Dennis Silgen

1964


His Story

Dennis worked as a fireman for 26 years, until his retirement in 2000.

Dennis was the subject of numerous news stories after he survived a March 23, 1998, helicopter crash near Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The accident killed three firefighters and a young accident victim being transported to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Dennis was found wrapped in a piece of metal at the accident site. He had two broken arms and a fractured ankle. Because of his injuries Silgen took a disability retirement in 2000.

He lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years. After retiring he moved to Ronan, Montana where he enjoyed fishing and grew a beard 11 inches long.

Dennis, 59, died in 2005 while fishing on Flathead Lake, Montana. He and his dog, were in a 13-foot aluminum boat that sank when a sudden storm hit the lake. The boat went down in an area where the water is about 275 feet deep.

Dennis married Laura Severson from the summer class of '64. Their son, Todd, became a LA County Fire Fighter in 1988 and works as a Camp Foreman today.