Albuquerque, New Mexico - March 23, 2005. The Fiddlin’ Foresters provided conservation and safety messages as part of the Forest Service National Safety Convention at the Hilton Hotel in Albuquerque, NM.

Forest Service safety managers from across the country met to discuss current and safety programs and plan ways to continue to provide the Forest Service workforce a safe and healthy work environment.

The Fiddlin’ Foresters received a standing ovation at the conclusion of “Cold Missouri Waters,” a song about the 1949 Mann Gulch tragedy that left 13 firefighters dead near the Missouri River near Helena, Montana. The safety managers were moved by the use of music to provide emotional impact to important messages.

"Cold Missouri Waters" was written in 1995 by Canadian folksinger and songwriter James Keelaghan, after reading Norman Maclean's book, Young Men in Fire, and apparently doing extensive research about the Mann Gulch tragedy.

The Fiddlin Foresters distributed a DVD video of “Cold Missouri Waters” to each Forest Service region for use in safety training for fire fighters. Forest Service safety programs are excellent at explaining flame lengths, rates of spread, energy release components, effects of terrain, etc., but not so good at communicating the emotion of a wildfire tragedy. The DVD is a powerful reminder of the lessons learned a Mann Gulch.

Listen to “Cold Missouri Waters”