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Hero Officer Lost Helping Families Escape Blaze
1 Sep
Summary
- Wildlife officer David Taylor died aiding residents during a wildfire evacuation.
- He was assisting a family and lost contact with dispatch during the effort.
- Flags across Oklahoma were ordered to half-staff in his honor.
A federal wildlife officer, David Taylor, 38, of Scio, Oregon, is believed to have perished while assisting families escape a wildfire in Comanche County, Oklahoma. Taylor was engaged in door-to-door evacuations alongside emergency crews when he lost contact with dispatch.
His final known actions involved helping a family leave their home, an act U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik described as demonstrating extraordinary courage and selflessness. Evidence found at a structure indicated Taylor's death occurred during the evacuation effort.
Taylor was a senior chief petty officer in the Navy with 20 years of service, including deployments to Iraq and Djibouti. He had previously served at wildlife refuges in New Mexico before his assignment in Oklahoma.
In recognition of his sacrifice, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt ordered all state flags to be flown at half-staff from September 1 through September 4. The Railroad South Fire, which prompted the evacuations, has been contained, and all evacuation orders have been lifted. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
