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Sycuan-BIA Golden Eagles Crews End 2008 Fire Season With Awards, Medals, Photos

Sycuan Fire Department wildland crews mustered on their Sycuan Indian Reservation "Base Camp" for an inspection, awards presentations, and professional crew pictures to officially end their 2008 fire season.

CLICK to download high-resolution photo layout.

PROFESSION GROUP AND STUDIO PORTRAITS, LAYOUT

Of particular note, Superintendent Juan Mendez made sure his 19 Golden Eagles Inter-agency Hotshot Crew IHC members were squared away and ready to participate in a formal group photo and individual studio portraits on the reservation.

CLICK to download high-resolution photo layout for printing.

Above, the Golden Eagles Interagency Hotshots Crew (back row), Golden Eagles Flycrew (left front row), and Golden Eagles Fuels Crew (tan shirts), posed in the wildland group photo.

Sycuan Fire Department Chief Kanseah addressed the troops prior to handing out the awards and service medals.

Supt. Mendez (right) stands with his crew during the event.

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

When — at the last minute — the fire dept brass couldn't find the budget for the awards and crew photo shoots, Mendez cashed his paycheck and paid the photographer for the commercial shoot out of his personal money.

Mendez also bought each of his 19 Hotshots a 10x10 print of the group layout, plus a single 5x7 portrait print (38 prints total) — that's leadership and that's committment to his crew.

Mendez is one of three founders of this website and he paid for a lot of the early work out of his own pocket to get the www.gehotshots.org website established.

Fire Chief Hank Murphy was on hand and personally called out the names and ranks of the Sycuan firefighters and presented them with their awards.

The end of the 2008 fire season means the seasonal firefighters would be looking for work — Chief Murphy referred them to the Sycuan Human Resources department to keep these hardworking men employed with Sycuan in the off season.

Each Golden Eagles fireman received a Medal of Merit award/certificate in recognition of their loyal and dedicated fire service during the 2008 fire season.

Superintendent Mendez received an award for...

SUPT Mendez (pony tail) is a Native American Indian, ZAPOTECA INDIAN NATION, Oaxaca, Mexico.

The Type II Bell 212TH firefighting BIA helicopter that was delivered last year to the Sycuan Fire Department Air and Wildland Division was returned having closed another successful fire season in San Diego County.

Special thanks to pilot name name, and support crews....