Terry Sonner, 33,
collapsed after his fire crew finished training Wednesday at the Hammett Guard
Station.
Crew members
began medical treatment and called for medical assistance but were unable to
revive him.
“We have lost an
amazing wildland firefighter. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends,
and the wildland firefighting community,” Andy Delmas, a Boise BLM fire
management officer said in a written statement.
Sonner was a
veteran wildland firefighter. He began working for the BLM in 2001 and worked
his way up to become the fire operations supervisor of the Hammett Guard
Station engine crew for the Boise District BLM. He previously worked for BLM
districts in Twin Falls and Elko, Nev.
He is survived by
his wife and children, the BLM said.
The cause of
Sonner's death is unknown, the BLM said. The agency said it has appointed a
team to assess the circumstances surrounding Sonner’s death, in hopes of
preventing future incidents.
Funeral services
will be announced as soon as they are determined, the BLM said.
Sonner’s family
has asked for privacy as they grieve.
Hammett is
located 62 miles southeast of Boise and 19 miles southeast of Mountain Home.
The Hammett fire station is one of three stations operated by the BLM in
southwestern Idaho. The others are at Middleton and Bruneau.
Sonner was the
first Idaho wildland firefighter who has died on the job since 2013.
