Ambushed in the Line of Duty — Honoring the Idaho Firefighters and Supporting the Survivors
A reflection on courage, grief, and the weight of traumatic loss
There are moments in our work—whether as a trauma therapist, crisis responder, firefighter, or law enforcement officer—when language simply fails. When grief is too heavy, rage is too raw, and sadness cuts too deep. June 29, 2025, was one of those moments.
On that day, two firefighters were murdered in cold blood near Canfield Mountain, Idaho. These men—one from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and one from Kootenai County Fire & Rescue—were responding to a brush fire that had been deliberately set as a trap. A third firefighter was critically wounded in the same ambush and remains hospitalized.
This was not a tragic accident.
It was an execution.
And for every firefighter, medic, dispatcher, officer, and family member who kisses their loved one goodbye at the start of a shift—this horror echoes in the chambers of their worst fears.
The Psychological Wound of Intentional Violence
There’s something especially devastating about intentional violence—when someone chooses to turn a call for help into a stage for horror. It shifts the narrative from risk to betrayal. First responders are trained to deal with chaos. But betrayal? That hits differently.
When a first responder is murdered in an ambush, it does more than take a life—it wounds a whole system:
Coworkers begin to question their safety on every call.
Spouses and children live with deeper fear when the shift starts.
Communities feel the ripples of loss, even if they never met the victims.
Survivors of trauma—whether from shootings, fires, or medical crises—may relive their own pain, re-triggered by the news.
As trauma professionals, we understand that this kind of event creates layers of pain—acute trauma, complicated grief, survivor’s guilt, secondary traumatization—and they don’t go away just because the headlines do.
First Responders Don’t Get to Mourn the Same Way
The cruel irony of being a first responder is that even after tragedy strikes, the job doesn’t stop.
The calls keep coming.
The radios keep crackling.
The world still demands help.
But inside? There’s a storm.
Some will bottle it up because they “have to be strong.”
Some will bury it under dark humor, hypervigilance, or emotional numbness.
Some may try to drown it in alcohol, withdrawal, or isolation.
And some, tragically, will not make it through.
This is why trauma-informed care isn’t a luxury for first responders—it’s a lifeline.
Who Holds the Helpers?
At The Trauma Survivors Foundation, we believe one question should guide everything we do:
“Who holds the helpers?”
Because the answer must be: we do.
We provide trauma therapy. We send trained clinicians into crisis zones. We staff peer support teams. We speak at roll calls, firehouses, and hospitals to say what too often goes unsaid:
“It’s okay to not be okay.
It’s okay to grieve.
It’s okay to get help.”
And right now, in the wake of this unthinkable tragedy, we want the firefighters and families of Idaho—and all first responders across the country—to know:
You are not alone.
Your grief is valid.
And your pain will be held with the dignity and compassion it deserves.
The Names We Must Never Forget
We will remember these firefighters not for the way they died, but for the lives they lived—their commitment to protecting strangers, their bravery under pressure, and their willingness to run into danger when the rest of the world runs out.
We don’t yet have full public confirmation of their names at the time of writing this article—but we know this: they were sons, fathers, partners, friends, and teammates. They mattered.
Their sacrifice demands more than thoughts and prayers. It demands action, remembrance, and better systems of care for all those who serve.
How You Can Help
If you're reading this, you can be part of the healing:
Reach out to the first responders in your life. A simple “How are you doing?” goes a long way.
Support trauma-informed mental health initiatives. Donate, advocate, and share resources.
Honor the fallen by protecting the living. Vote for policies that fund responder wellness programs, peer support networks, and crisis intervention teams.
If you’re a responder yourself—talk to someone. Whether it’s a friend, peer, therapist, or chaplain, don’t carry this weight alone.
We’ve Got the Watch
To the two firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice:
Your courage will never be forgotten.
Your loss will never be dismissed.
We will carry your memory with reverence, and we will continue the mission you embodied—serving others, even in the face of unthinkable danger.
To the wounded survivor:
We are pulling for you. And when you're ready—we're here for you.
To all those silently suffering in firehouses, dispatch centers, ambulances, and precincts across the country:
We see you. We honor you. We will not stop fighting for your healing.
Rest easy, brothers. We've got the watch from here.
If you or someone you love is a first responder in need of support, please contact us at:
📞 302-489-0220
💻 www.TheTraumaSurvivorsFoundation.com
📧 info@TheTraumaSurvivorsFoundation.com
You are not alone. You never have to be.
