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In the Line of Duty
Tom Zbyszewski, Wenatchee, WA
8/19/2015
Name: Tom Zbyszewski Rank: Firefighter Age: 20 Gender: Male Status: Wildland Years of Service: Pending Date of Incident: 08/19/2015 Time of Incident: Pending Date of Death: 08/19/2015 Fire Department: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Address: 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801 Fire Department Chief: Forest Supervisor Mike Williams Incident Description: Firefighter Wheeler, Firefighter Zajac, and Firefighter Zbyszewski were killed and one additional firefighter was injured when the Twisp wildfire trapped them in their apparatus on state forest land. The firefighters, members of an engine crew from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, were involved in initial attack operations on the fire near Woods Canyon and Twisp River Roads in Washington State when their vehicle crashed and fire overtook it after winds suddenly shifted. The injured firefighter remains in the hospital in critical condition. Several other firefighters with dozer crews were also reported to have been injured. Investigation into the fatal incident continues.