Flags to be lowered for federal officer who died while evacuating homes during Oklahoma wildfire
By Jonathan Greco
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered that all flags on state property be lowered in honor of a federal officer who died while helping others during a wildfire in southwestern Oklahoma.
Federal officer killed in wildfire Over the weekend, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that David Taylor, a 38-year-old federal officer from Scio, Oregon, was helping residents evacuate from the Railroad South Fire near Indiahoma in Comanche County.
Authorities said Taylor was helping local first responders by going door to door during evacuations. His last contact with dispatch came while he was helping a family evacuate their home.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later found evidence that he died during that evacuation effort. The medical examiner is investigating.
Honoring David Taylor On Monday, Stitt ordered that all American and Oklahoma flags on state property be lowered to half-staff in honor of Taylor.
“Officer Taylor made the ultimate sacrifice while serving others,” Stitt said in a news release. “He put the safety of Oklahoma families ahead of his own, and his courage will not be forgotten. Sarah and I are praying for his family and his fellow officers.”
Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise Tuesday, Sept. 1, until sunset on Friday, Sept. 4.
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