Shingle Springs Man, 21, Identified As Firefighter Killed By Falling Tree
SHINGLE SPRINGS (CBS13) – California firefighters are mourning the loss of yet another firefighter killed in the line of duty.
Friends and family called him Mikey. Pictures prove he loved the outdoors and sports.
But Michael Hallenbeck's young life was cut short doing what he loved most: being a firefighter. The U.S. Forest Service says a falling tree struck and killed the firefighter as he battled a small lightning sparked wildfire near South Lake Tahoe Saturday.
"He had that desire to contribute and so, if that's any comfort, he lost his life making a real difference for everyone here in the basin," Sheva Gabor said.
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Gabor is with the U.S. Forest Service where the 21-year-old Hallenbeck worked as an on-call firefighter. The black band on her badge is a symbol of mourning for the whole department. Hallenbeck, a Shingle Springs resident, is the second California firefighter killed in the line of duty in just over a week.
"We're all very close group that work together and the loss of one person reverberates through my entire office and the entire agency," Gabor said.
All day at the forest service headquarters, counselors and support teams from other agencies gathered to try to figure out what went wrong and how to learn from it.
Hallenbeck's family has released a statement about his death, writing, "Now he has had a greater calling. We are so very proud he stepped up to work hard and be brave to put others before himself."
Across the state, thousands of firefighters are battling over a dozen fires. Many are worried about the threat of dead, drought stricken trees taking a toll on forests and fire crews.
"It's been a tough summer and we'll have to hope and try to make it so that this is the last incident we have to talk about this way," Gabor said.
Sunday night, Gov. Jerry Brown's office released a statement on Hallenbeck's death.
"This tragedy reminds us of the dangers firefighters face every time they suit up. Anne and I are grateful for U.S. Forest Service Firefighter Mike Hallenbeck's service and on behalf of all Californians, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," Gov. Brown wrote.
Gov. Brown has ordered flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of Hallenbeck.
