Just finished reading the book this morning [26Sep99]. The Book isn't due to be published until Oct 1st, but I had ordered it about a month ago from Amazon.com for the nominal price of $16.80, and it arrived at my address on the 24th.(posted 8971 days ago)In my opinion, it is a very good book. There is much that I now know that I was afraid to ask before. Much of what I know has been from the offical report published in 1994, and from the little bit that I have heard in discussions around campfires. I personally know more than a few jumpers, and have been on fires with some of those who were survivors of Storm King, but have been loath to ask them about the incident, not knowing how deep or painful the scar might be. So, this book serves for me, as I am sure it will serve for others, as "The Offical View From Ground Zero", the Author having done the painful task of asking the painful questions.
Between this very important book and the "Fire Behavior Chronology Report", which was just published in January, many of my opinions and perspectives have changed, very many questions have been answered, and more questions have arisen. Hopefully, these questions, in time, will be answered as well.
As a Forest Service Firefighter with intentions of not only becoming a jumper, but a damn good one, MacLean's book, as his father's, shall always be near and dear to my heart. I find great satisfaction that John MacLean has taken up his father's role as the powerful, authoritive, wise, and compassionate voice of the "Protector of the Troops", probing into places where we cannot go and asking questions that we dare not ask, and letting us, the "family" of Wildland Firefighters, know what he has found in as fair and unbiased a manner as anyone could.
The book also make me more aware of the Champions throughout various Federal and State Agencies who have fought valiantly to protect some shred of integrity of the Seasonal Wildland Firefighter, and not play the "Blame Game" as we all have seen happen so often when things go wrong and a Government agency is involved. I feel deep gratitude toward Ted Putnum and his like, too numerous to mention here, who have stood their ground and risked their careers for what was right.
Finally, I must apologize for being overly long-winded and maybe a little too pretentious in making these comments Here, of all places, but having just read a book which sent me on an emotional roller coaster, these are the thoughts and feelings that it left me with.