transportation of Forest LeadershipTeam members. The number of employees able to safely ride in these vehicles are authorized as Official Agency Representatives.
• The Eldorado, Plumas, Lake Tahoe Basin, and Mendocino are authorized (2) fire vehicles per unit (e.g. engine, crew buggy, Chief Officer, or Helitender). The number of employees able to safely ride in these vehicles are authorized as Official Agency Representatives.
• All other Region 5 Forests are authorized (1) fire vehicle per unit. The number of employees able to safely ride in these vehicles are authorized as Official Agency Representatives

Forest Supervisors

Please provide the name of all employees attending under these parameters to Lance Noxon at lnoxon@fs.fed.us so that we can accurately account for the number of authorized Official Agency Representatives in Region 5.

All government vehicles coming in attendance or participating in the procession will band vehicle shields with a two-inch black tape line horizontally across the most narrow part of the shield.

The required uniform is long sleeve uniform shirts only, with dark green nomex or dark green uniform pants (wearing the uniform tie is optional). Crew members only may wear crew shirts and nomex pants as an alternative. Those in official uniform need to place an elastic black band horizontally across the Forest Service badge.

If you have further questions pertaining to this guidance, please contact Regional Fire Director Bob Baird or Regional Deputy Fire Director Chris Schow.

RANDY MOORE

Regional Forester Pacific Southwest Region

For a PDF version, click here.

Memorial Set For Daniel Laird

The Tahoe National Forest suffered the tragic loss of one of our own.  Daniel Laird was tragically killed in a helicopter crash March 27, during a prescribed fire on the Sam Houston National Forest in Texas.

Tragedies of this nature serve as a reminder of the honorable work and sacrifices made by firefighters like Daniel, who daily commit themselves to support and protect communities around the country. We are gathering all of the details of this tragic event and will share them as we can.

The following is the current list of memorial events to honor Daniel:

• Public viewing:   Friday, April 5 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, at 817 Almond Street, Yuba City, CA. 
• Processional:  Saturday, April 6 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. from Ullrey Memorial Chapel to Sutter Cemetery at 7200 Butte House Rd. Sutter, CA.
• Graveside Service: Saturday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. This is a family service and seating is limited but they have invited any members of the U.S. Forest Service, other agencies and the public to attend as room allows.
• Family Arriving: The Laird family will be arriving from the cemetery, to the House of Bread Church, through the Cordon of Honor between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 
• Memorial: Saturday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the House of Bread Church, at 6521 Hazel Ave, Orangevale, CA. 

Letters of condolence may be sent to the family through the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 631 Coyote Street, Nevada City, CA 95959.  Flowers can be sent to the House of Bread Church at 6521 Hazel Ave. Orangevale, CA 95662.

Please refer to the following for the most up to date information related to Daniel’s Memorial.

• Blog: DanielLairdMemorial.blogspot.com
• Email: LairdMemorialinfo@gmail.com
• Public Information:     530-285-0483 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Media Line:               530-285-0792 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For more information about the Tahoe National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Join the conversation by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Daniel Joseph Laird, a Forest Service employee, who lost his life on March 27, 2019, while supporting a routine controlled burn on the Sam Houston National Forest in Montgomery County, Texas.

Daniel served the Forest Service for 23 years and worked as a helitack captain on the Tahoe

National Forest in California, where he was permanently assigned.It takes great courage to be a

wildland firefighter.Despite the courage necessary to work in this profession, it does not lessen

the sadness we feel when we lose one of our own.

In honor of Daniel Joseph Laird who lost his life serving the American people, and in honor of his

family, who lost a loved one, I am ordering all Forest Service facilities to fly the American flag

at half-staff for three days, beginning on the morning of Friday, April 5, 2019 through sunset on

Sunday, April 7, 2019.

Please keep Daniel's family, friends, and co-workers in your thoughts and prayers and join me in

honoring his service and dedication.

-VICTORIA CHRISTIANSEN

Chief

Procession Live Stream from KHOU Houston

KHOU 11 News is live broadcasting the procession for Daniel Laird in Houston today.
#DanielLairdMemorial #DanieLaird

Memorial Information

Work is continuing at a furious pace to work out details for Daniel's Memorial Service. We want to get it right and make sure we honor him and his family so we are only posting what is confirmed.

This is all the information we have locked down right now.

Public viewing:   Friday, April 5^th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, at 817 Almond Street, Yuba City, CA.

Processional:  There will be one Saturday but we don’t have times or the route yet.

Graveside Service: Saturday, April 6^th at 10:00 a.m. This is a family service and seating is limited but they have invited any members of the U.S. Forest Service, other agencies and the public to attend as room allows.

Memorial: As of now we are still working on the location and time for the Memorial on Saturday afternoon. 

Information will be posted to this blog as soon as we get it. Daniellairdmemorial.blogspot.com  Because it will trickle in, please check back frequently for new information.

We also have contact information: 530-285-0483 or email at: lairdmemorialinfo@gmail.com

Media Advisory

Procession to honor fallen 
Forest Service firefighter to be held tomorrow

When: 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 

What:  An Interagency Fire and Law Enforcement procession coordinated by the USDA Forest Service Honor Guard will escort Forest Service Firefighter Daniel Laird from Conroe, Texas to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX.  Daniel died in a Forest Service helicopter accident March 27 and is being transported to his family’s home in California.

Where: The procession will escort Daniel from Eickenhorst Funeral Services, 1712 N Frazier St., Conroe, TX to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX. 

The planned route is:

South Frazier Street to West Dallas Street, Conroe, TX

            West Dallas Street to I-45 South

I-45 South to Harvey Toll Road

            Harvey Toll Road to Rankin Road, Spring, TX

Members of the public wishing to pay their respects to Daniel and his family are encouraged to do so as the procession passes along West Dallas Street, Conroe, TX.

The public procession will end at Rankin Rd. and the Honor Guard and select vehicles will continue to escort Daniel to George Bush IAH.

Information contact:

For more information, contact Public Information Officer Weldon Dent at 936-404-4783 or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/texas.

Information and details regarding the memorial, procession and activities related to the Daniel Laird Memorial will be added here as they become available.