Three Firefighting Personnel Killed While
Protecting the Citizen’s of Colorado
Centennial -
It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you to inform
you of the line-of-duty death of three
firefighting personnel while serving and
protecting the citizen’s of Colorado.
Fire Chief Terry DeVore and firefighter John Schwartz, Jr.
of the Olney Springs Volunteer Fire Department
were killed late yesterday afternoon while
fighting the Ordway wildland fire. Chief DeVore
and firefighter Schwartz were killed in their
fire apparatus while trying to cross a bridge
over a drainage ditch about a mile west of
Ordway. Due to heavy smoke conditions they were
apparently unaware that the fire had already
damaged or collapsed the bridge.
Gert Marais, 42, of Fort Benton, Montana, was killed when
the Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) he was
piloting crashed
while fighting the wildland fire at Fort
Carson. Pilot Marais crashed about 6:20
yesterday evening along Colorado 115 at mile
marker 34 near Fort Carson. Marais worked
for Aero Applicators, a Sterling company that
contracts aerial firefighting service.
Both Chief DeVore, 30, and firefighter Schwartz, 38, were
volunteers with Olney Springs and worked
full-time as correctional officers for the
Colorado Department of Corrections at the
Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility.
Chief DeVore is survived by his wife Jennifer and four
children, ages 10 to 4. Chief DeVore’s father,
Bruce, is also a volunteer firefighter with
Olney Springs and was also involved in fighting
the Ordway fire. Firefighter Schwartz is the
father of four boys, ages 4 to 16.
The Local Assistance State Team (LAST) has been dispatched
to Ordway to assist the local fire department.
A separate team was made available to Aero
Applicators.
On behalf of Chief Douglas Forsman, President of the
Colorado State Fire Chiefs’ Association, we wish
to offer our deepest condolences to the families
of Fire Chief Terry DeVore and firefighter John
Schwartz, Jr., the members of the Olney Springs
Volunteer Fire Department, and the Colorado
Department of Corrections. Our deepest
condolences are also extended to the family of
pilot Gert Marais and the employees of Aero
Applicators.
Paul L. Cooke,
Executive Director
Colorado State
Fire Chief's Association
Posted: 04-16-08 /
Corrected: 04-18-08
