[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 91 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S7507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TWO YOUNG MEN OF HONOR

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, today I rise to remember the 3-year 
anniversary of the death of two, brave fallen firefighters.
  July 22, 2003, will be a day that is always remembered in the hearts 
of the family and friends of Jeff Allen of Salmon, ID, and Shane Heath 
of Melba, ID. These brave men lost their lives while trying to save our 
public lands from a catastrophic wildfire in the Salmon-Challis 
National Forest. Both men were experienced firefighters of the 
Indianola Helitack Crew.
  This weekend a memorial will be dedicated to Jeff and Shane. Family 
and friends will gather to remember their strong spirits and the 
sacrifice they made. This memorial symbolizes the courage of Jeff and 
Shane, the healing of the community, and helps us all to remember that 
wildfire spares no one.
  Jeff Allen was 23 years old and had been a firefighter since 1999. He 
started working on the Salmon-Challis National Forest on a thinning 
crew on the Salmon-Cobalt District in 1998. He served successfully in 
fighting devastating fires on the Salmon-Challis National Forest during 
the 2000 fire season. Jeff was a marketing major at Boise State 
University.
  Shane Heath was 22 years old and was in his fourth season with the 
Forest Service. He served on the Helitack crew as a certified sawyer 
and was also a student at Boise State University.
  The tragic loss of these two men continues to be felt throughout 
their communities and their selfless acts of true bravery will not be 
forgotten. I commend the men and women who risk their lives every day 
by undertaking this terribly dangerous job with courage and 
professionalism.
  Thousands of young men and women are on the fire fronts of the 
wildfires that are now sweeping across the West. As we enter the middle 
of fire season, with the devastating heat that we are having in the 
Great Basin, and the West, I hope that we do not lose another 
firefighter to wildfire.

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