Legislature Honors Fallen Volunteer Firefighter

The state Legislature this week approved a resolution praising volunteer firefighters and mourning the loss of John Adams, a volunteer member of the Silver City Fire Department.

The 45 year-old Silver City resident died on duty, after fighting a 12-hour wildfire west of Mannford. The fire covered 600 acres and required a total of nine fire departments, 23 brush trucks, three tankers, a Blackhawk helicopter and 60 firefighters to contain. Senate Concurrent Resolution 14 was authored by Sen. Brian Bingman and Rep. Skye McNiel to honor Adams.

“We can never do enough to thank John Adams for his years of volunteer service, and the example he set for his family and community,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. “He had a passion for serving his community and laid down his life for those he loved and those he did not know. His leadership and selflessness should serve as an example to all of us.”

Adams, his wife Marcie Adams and their son Drew all trained to become fully qualified for wildland firefighting, structural firefighting, vehicle firefighting, rescue and extraction and medical response. John Adams had been a Silver City Volunteer Firefighter for the past three years and was a board member of the Fire Department. He was a 1981 graduate of Sand Springs High School and was a manager at Lowe’s.

“John Adams is a real Oklahoma hero, and so is his wife, Marcie, who continues to serve as a volunteer firefighter,” said McNiel, R-Bristow. “She has actually fought several fires since John’s passing and it is my honor to recognize her and all of John’s family as well.”