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2 BLM firefighters killed in crash honored at memorial

Two federal firefighters from Winnemucca who were killed when their fire truck crashed on the way home from wildfire-spotting patrol near the Idaho line were “battle-born Nevadans” who served their state and country with honor, Gov. Brian Sandoval said at a memorial service Tuesday.

Nevada’s state director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, agency employees and state dignitaries joined local residents and family members in honoring Jacob O’Malley, 27, and Will Hawkins, 22, both of rural Winnemucca about 165 miles northeast of Reno on U.S. Interstate 80.

Friends and co-workers said the two were like brothers, known for their sense of humor and concern for others.

The Las Vegas Firefighters 1285 Honor Guard was among those who attended. The Humboldt General Hospital donated a 30-foot by 15-foot American flag that was hung from the top of a ladder on a Winnemucca Fire Department engine.

Sandoval evoked Nevada’s “Battle Born” state slogan and spoke directly to their families during the memorial at the Winnemucca events center.

“The Nevada family is thankful for Jacob and Will’s service, as we stand with you in honoring these two brave young men,” Sandoval said. “We know their life’s work lives on in the firefighters that are with us today.”

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