I just spent an hour writing, reading and then rewriting this post. It seems so inadequate, and so flat when compared to the task I am trying to undertake. But I don’t think I can do much better right now.

This afternoon I was hit with some shocking and sad news. I turned on the radio as I was driving down to work and heard the end of a story about a helicopter crash near Flagstaff, AZ, last Sunday, June 29. Two air ambulances collided in midair, killing six of the seven people aboard. When I got to the office I looked up the news on Google, fearing the worst, and my heart sank when I saw my friend and mentor, Tom Clausing, listed among the dead in an article on the KNXV-TV Phoenix news site.

I went back and re read the article twice, hoping I had somehow misconstrued what I read, but it was plain and clear.

Way back in March, I wrote a blog post about the Wilderness First Responder class that we host here every year. For the past two years, Tom Clausing has been our lead instructor, and I consider myself privileged to have had someone so talented and easy to work with as an instructor. I have taken the WFR class four times, and a full EMT course, and I have to say that Tom was the person I got the most from, hands down. I consider the instruction I got from Tom to be of far more use to me than most of the lectures I received from doctors in my EMT classes. I had been planning for a year or so to take the Wilderness upgrade to my EMT license from Tom’s company in Leavenworth.

He literally “wrote the book”, or at least one of them, for wilderness EMS instruction; our workbook that was filled with scenarios for us to analyze and write reports on was written by Tom, and included many real-life wilderness emergencies that he and other wilderness medics had responded to. Many of the photographs that were incorporated into our classes were taken by Tom while on the job in one location or another.

One of Tom’s jobs was as a wilderness paramedic in the Grand Canyon National Park, and he flew on helicopters as a flight paramedic routinely as part of this job. He had a lot to say about helicopters, and we tried two years in a row to arrange a Coast Guard helicopter to show up for one the WFR sims. I had finally worked the bugs out of communicating with the right person in the CG chain of command and Tom and I were certain that next year we would be able to put it all together for a helicopter to show up.

One of the things that he said about helicopters, which I will remember forever, doubly so now, was that they are basically big balls of tinfoil, full of fuel, just waiting for an opportunity to fall out of the sky and burst into flames.

The details of the accident are of course still under investigation, and probably will be for a long time, but from reading the articles that I have found on the internet, it appears that the helicopter that Tom was riding on was carrying a fire fighter who had experienced anaphylaxis to the hospital in Flagstaff, when it collided with another helicopter, transporting a patient from another hospital to the same one in Flagstaff that Tom’s chopper was headed for. For some unknown reason, they collided in midair near the hospital. Six of the seven people aboard both helicopters were killed and the seventh, a flight nurse on Tom’s helicopter, was listed in critical condition as of July 2nd. Basically, both choppers found the opportunity to fall out of the sky and burst into flames.

The last time I saw him, he had just finished loading up his old red Suburban with all the gear from the class, and was heading back to his home in Leavenworth, WA. He handed me a helicopter magazine as he was headed out to his rig. We parted ways laughing and thanking each other for a great week, and looking forward to next year.

I took so many pictures during that WFR class, but none of Tom specifically. I found this one of him watching the “litter packaging race”. I’m so frustrated and annoyed with myself that I don’t have any proper pictures of Tom, out of all those frames I took.


RIP Tom Clausing, WEMT-P

I had assumed that I would be working with, and learning from Tom Clausing for years to come. It is so shocking to realize that I will not see him again. I will miss him a lot, especially so every February, during WFR class.

Here is an online guest book that you can leave your condolences in, and another article about the accident is here. An article that talks more about Tom than the crash can be found here, at the Wenatchee World.

Post Script:

After doing some more online research, I found that the flight nurse who had initially survived in critical condition, died on Friday after being removed from life support. He was 36, with a wife and three children.

9 Comments

  1. Well written article – As Tom’s youngest brother I have spent the last week reading all sorts of information on the web about all that he did with his life. It appears that we all believe that we will have more time with those we work with, grow up with and care for. Tom was a wonderful brother and friend to many and articles such as yours help reinforce the fact that he died doing what he loved – helping people. Thank you for another glimpse into his life and may we all continue to share his legacy.

    Thank You,
    Dan

    p.s. One footnote to your comments. Thankfully, Tom’s helicopter did not catch fire and Lucca his wife, was able to see Tom one last time. One bright spot in a horrible story.

  2. I’m so sorry to hear about this. You did a wonderful piece though and made me understand what a loss this accident caused.

  3. I too feared the worst when I first heard of the crash in Arizona. I even put off looking at the papers because I was scared to know. It gives me chills as I am preparing this week to ride on a helicopter during an elk capture in Naselle, WA. I know that Tom would have told me that one should expect anything and be as well prepared as possible.

    I also was looking forward to taking Tom’s Wilderness EMT course in Leavenworth. I will continue to pursue the healing path that Tom opened my eyes to last February during the WFR course in Skamakawa. He was certainly one of the most inspiring teachers I have ever had! I will miss him greatly. I do feel fortunate to have known and learned from him. My condolences to everyone who knew and loved him.

    Sincerely,
    Amy

  4. As a student of one of Tom and Lucca’s W-EMT courses, I think It’s safe to say that he’s saved more lives through inspiration and education than he could imagine.

  5. I am still in shock…
    Tom was everything his “legend” made him out to be. As a student of his, I was continuously inspired his direction and instruction. He was an amazing teacher and master of his trade. A truly incredible person…

  6. I only recently learned of Tom’s death and was surprised and saddened at the news. I had the privilege of being instructed by Tom at WFR and SRT classes over the years, and considered him a friend. He was a very knowledgeable instructor with a certain edge and intensity that kept the attention of his students, while retaining a very personable, genuine character throughout. The way he could go from a stern, no-nonsense expression into a wonderful laughing smile is something anyone who knew Tom will never forget. At my last WFR course at the lodge, Tom entertained us after supper with a slideshow from S. America, relating stories from his experiences there that will always stick in my memory. Time in Tom’s classes was time well spent. He will be missed. My most sincere condolences to Lucca and Tom’s family. Tom, no matter what I forget from here on out, I will always remember: “Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round, oxygen is good.” Thanks Tom.

  7. William E. Clausing

    The NTSB has issued findings 05/09/2009. Probable cause and accident narratives are included.

    http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

    Search using accident numbers DEN08MA116A (Air Methods) and DEN08MA116A (Classic Helicopter)

  8. Hi Mark,

    This is late in coming, but I wanted to say I am really sorry about Tom Clausing. Last summer I took a WFR course with a WMA instructor who told us she lost one of her friends to a head-on helicopter crash collision and I just read what you wrote here and it seems that you were good friends. I offer you my most sincere condolences.

    For the WFR course I used the Wilderness and Rescue Medicine workbook and noticed it was authored by Tom. I really benefited from the real-life examples, and though I did not know him personally, he helped me learn the wfr cirrculum.

    Hope all is well,

    Sincerely

    Riley Tucker

  9. To All,
    I just learned about Toms death from my WFR instructor. I had taken a WEMT course with Tom and was amazed by his teaching and experience. I am very sorry to his family and friends and fellow students. I remember just how excited he was to tell us about his helicopter training, which he was in while I was in his class. The experience of his training I will never forget. He will be missed and respected by the entire EMS community.
    Sincerely
    Beth

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