About the Foundation

In 1987 Vicki Minor contracted with the US Forest Service to provide commissary units for remote incident command posts in the forest during fire seasons. Her business and love of the firefighter community grew as she provided dry goods and what was needed, to soften their harsh environment.

While being involved with the forest fires Vicki felt the devastation not only to the land but the people who fought to protect it. As a result, Vicki founded the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in 1997 in an extra room in her home in the Foothills of Boise. After seeing the Vietnam Wall she dreamed of having a place for wildland firefighters to honor their dead and help them heal. She started the funding and spearheaded the building of the Wildland Firefighter Monument at the National Interagency Fire Center, in Boise, Idaho. Until then there was no place to recognize the efforts of all wildland firefighters. In a short time she had funded and obtained non-profit status for the Foundation, that not only serves wildland firefighters across our nation but reached its arms out internationally to help firefighters killed in wildfires in other countries.

When CNN heard of her work at various burn centers she was nominated as a CNN Hero. She has also received the “Meeting American Needs Award,” from the Chief of the US Forest Service. She has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine twice and recently received national recognition by receiving a Mother Teresa Caring award given each year by the Caring Institute in Washington, D.C.

Active in emergency management for 22 years and owner of Fire Dawg, a company that contracts with the U.S. Forest Service.

Over 37 years of service in wildland fire. She is currently the Deputy Director of Fire and Aviation and Regional Aviation Officer, RAO in Montana. Maggie is CSIM trained and looks forward to utilizing that training in service of wildland firefighters and their families.

Dave joined the United States Forest Service in 1983 after graduating from the State University of New York with a degree in Natural Resource Conservation. During his career he worked for three regions and four national forests in a variety of fire suppression positions including; engine, smoke chaser, hotshot, helitack, and heli-rappel crews. In 2017 he retired from the USFS, finishing his career as the Helicopter Operations Specialist for the Northern Rockies Region. Over the course of his career the Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been vital in their support of numerous friends and coworkers and their families, helping them through the toughest of times. In retirement Dave looks forward to having the time to give back to this great organization.

My career as a wildland firefighter spanned over 27 years. Two of those years were with the National Park Service, and 25 years with the US Forest Service. I have served as a member on hotshot crews, prescribed fire modules, wildland fire engines, in air operations as an Air Tactical Group Supervisor, and in various levels of Chief positions. Throughout my fire service career, I served on various training cadres as teaching others and passing along knowledge is a true passion of mine. I retired from the USFS in January 2020 as the Deputy Manager of the Northern California Geographic Area Coordination Center and currently work as a casual hire (AD) Air Attack when the need arises. My education includes earning a Certificate of Studies in Wildland Fire Management from Humboldt State University in 2009.

In 2007, I was recruited to the US Forest Service Honor Guard, where I remained an active member until retirement. I served as the Deputy Commander from 2012 – 2016. In 2016, I was asked, and accepted the position of Honor Guard Commander, which I remained until retirement. It was during my tenure with the Honor Guard that I developed and maintained a relationship with the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and all the folks that operate the foundation. The first Line of Duty Death (LODD) I assisted with occurred in 2008. This was Chief Daniel Packer on the Panther Fire on the Klamath National Forest. On the heels of Chief Packers death, was the multi-fatality Iron 44 helicopter crash. It was during the preparation and implementation of these LODD services that I was exposed to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and all that they do to take care of the friends and families of the fallen. It is because of this relationship and my Honor Guard experiences, that my passion grew for taking care of those who were unable to take care of themselves in times of need.

I am the proud father of four children and one son in law who are in the wildland fire business, either with the US Forest Service, or Bureau of Land Management. I am extremely proud to be called “Papa” by six grandchildren. I am married to a wonderful woman who has supported me throughout my career despite all the challenges and nuances it has presented.