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Sleeping Child Fire Medical Emergency Fatalities 1961

  • Location:

    Montana

  • Date:

    08/08/1961

  • Incident Type:

    Medical or Exertion

  • Description:

    Three fatalities were reported on the 26,000-acre Sleeping Child Fire on the Bitterroot National Forest in southwestern Montana. Limited information is readily available on any of these three firefighters who succumbed to medical emergencies. 

    John Roberts died of an apparent heart attack before reaching the fireline on August 8, 1961.

    Max Moffett, a 19-year-old firefighter, was found dead in his sleeping bag on August 11, at the Moose Meadows Fire Camp. 

    LaVerne Clifford, Crew Leader, died of an unspecified illness on August 13 while traveling home on a U.S. Forest Service-chartered aircraft. 

    Medical or Exertion or Heat, Fatality, Medical Emergency, Multi Incident Summary

     

     

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