When I'm called to duty god wherever flames may rage give me strength to save a life whatever be its age Help me to embrace a little child before it is too late or save an older person from the horror of that fate Enable me to be alert to hear the weakest shout and quickly and efficiently to put the fire out I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me to guard my neighbor and protect his property And if according to your will I have to lose my life bless with your protecting hand my children and my wife

Listening to this breaks my heart! To all the firefighters out there THANK YOU for all you do you guys are truly heroes in my book! Bless you all, and to the families who have lost love ones fighting these fires.

Rest In Peace Brother! Former career Firefighter and remember this incident. First time I have heard the radio traffic. Hats off to the Asheville Fire Dept. and prayers to all!

forever in our hearts we miss you Jeff Asheville Fire Department

RIP brother - From a Junior of the Goldsboro, NC Fire Dept. Glad your in good hands now you will be missed!

forever missed and loved my brother my hero capt jeff bowen ashville fire dept rescue 3

To all of you that are posting negative, critical comments...Excuse me , a wonderful man, husband, father friend and excellent firefighter lost his life!!!! It's easy for you to set on your tail and critique every move of other teams from the side line. It would be of the greatest respect to not say anything at all if you can't say something postive. YOU COPY?

RIP Captain Jeff Bowen. Thank you for your service & sacrifice.

My mom was in that building Jeff Bowen is a hero

R-I-P brother from southern Arkansas Elliott volunteer Fire Department

To the poster of this video/audio: Please disallow comments on this. It's just asking for trouble letting a bunch of so called 'experts' critique the people involved in such a great loss. Let the audio be heard, but please, disable the comments. It's too much for me to see this man & his fellow FF being cut down. Let him rest in peace. God Bless the Firefighters & their families.

With news of this Fire being intentionally set I wonder if perhaps someone messed with the stand-pipe system, my own opinion aside from the audio it sounds like they did everything right, given the circumstances of the fire, hopefully things will be learned from Captain Bowen's sacrifice and will save lives in the future. In memory of a lost brother. Firefighter Lake Norman Fire Rescue

This was just sad and amazing. The crews did their jobs. All are heroes.

What's the point of posting a Mayday video if you edited out the FF audio?

God bless the families and friends of Capt. Bowen and the injured! I am having a hard time understanding command having to tell seasoned personnel to get out if you have low air...too many low air alarms going off and no sense of urgency to get out. My thoughtts and prayers go out to the entire Asheville FD and families. SC Bluffton Fire & Rescue

5-5-5-5!!! rip lt! never knew you but you will be missed!

So sorry to hear about the loss and injuries. May the arsonist(s) be brought to justice. -Pasco County Fire Rescue, FL.

mayday at 31:51

God bless all of our firefighters.

@Webb07312010 - if you will read just below the audio screen, it tells you the audio has been edited and that most of Jeff's Mayday audio was edited out. I really do not think he would mind this post at all. Especially since there is much that can be learned from it by his fellow firefighters.

Its very sad to hear a brother from the state above me was lost. RIP Cap. I'm keepin the family in my prayers

Rest in Peace Brother

Captain Bowen was ordered out of the building 3 times by command due to water problems on the fire floor. He stayed in the building until he ran out of air. Also,where’s the audio of Jeff C quitting the Dept over the radio?

There are multiple channels streaming on this feed. Not all one channel.

It took WAY too long to get water up to the 5th floor. There was too much back and forth about the stand pipe while fire fighters were on that fifth floor and the temperature kept rising. Additionally, the failure to use basic directions (e.g. "north side of building), etc. when describing locations added to the confusion of the day. The "line through the window" was initially unsuccessful because the hose was being handed to them on the wrong side of the corner. They had a ladder with a Master Stream right on that corner of building near of the burning room. They should have pulled those fire fighters away from there and opened up that Master Stream on that room through the windows to knock down the flames until other water could be supplied. The failure to get water on the fire and recognize the increasing heat likely cost Jeff his life. His body temperature got extremely high and caused him to have cardiac arrest. Almost 24 minutes into the audio, someone FINALLY calls for a defensive attack from the outside. A minute later, an engine crew finally has water on the fire. According to the investigative report, it was a full 38 minutes between crews arriving on scene and water being put on the fire.

one of the guys on my squad was in that building fortunatley, he survived with a broken leg and a gash

RIP Captain Bowen we will miss you, Lieutenant Hopkins Duncan station 3 sc

That is Engine 201 with low air @ 1222 that reports they are low air and coming out. You need to listen again. They are reporting they are in a safe location.

RIP Brother!

There are multiple channels straming on this feed. Not all one channel.

This is how heroes die. What would our world be like if they lived full lives?

Rip brother

Rip brother East Rockingham fire deptment n.c

Mayday @ 31:53

Rip my brother. We got it now. Used to be low pressure packs and u could atleast if u ran outta air u. Could detach ur hose from ur pack and stick it into ur bunker coat and have a few extra minutes. The new high pressure packs have a narrow line to mask and cannot be used to do the same. Very sad. God bless u my brother. Rest in peace

this hurts my department

rest in peace

RIP Captain Bowen. You will be missed. FF Clay Thornburg -Hughs Pond VFD, Cherryville NC

that and they broke every window out with out any water there to put on it.was 1 wrong move they and the stand pipe did not charge when they turned it on

RIP

I understand removing the audio of the Mayday firefighter for respect, but his radio communications would be really helpful for learning from this unfortunate event. RIP, brother.

R.I.P. Capt. Bowen and may all the injured firefighters have a speedy recovery. The death of one of our own is a tragedy, but not learning from an accident is just as much of a tragedy and I would be ashamed if others did not try to learn from my death or injury. Practice standpipe ops and practice getting alternative water supply if the system fails. Don't just talk about it but think about our brothers who have fallen and get out and DO it!!!

@1957bek I agree.......

What were they doing on the 3rd floor?

well wtf....you put it out there "Fatal FF Mayday Audio", and then edit it out?

no, just the audio

I hate to arm chair quarterback but if you are having consistent problems with water supply on a structure this big then get the heck out. Don't let pride get in the way of your life.

This is not the right time for criticism. My heart breaks listening to this!! Possibly charging the stairwells with positive pressure ventilation would have aided with heat and smoke conditions...thus helping in the search. I can only imagine what they edited parts would consist of. God Bless!!!

Listen to all that confusion… what a tragic mess…

Is there a video on this fire?

RIP Brother

@ppilotm11 I am sorry for your loss, but the way it was worded to me was not very respectful. They were doing their job and was not paying attention to his air maybe. I don't know what happened in there but he did it for reason's he had I am sure

... I know many that go to carolina internal medicine and this facility.. how creepy.. every one is my thoughts and prayers

@futuresh60flyr I understand this could help.....but really I would not want my families last words to be broadcast all over the internet. That is not how I would want to remember my family and though people may be helped I would rather keep this off the internet. I went to school with one of his daughter's and she is very upset with the way people are posting it every where.

a complete failure of radio communication

The incompetence of the command staff on this job borders on criminal.

Fail on everybody unacceptable

I think this is inappropriate.......This family does not need a reminder on you tube about what happened this fateful day. Can you people have respect for the family and not show this. I do not care if the may day call is still on here or not. If it was my father,brother,uncle,husband or whatever I would not want this reminder on here