Boise / Idaho / United States
Wildland Firefighter Foundations main focus is to help families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and to assist injured firefighters and their families. We honor and acknowledge past, present, and future members of the wildland firefighting community, and partner with private and interagency organizations to bring recognition to wildland firefighters. The Foundation came together as a group of volunteers in 1994, shortly after the Storm King tragedy. With dedication and lots of volunteer work, plans were developed for a national monument to honor firefighters, a dream that was realized in May 2000. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation was officially formed in the spring of 1999. Our board members realized that there was a great need to have emergency support services for the families of fallen firefighters. Active volunteers and supporters of wildland firefighters established the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a 501 ( c ) maintain Wildland Firefighters National Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center ( NIFC ) in Boise, Idaho. Since 1999, the Foundation has also provided emergency support services to the families of firefighters, seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. Families left behind, many with young children, often find themselves with few resources, and the Foundation steps in to help. The role of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation is to honor past, present, and future wildland firefighters by helping maintain and grow the national monument established for those who have lost their lives, operate a financial fund providing assistance to the families of fallen and wildland firefighters and to injured firefighters, and partner with private and interagency organizations to educate the public about wildland fires and promote excellence and safety in firefighting. We provide financial assistance, immediate and ongoing emotional support, advocacy, and recognition to fallen and injured wildland firefighters. We present program information and in some instances, onsite crisis support, to government and private fire agencies and other organizations. Survivor family members are forever a part of the Foundations purpose. We continue to provide emotional support and in some cases financial support many years after a firefighters death. Additional support may include holiday sponsorships for families with young children, travel expenses to attend survivor gatherings and recognition programs, and counseling for immediate family members. Wildland Firefighter Foundation Vicki Minor, the Executive Director and founder of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, oversees the daily overall activities of the Foundation. Vicki knows fire. She ran her own business for more than 20 years, selling dry goods to firefighters at camps throughout the West. After the Storm King disaster, Vickis heart was forever touched and changed. She knew there was a need for some type of assistance for the families left behind after such a tragedy. Thus, the idea for the Foundation was born. Wildland Firefighter Foundation Burk Minor, Vickis son, is the Director of Public Relations for the Foundation. He spends much of his summer on the road at fire camp, pulling the WFF trailer to each site. Burk also has many years of fire camp in his blood, helping to run the business started by Vicki, and six years guiding hunters in the Frank Church Wilderness Area doesnt hurt either. He has extensive management skills through his past experience operating and running the largest tire shop in Alaska.
