Hundreds of first responders gathered in Riverside County, California, and a Cal Fire Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk helicopter hovered overhead Aug. 10 for the funeral procession of two firefighters who died in a rare mid-air helicopter collision earlier this month.
The procession honored Cal Fire assistant chief Josh Bischof and captain Tim Rodriguez, who died when a Bell 407 helicopter collided with a Sikorsky-64E Skycrane helicopter while responding to a four-acre fire in the community of Cabazon in southern California.
Tony Sousa, a private pilot, also died in the incident and will have a separate procession at a later date, per media reports. The Bell 407 helicopter crashed following the collision, while the Skycrane managed to land safely.
The procession was an opportunity for first responders and others in the community to pay respect to the fallen firefighters, who were noted for mentoring young recruits.
“[They were] straight shooters, and wanted you to succeed with your career,” said Michael Chapman, a Cal Fire forestry firefighter, in an interview with NBC Los Angeles. “They’d give you the shirt off their backs.”
The Firehawk helicopter that participated in the procession is based at Hemet Ryan Air Attack Base in Riverside County, the same location Bischof and Rodriguez set out from prior to the collision. The base is also a training location.
“It’s just incredible to see folks out here with their families, and really recognizing the sacrifice they made,” said Thomas Shoots, a Cal Fire spokesperson, in an interview with CBS News.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to investigate the collision and has yet to say what may have caused it. It’s expected the investigation will take several months.
In a statement, U.S. President Joe Biden offered his condolences to the men who lost their lives.
“Every day, firefighters run toward danger while everyone else runs the other way, because being a firefighter is not what they do — it’s who they are,” he said.
“This tragedy is yet another example of their incredible bravery. As wildfires have intensified in recent years, more and more firefighters have put themselves in harm’s way to defend our families and communities from out-of-control fires.”
