Firefighters pause to respect fallen comrades

Roxanne McKnight wWith The Meteor

Madisonville firefighters set off their siren then paused for a minute of silence Monday evening, June 9, out of respect for the helicopter crew that perished Sunday morning while transporting a patient from Huntsville to Houston.

The firemen knew the helicopter crew well, according to Madisonville Fire Chief Thom Jones, since the helicopter, PHI Air Med 12, would land at the fire station when it made emergency flights to Madison County. Jones said they made the flights as often as 15-20 times a month.

In fact, only hours before the crash, the crew had transported a 4-year old boy who nearly drowned from Madison County to Scott & White in Temple on Saturday night, June 7.

According to the KBTX Web site, the four killed were crewmembers Jana Bishop, Wayne Kirby and Stephanie Waters, and a patient whose identity was being withheld until the family could be notified.

“We knew most of them by first name,” said Jones. “The firefighters get to know the pilots really well. This is a tremendous loss for our community.”

Editor's note: An incomplete version of this story ran in last week's paper. We are reprinting it here in its entirety.