III
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 193
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 10, 2013
Mr. McCain (for himself and Mr. Flake) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Honoring the fallen heroes of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew.
Whereas, on June 30, 2013, 19 firefighters of the Prescott Fire Department's Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (referred to in this preamble as the Crew) gave their lives battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Arizona;
Whereas the loss of these 19 brave men makes the Yarnell Hill Fire the deadliest wildfire in the history of the State of Arizona and the worst wildland firefighter fatality incident in the United States in 80 years;
Whereas Eric Marsh, who was 43 years old and a native of Ashe County, North Carolina, served as the Crew’s superintendent;
Whereas Jesse Steed, who was 36 years old and a native of Cottonwood, Arizona, served as the Crew’s captain;
Whereas Clayton Whitted, who was 28 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona;
Whereas Robert Caldwell, who was 23 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona, and was the cousin of Grant McKee, who also perished battling the Yarnell Hill Fire;
Whereas Travis Carter, who was 31 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona;
Whereas Christopher MacKenzie, who was 30 years old, was a native of Hemet, California;
Whereas Travis Turbyfill, who was 27 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona;
Whereas Andrew Ashcraft, who was 29 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona;
Whereas Joe Thurston, who was 32 years old, was a native of Cedar City, Utah;
Whereas Wade Parker, who was 22 years old, was a native of Chino Valley, Arizona;
Whereas Anthony Rose, who was 23 years old, was a native of Zion, Illinois;
Whereas Garret Zuppiger, who was 27 years old, was a native of Phoenix, Arizona;
Whereas Scott Norris, who was 28 years old, was a native of Prescott, Arizona;
Whereas Dustin DeFord, who was 24 years old, was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Ekalaka, Montana;
Whereas William “Billy” Warneke, who was 25 years old, was a native of Hemet, California;
Whereas Kevin Woyjeck, who was 21 years old, was a native of Seal Beach, California;
Whereas John Percin, Jr., who was 24 years old, was a native of West Linn, Oregon;
Whereas Grant McKee, who was 21 years old, was a native of Newport Beach, California, and was the cousin of Robert Caldwell, who also perished battling the Yarnell Hill Fire;
Whereas Sean Misner, who was 26 years old, was a native of Goleta, California;
Whereas the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew was founded as a fuel mitigation crew in 2002, and, around 2008, became the first municipal hotshot crew in the United States;
Whereas the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew was an elite ground firefighting crew, hailed from diverse backgrounds, and worked long hours in extreme environmental conditions while performing physically demanding fireline tasks; and
Whereas, on July 1, 2013, the Governor of Arizona declared a state of emergency because of the Yarnell Hill Fire, by which date the fire had already burned approximately 8,300 acres, threatened or destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures, and forced the evacuation of approximately 1,250 people: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
honors the memory of the fallen heroes of the Prescott Fire Department's Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew;
extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to the surviving families of the 19 firefighters lost in the line of duty; and
commends the bravery and sacrifice made by these fallen wildland firefighters in the service of their communities.