GARFIELD COUNTY, Utah — Provo's fire department is mourning the loss of one of their own who died in a hiking accident this weekend.
Aaron White, who was a firefighter and paramedic with the department, died Saturday in the Escalante area of southern Utah, according to a Facebook post shared by Provo Fire & Rescue.
“As a firefighter, you never know when your last day is going to come, and we try to be prepared, and we do our job. It's a dangerous job but we do it safely, but we see the tragedies that other people go through on a daily basis. And it's heart-wrenching,” said Provo Fire Chief Jeremy Headman.
White was hiking the Big Horn Canyon trail with a group of friends around 6 p.m. when he fell around 30-50 feet, according to Wade Mathews with the Utah Department of Public Safety.
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Bystanders from another hiking group nearby tried to detect a pulse but were unable to do so, and they set off an SOS beacon.
Garfield County Sheriff's deputies, search-and-rescue volunteers, and a Bureau of Land Management officer responded to the scene. They recovered White's body and transported him to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
"Aaron ... was a valuable member of our team. His positive attitude and infectious smile were a daily inspiration," the Provo department's announcement of the news read. "His absence will be keenly felt. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time."
The cause of White's death and the overall incident are under investigation.
