SPOKANE, Wash. — A firefighter was flown to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane this weekend after getting seriously injured fighting a fire.
According to a spokesperson for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 26-year-old Justin "Riley" Shaw was the Assistant Crew Foreman for the Salmon River Ranger District when he had a tree fall on him when he was “engaged in initial attack operations on the Coffee Can Saddle Fire.”
According to a GoFundMe set up by the family, Shaw is in the ICU for a traumatic brain injury as well as several broken bones. The family says they expect Shaw to be in the hospital for "the foreseeable future." Shaw is currently in critical condition at the hospital.
Shaw was initially transported to a hospital in Lewiston before being moved to Spokane.
“The quick actions of all involved, including the firefighters on the incident, dispatch, local medical responders, and Life Flight personnel, helped ensure Justin is receiving the best care possible,” said Acting Forest Supervisor Molly Ryan. “We are so thankful to everyone who helped.”