Memories of

Ernie Johnson
retired from the Olympic National Forest ('03)

Died August 13, 2005
on a Fire Aviation Assignment
Field Airspace Coordinator in Grangeville, ID
(heart attack)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/16/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Passing of a Great Man

My old boss, Roy "Ernie" Johnson, passed away recently. He was on an aviation assignment in Idaho and apparently died of natural causes in his motel room.

Ernie had a passion for keeping folks safe, so much so that he was instrumental in the development of the Helitorch. He worked on this and other innovations because he did not like exposing folks to hand lighting slash units. He knew of the dangers first hand, as he had lit many slash units on the old Shelton Ranger District of the Olympic N. F. Innovators and visionaries like him made the Forest Service the great organization that it was/is! He even tried to light slash units with a laser... 20 YEARS AGO! It was not tech for tech's sake, or to earn points for promotion... it was to reduce exposure for the firefighters that he loved!

I love him, will miss him, and hope that his legacy lives on!

BB

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/16/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roy "Ernie" Johnson, retired Forest Service employee, is believed to have died of natural causes on Saturday, August 13th. Ernie started working for the Forest Service when he was 18 years old and retired 25 years later at the age of 43. He spent his entire career on the Olympic National Forest where he influenced the careers of all who met and worked with him.

Ernie was the Hood Canal District FMO when he retired in March of 1996. He was an extraordinary person, inventive and creative. As mentioned earlier, he was key in the invention of the helitorch. Ernie was multi-talented and served in many different roles including Type II Incident Commander, Ops Chief, Logistics Chief and Air Ops.

Ernie was on assignment in Grangeville, ID as an Airspace Coordinator. He was an exceptional airspace coordinator and loved being back within his fire family. Ernie was passionate about aviation and was building an airplane in his backyard.

Ernie is being flown home to Shelton, WA on Wednesday, August 17th by the Forest Service to Sanderson Field at 1300. We understand that he will have a firefighter escort on board the plane. We plan to meet Ernie with a stand up greeting and a line-up of engines and various fire fighting equipment. We are asking attendees to wear their fire shirts.

Viewing is scheduled on Friday, August 19th from 0900-1830 and Saturday from 0800-1200 at the McComb Funeral Home, 703 Railroad Ave, Shelton.

There will be a service for Ernie on Saturday, August 20th at 1:00 PM at the Civic Center in Shelton WA at 525 West Cota St. Fire fighting shirts are welcomed. Ernie is survived by his wife, Teresa (married 33 years this week), and three children; Jennifer (30 - who is having a baby today), Jessica (28) and Eric (22).

Cards and letters may be sent to
McComb Funeral Home
P.O. Box 179
Shelton, WA
in care of Teresa Johnson and family.

Ernie's large extended fire family is gathering in Shelton to bid him farewell. If you can not be with us, we will post an update as the week goes by.

Ernie's Friend.

Thanks for letting us know. One of the excellent contributors to fire. Condolences. Our thoughts will be with you tomorrow. I added his name to the Inquiring Minds Want to Know (IMWTK) page with ref to the helitorch. Ab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/16/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the wings of Angels....

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up, the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor even eagle flew.
And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space...
...put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Ken

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/17/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mellie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/17/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just wanted to express my memory of Ernie Johnson. He was one of THOSE PEOPLE. Rewind back to the late 70s early 80s: He managed more 'BTUs per pay period' than a lot of us see in years!! I run into a lot of folks that 'were there' (during the glory days of westside slash burning): most were not or were too young to have a clue....... but Ernie was there, and usually in front of the power-technology curve. Yep, he was key in helitorch development: Did you ever hear about the unit they burned that showed up on a NORAD screen that a new volcano had erupted or a nuclear bomb had gone off?? The real cool thing was that they (Shelton) had a BD Hughes 500 just for burning............... All coordinated by Ernie

RC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ab and All,

The Foundation just sent out a check to Ernie Johnson's wife on behalf of all of you.

Vicki Minor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brother when you weep for me
Remember it was meant to be
Remember I’ll be at your sleeve,
On every steep and shale covered hill
When your hiking continues only through will
When you feel that touch against your sleeve you will know
In draws hot with searing heat
On ridges where a spot you unexpectedly meet
By snags where the embers fly
You know that I’ll be at your side
The station from which I now respond
Is overstaffed with heroes gone
Those who went on one last roll
Who did a job and and gave their all
As firefighters we understand
That death’s a card dealt in our hand
A card we hope we’ll never play
But one we hold there anyway
That card is something we ignore
As we hike across the “classic” draw
For we know we’re the only chance
To stop the beast in its fury filled dance
So remember when you wipe your tears
The joy I knew through out the years
As I did a job I loved to do
I pray that thought will see you through

thanks, Risky

The poem that inspired this is May They Not Be Forgotten by James McNulty, FDNY (retired)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mason

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was such a sense of relief that he was home.... and we are so grateful to Region 1, the aviators, the Smokejumpers, the dispatchers and the Nez Pearce NF for bringing home our hero in a beautiful respectful manner. Ernie's homecoming was on the front page of today's Mason County Journal along with his obituary.

Friends and family are presently enroute from throughout the US and the local hotels are either sold out or filling up fast..... Saturdays service will be memorable for not only honoring a great man but for bringing together our fire family. We had many great times on the Olympic and in serving others throughout the US..... It won't be the same without Ernie

Ernie's Friend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/18/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for all that knew my dad and that share in the memories of a man who truly knew no limits.

I love you all -

Eric Johnson

Eric, your dad taught many and the ripples move out. He lived his best life from what I've heard and we are the beneficiaries. Would that we could all do as well. I'm sorry for your - and our - loss. Ab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/20/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ab,

Has anyone been paying attention to the PSOB issue as it progresses? If not, here are a couple links that will help you do so. Surviving families of firefighters who suffer heart attacks may soon be covered under the program, which currently pays out $275,658 in death benefits to the families. There is a 60-day comment period on this area of the PSOB regulations. See www.usatoday.com and PSOB "Hometown Hero" benefits. I realize we’re all busy and in the middle of fire season, but I encourage you all to read through the material and then take the time to send in your comments. This matters to a lot of people. Do it for Ernie’s family.

Casey, I don’t have the location where comments should be sent just yet…Do you have it by any chance? Ab? If not, I’ll track it down in the next couple of days.

Thanks,
Shari

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/24/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Tribute to Ernie Johnson by Ken Van Buskirk

I had quite the adventure bringing Ernie's truck home, I know if he had been with me he would have "MacGyver'ed" it together to get home.

As many of you know I am writing a book and the dedication reads, "Dedicated to those who know the smell of woodsmoke, to those who have tickled dragons, and to those who have touched firefighters lives." Ernie did all three and so very much more.

The crew of the DC-3 were deeply honored to fly Ernie home the other day, the more we talked the more we realized that maybe Ernie hadn't touched their lives directly but others they knew had been touched. They each knew someone that had worked with Ernie and it was very moving to me to fly back with them.

Ernie Johnson, Paul Gleason, Walt Smith, their exploits are legendary, they are my heroes. I feel so fortunate to call them friend. Their memories live on in their family and friends and I hope to do them justice in capturing their legacies in my book.

I was visiting with the family the other day, sharing stories and tears. Ernie was so full of life and so full of mischief. I remember setting in Red Devil Alaska waiting for a ride with Ernie at an airstrip with a 200' runway. This plane landed, it was a Turbine Porter , and it's all-motor. We got on board; Ernie got up front with pilot. Plane doesn't have the normal controls; it's got a stick like a helicopter. Ernie turned, and with a twinkle in his eye told the pilot. "Let's see what this can do" We went straight up!!!!!!

Ernie's dad Roy had that same twinkle, Eric has it, and I saw it in Payton's eye when he told me his grandpa was building him an airplane.

Eric told me he never grew tired of his dad's stories even though he heard them over and over. None of us did. Eric, he told them with such passion that you know they were true and I'm here to tell you they are.

Whether he was fighting fires, burning slash, racing, hunting, or fishing he lived life to the fullest. Savoring every precious moment. Ernie loved his family and his friends and was so very proud of his children.

In his life's work he always put the safety of his folks first, we are all family. I'm convinced he is the one that the MacGyver TV show was based on. Whether it was by inventing the helitorch, or the laser ignition system it was for the safety of his folks. It seemed like he was always the first on the scene of an accident and risked his life for others with little regard for himself.

Ernie Johnson will always be my friend and my hero.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/24/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Ernie's Friend for keeping us up-to-date. Thanks also to Julie and to Van B. What eloquent and meaningful tributes.
...And the circles on the surface of the pool move outward... Ab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/26/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Catching up on They Said, just got back from the Blossom Complex. Toughest combination of terrain & fuels of any fire I ever saw. Two weeks ago, I put our chances of hooking it at about 50 percent. Containment acreage was about 15,000 acres.

Julie's tribute to Ernie Johnson was touching. I didn't know Ernie but it is obvious he was well loved. It is always sad when we lose one of the good ones.

Misery Whip

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/26/05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I read a few days ago about Ernie Johnson's passing on. My eyes welled
up with tears as I read about the people I knew who were there to meet the
plane in Shelton and what was said. I echo all those and add that the
world and fire fighting community was a better place by his presence in it,
and a poorer place in his absence. I worked for 9 seasons on the Quilcene
Ranger District, and started as an 18 year old firefighter the same year
and age Ernie did. I remember burning slash with him, working on helitack,
fighting fires with him, learning from him. The longer I work in this
agency, the more I come to appreciate people like Ernie, a person of
integrity, a great fireman, good teacher, good leader. I am a witness to
a part of his legacy and am proud to be a part of it. thank you Ernie, you
are missed.

Lance Honda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/13/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems hard to believe that it was only 1 year ago that our fire fighting community lost Ernie Johnson. Such a sad loss for his friends and family. Ernie will always be remembered for all that he did. He was a great IC who put firefighters first. He was an innovator and and an inventor. He was a great friend who knew how to be leader. He was a great listener and story teller. He could always be counted on. He was simply put "one of the best". His presence is missed on the Olympic peninsula and also with his airspace coordination buddies.

So take time this weekend to hug your friends and let them know how they have made a difference in your life. We get so wrapped up in fire season doing what we do because we are the types who give our "all"..... but in the long run, it is our friends and family who matter the most. So remember the ones who have gone before us...... and take time to enjoy the ones you are with.

Ernie's friend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/14/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems hard to believe that it was only 2 years ago that our fire
fighting and aviation community lost Ernie Johnson. Ernie had retired
from the Olympic National Forest and was on assignment as a Field
Airspace Coordinator in Grangeville, ID when he had a sudden heart
attack.

Such a sad loss for his friends and family. Ernie will always be
remembered for everything that he did. He was a great Incident Commander
who put firefighters first. He was an innovator and an inventor. He was
a great friend who knew how to be leader. He was a great listener and
story teller. He could always be counted on. He was simply put "one of
the best". And he loved his "new career" as an Airspace Coordinator.

I spoke with Ernie’s wife Teresa today….. she said she is coping. The
first year of loss is hard because every day is a new journey alone.
The second year is equally difficult as the family continues to cope
with loss. But tonight they are gathering all the grandchildren
together for a birthday party to celebrate Mason who was born three days
after Ernie passed.

So take time this week to hug your friends and let them know how they
have made a difference in your life. We get so wrapped up in fire season
doing what we do because we are the types who give our "all"..... but in
the long run, it is our friends and family who matter the most. So
remember the ones who have gone before us...... and take time to enjoy
the ones you are with.

Ernie's friend

www.fs.fed.us/r6/fire/aviation/airspace/web/history/Julies_Ernie.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/13/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ernie in the Skyyyyyyyy with Diamonds!

Remembering... Ernie

Mellie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 1/1/09 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ab,

Read the note from Marty Alexander about the flying driptorch inventor. I believe Ernie Johnson, Shelton Ranger District, Olympic NF may have been one of the first in the USFS to use one of them. Back in the late 70's, the Shelton district burned alot of acres. I was with the Sanderson Field YACC near the ranger station and watched him hook up a flying driptorch to a car battery, mount the whole thing to a forklift, then lay a strip of flame across the parking lot behind the warehouse. Think it was 1978? I seem to remember he had an idea about lighting units with a laser and some sort of exploding devices. Some of the old timers from the Shelton district might be able to fill in the details much better than I.

Firehorse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from theysaid 8/13/09 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In memory of Ernie Johnson:

Where does time go? Four years have passed and I am in shock that we that we lost Ernie Johnson, retiree from Olympic National Forest on August 13th, 2005. I have seen many tragedies in my career - have cried and grieved with everyone..... and yet every fire season it is Ernie and his family that I think of. It is always the ones left behind that carry on so bravely. Ernie has a beautiful family. I stare incredulously each year when I get the Christmas cards of his adorable Grand kids growing up..... and I grieve. I grieve for his friends, his family and his precious Grandkids who did not get to spend the amount of time with their beloved Grandpa.

What was wonderful about Ernie was that he was so damn good at so many things. He was an inventor. He was a leader. His crews loved him. His Incident Management Team loved him. His Airspace Coordination family knew that we had garnered a real jewel into our organization. His family loved him.... he was funny, witty, naughty and the best story teller one could know. He'd get that twinkle in his eyes and that funny smile and you knew that whatever he was going to share was going to be good - very good.

So - it has been 4 years. There is no closure.... I learned that from the deaths of my family members over the years. But we do learn to get up each morning and live with the loss. The loss of a father, a husband, a co-worker, a friend, an inventor, a leader and a grandfather.....

I will always be grateful to the Forest Service for bringing Ernie home with all the decorum and honors of a returning hero. It was a typical rainy day on the Olympic peninsula but the pilot and crew told us they could bring Ernie home. As the skies momentarily opened up, that beautiful plane came in as the crowd lost their ability to speak...... Tears were shed and we watched the pilot bring Ernie home to his family and those he loved. The silence of those standing guard in nomex, fire t-shirts and uniforms as they paid tribute when he came off that airplane was numbingly beautiful.

After 30 years in Fire and Aviation, I am at an age where we lose our friends and family. It is something that I am not comfortable with but I understand the circle of life. And I carry on with my vow to remember my friends.... and so today, as I do so often during the year, I remember our lost ones... and am thankful that my life and the lives of so many other was enriched by the friendship of Ernie Johnson.

Ernie's Friend
Aug 13, 2009

The continuing remembrances and tributes are documented on Always Remember 2005 08/13 Ernie Johnson. Ab.

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