By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Four firefighters from North Idaho agencies have been nominated for the Idaho Medal of Honor following a June 29 ambush that killed two battalion chiefs and wounded others while responding to a brush fire.
• The nominations came from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, and the Northern Lakes Fire District.
• Those nominated include two deceased battalion chiefs and two survivors credited with preventing further responders from entering the active threat area.
• The Idaho Medal of Honor Commission will decide on awards on Feb. 10, 2026.
• Plans for memorials and official recognition will be announced after the commission’s decision.
COEUR D’ALENE, ID — Four firefighters from North Idaho have been nominated for the Idaho Medal of Honor, the state’s highest public safety award, after a June 29 ambush on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene that killed two battalion chiefs and wounded other responders.
The nominations were submitted jointly by Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and the Northern Lakes Fire District to recognize actions during the ambush, in which a gunman opened fire on crews arriving at a brush fire.
Battalion Chief Frank Harwood of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and Battalion Chief John Morrison of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, both fatally shot during the attack, were named posthumously, along with Coeur d’Alene firefighter Dave Tysdal and Northern Lakes Fire District Captain Fritz Wiedenhoff.
Fire officials cited Tysdal’s and Wiedenhoff’s efforts to prevent additional responders from entering the active threat area, actions credited with helping law enforcement secure the scene and avoid further casualties.
The Idaho Medal of Honor Commission is scheduled to review the nominations and make award decisions on Feb. 10, 2026. Departments involved said they will announce details of memorial and recognition events once confirmed.