HOOD RIVER, Ore. — Dozens of people from various agencies paid their respects for a pilot killed while conducting water drops on the White River Fire southeast of Hood River.
Flags at the fire stations were lowered to half-staff, a fire truck stationed on the tarmac of the Ken Jernstedt Airfield raised its ladder high in the air, with a flag attached blowing in the wind.
"We are all out here today to give our respects to Tom who gave the ultimate sacrifice," Rachel Pawlitz, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service said. "Tom was a member of the firefighting family, a member of the first responder family."
Duffy worked for a private company out of Bozeman, Montana, working as a contractor for the U.S. Forest Service when he died.
"Wildland firefighting is more than just a career, it's more than just a job, it's a calling," said Pawlitz. "It means a lot to come here and show our gratitude and show our respect for one of our own that gave his life to service of others."
The procession bringing Duffy from a local mortuary to the airport was organized by the Wildland Firefighters Foundation out of Boise, Idaho.
Burk Minor, the director of the foundation says their mission statement is to, "Reach in and sustain the home of a fallen or injured wildland firefighter. When these guys go down in the line of duty, whether it's an injury or fatality, their home stops. He was the bread winner, power bills still exist, food bills still exist. Gas, kids, the whole 9 yards still exists. We step in and sustain that for them."
Minor says he and his staff spent the last few days since Duffy's death planning the procession. It's something he's done many times before. He says it's important to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.
"You know, it shows honor and support from everybody that's in this world," said Minor. "They all gather, they stop and they honor the fallen. That's what you've seen there today; that was a complete honoring of Tom."
After the procession, Tom Duffy was flown back home to Bozeman, where he served as a search and rescue pilot for 20 years. His father, also a pilot, was the one that flew him home.
Duffy was a father, husband, business owner and a Gallatin County (Montana) Sheriff’s Search and Rescue helicopter pilot. Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin said in a statement, Duffy is a "big man with a big heart that brought calm and skill to every mission."