helicopter crash in the Sierras

Three Fish & Game employees from Fresno were killed in this helicopter crash near Madera yesterday:

http://www.fresnobee.com/1100/story/1770017.html

This really struck home with me because I'm going to school for biology and my dream has been to work with DFG. The saddest part is that the 31 year old was a seasonal aide, a job I interviewed for last year and hoped to get.

I have long been interested in wildlife biology and returned to night school in 2005 to get a masters in it. I've read about doing aerial surveys of animals, how they involve small aircraft and helicopters, both of which make me nervous.

I recently finished a book about the Florida Game and Fish Department and how they conducted their surveys on the endangered Florida panther. They often used a small Cessna. Growing up with my father as a Navy pilot, he always warned against flying in small planes like those.

Anyway, I just felt the need to publicize this, even in some small way. I was very saddened to hear this, especially since it shouldn't have happened at all. It wasn't a foggy day, and like the Bee says, they were well above the fog line. It was sunny and warm in the mountains.

These men were all doing what they loved, at least, so I hope some can receive comfort in that thought.

Signing off for now,

Jenny