FIRE NEWS - Marc Mullenix passed away

FROM CAL FIRE NEWS:

Fire News: Marc Mullenix passed away

Marc Mullenix of Fairmount Fire Dept near Denver passed away on 1- 28

Marc Mullenix (ICT1 trainee on Rocky Mtn Team) passed away last night.

Last year he was a Type 1 Incident Commander trainee on Kim Martin's Incident Management Team in the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area.

Marc was a veteran of Ground Zero/ 9-11 and an IC IMT2 during Katrina operations.

Previous employers and assignments included:

• Bureau Land Management Station Forman for the Benton Fire Station, California (1989)
• Wildland Fire Division Chief for the Boulder Fire Department, Colorado.
• Fire Management Officer for Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.
• Fairmont Fire Protection District, Colorado.
• Ground Zero New York, New York 9-11-2001
• Katrina -Texas - IC IMT2
  

Here is a link to a short article of Marc recounting his work at Ground Zero
Here is a link to a short article of Marc recounting his work at the Snaking fire outside of Denver which appeared on the CNN web site.
Here is a link to a short article on Cal Fire News of Marc discussing the Neola North Fire

Marc Mullenix quote found on the web:
In regards to Ground Zero - "We saw the faces; we heard the stories; we were at the pile when they found a body," he says."In 22 years of fire service, this was by far the worst thing and the best thing ... the most psychologically draining thing I've ever done. Every nerve ending was ripped open like a scab. I'll never forget the smell. The noise was unbearable ... every one of your senses is maxed out. "

Join the discussion of Marcs passing at: WildlandFire.com Theysaid Forum
As friends and colleague's share remembrances about this larger than life professional wild land fire fighter's life, the following quotes in regards to Marc are from Theysaid.

" Marc was a colleague, mentor, and friend. Words fail to express our loss.
Please say a prayer for our brother, his family, and his friends.
Rest assured, his passion will live on in all of us fortunate to have worked
with him.
Godspeed, Marc, Godspeed."

"Marc was an excellent firefighter, leader, teacher, motivator, and friend"

"When someone as fine as Marc passes on it's hard to know what to say.
He was a good thinker, good strategist, cared for the troops, knew how
to communicate. He was a LEADER. It's hard to think that he won't be
around doing what he did well. Our loss, fire's loss. My condolences to
his family."

"I am deeply saddened to hear of Marc's passing. Marc was an excellent firefighter, leader, teacher, motivator, and friend. The most important thing I learned from Marc was 'always take care of your people'. It was hard not to have fun when around Marc, even when situations got to be a bit rough he had a way of keeping morale up while keeping the troops focused on the task at hand. He was a great guy that will be dearly missed.
My condolences to his family.
Godspeed, Marc."

" I met Marc at least twenty years ago in Boulder, CO and wrote a story about this larger-than-life wildland guy. Just talking with him, I could sense that this man was going places in the wildland fire world. And, he sure did! He was known far and wide in that world, thinking out of the box. Doin great things for his wildland fire folks. He reminded me of wildland fire legend, Paul Gleason. Since they knew each other, I should think that they are sittin side by side under a big old pine tree swapping fire stories up yonder. Ya, that's how I picture him and his friend, Paul."

To his wife Shawna, and to his daughter, extended family and vast numbers of friends and colleagues, the sincerest condolences on the passing of one of wildland fire's memorable and excellent personalities. He's home now.
RIP
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