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March 01, 2006
The Eternal Scar
On March 23, 1998, while transporting a patient to Children's Hospital, the Los Angeles Fire Department suffered one of its worst tragedies. Fire 3, a Bell 205-A1 helicopter, lost its tail rotor and fell into a wooded area in Los Feliz at approximately 7:43AM. Three firefighters died, including Apparatus Operator Michael D McComb (FS 90), Firefighter Lead Paramedic Eric F. Reiner (RA 81), and his close friend, Firefighter Paramedic Michael A. Butler (RA 81). The 11-year old patient was also killed. Pilot Steven Robinson (Air Ops) and Firefighter Dennis J. Silgen (FS 90) survived, although they suffered serious injuries.
photo by Jeff Miller
Firefighter Reiner's son, Nicholas wrote a remarkable poem about that day. He read it aloud during the 2003 Memorial Service at the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society and Museum in front of hundreds of onlookers, including the Reiner family, other firefighter widows, family members, LAFD senior officers, the Chief Engineer, Mayor of Los Angeles, and LAFD rank and file. Here is an excerpt from his poem:
March 23rd, an ordinary day, just one to forget.
Maybe for you, but not for me, not yet.
I was changed that morning, changed in my soul and my heart,
A morning for me that will stand apart.
My Dad died that day doing what he did best
Saving lives without much rest.
The helicopter - the cradle of life had rudder failure and started to descend.
The girl in the chopper dying, my dad and others gave a hand to lend.
The aircraft was lost, my Dad lost with it.
I was thunderstruck, shocked and utterly sad
That my life had taken this turn because of the loss of my Dad
I didn't know what to think, or say
I experienced nothing but sadness that horrible day...
The entire poem is published in the Los Angeles Fire Department Memorial Book, available from the LAFD Historical Society or via the LAFD Museum in Hollywood.
Posted by dbarrett at March 1, 2006 02:29 AM
Comments
Thanks for Nicholas' heart felt poem.
Posted by: Anonymous at March 18, 2006 04:30 PM
Dear Nicholas !
You are a hero as well, when putting that sad day in words. I wish you all the best, I wish you strength to continue with your close-ones.
God bless you, Nick !!
Hannu Willman, Battalion Chief (and a father of two daughters), Finland
Posted by: Hannu Willman at September 12, 2006 01:26 PM