The Wildland Firefighter Institute will conduct independent investigations on fatalities, injuries, equipment, and technology. We will be a Wildland Firefighter Watch Dog Group where anyone can report to us anonymously to seek positive change in Wildland Firefighting practices. We will offer scholarships for safety investigation programs and courses. We will be an advocate for an accredited School of Wildland Fire at Universities to teach fire for, and of the future for firefighters who seek to major in Fire Science, with a focus in Wildland Fire. We will outreach to local communities to teach how wildland fire affects them, and the importance of defensible space. We will find new safety techniques and equipment to benefit the safety of Wildland Firefighters.

From the Yarnell Hill Fire a great majority of the Wildland Firefighters, first responders, and dispatchers suffered PTSD from the deaths of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. We have personally felt, and we have seen the effects of PTSD, which is why we will facilitate PTSD counseling for any of those involved in any fire tragedy.

-HISTORY-

On June 30th, 2013 19 Wildland Firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshot Crew from Prescott, Arizona died when they were entrapped in a canyon at Yarnell, Arizona in the Yarnell Hill Fire.

From this great loss of life three women, Juliann Ashcraft, Deborah Pfingston, and Roxanne Warneke worked together to form the Wildland Firefighter Guardian Institute. Juliann lost her husband, Andrew Ashcraft, Deborah Pfingston lost her son, Andrew Ashcraft, and Roxanne Warneke lost her husband, William “Billy” Warneke in the Yarnell Hill Fire. Through their grief the three women dedicated themselves into learning about Wildland Firefighting, delved into discovering what truly happened to the Granite Mountain Hotshots that led to their deaths, and committed themselves into protecting the safety of Wildland Firefighters so that another preventable tragedy like the Yarnell Hill Fire does not occur again.

 

-BOARD MEMBERS-

Roxanne Warneke- Chairman, Founder, Widow of Granite Mountain Hotshot, William “Billy” Warneke
read more about Roxanne Warneke

 

 

Juliann Ashcraft- Vice Chairman/Director of Firefighter and Family Support, Founder, Widow of Granite Mountain Hotshot, Andrew Ashcraft
read more about Juliann Ashcraft

 

 

Deborah Pfingston- Vice Chairman/Director of Education Division, Founder, Mother of Granite Mountain Hotshot, Andrew Ashcraft
read more about Deborah Pfingston

 

 

Darrell Willis- Board Director, Former Fire Chief and Wildland Division Chief
read more about Darrell Willis

 

 

Doug Harwood- Board Director, Former Granite Mountain Hotshot and City of Prescott Firefighter
read more about Doug Harwood

 

 

 

Holly Neill- Board Director/Director of Research and Analysis Division, Former Wildland Firefighter, Yarnell Hill Fire research consultant and founding member of Safety Matters: A Wildland Firefighter Forum for Change
read more about Holly Neill

 

William Waldock- Board Director, Professor in Safety Science - Crash/Safety Investigation
read more about William Waldock

 

 

Gary Northam Ph.D.- Board Director, Adult Education and Accreditation, Human Factors and Safety Ethics, Professor in Unmanned Aeriel Vehicle Safety
read more about Gary

 

Victoria Boswell- Board Director/Treasurer, Project Manager - certified with experience in the human capital management industry, Experience in training for human resource industry, Business major and consultant
read more about Victoria

 

-LEGAL-

Patrick McGroder III- Legal Advisor, Pat has been recognized by his peers as one of the finest trial lawyers in America. He specializes in high profile, catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. As an architect of social change, Pat has been on the cutting edge of litigation that has led to HMO reform, road design improvement, motor vehicle and aviation safety changes and nursing home regulation.