Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association
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      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
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      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
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      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
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    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
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​William "Bill" Floyd Hopman
Captain, Quincy Fire Protection District, California
​Death in the Line of Duty, January 11, 2011

William Floyd Hopman
  • Captain
  • Quincy Volunteer Fire Department
  • California
  • Age: 53
  • Year of Death: 2011
Picture
The three Fs were very important to Bill Hopman: family‚ firefighting‚ and flying. 

Born August 1‚ 1957‚ to the late Ray and Frances (Deal) Hopman in Santa Barbara‚ California‚ Bill was raised and attended school in Solvang‚ California‚ where his family operated a plumbing business. He is a 1975 graduate of Santa Ynez Valley High School. He went on to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before obtaining a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Nevada Reno.

While helping out in the family plumbing business on a service call‚ Bill met a pretty young lady named Lisa Wintersteen with whom he later commuted to junior college‚ As their love for one another grew‚ the couple was married in the backyard of Bill’s parents’ ranch on July 14‚ 1984. The couple was blessed with one precious son, Robert. 

Bill served the Quincy Fire Department for 14 years and was promoted to captain in 2010. He was a mentor to new firefighters‚ taking great pride in their success at mastering skills. He was "Captain Fix-It"‚ able to repair whatever was broken at the station. He died of a heart attack after fighting an attic and chimney fire. His son‚ Robert‚ continues in his footsteps as a firefighter for the Quincy Fire Department. Off duty‚ Bill piloted a Learjet 35 all over the United States for a drag racing team.

At age 17‚ he received his private pilot’s license and went on to haul freight for Union Flights from 1984-2000 before becoming the chief pilot for Foxen Canyon Motorsports and Alan Johnson Performance Engines for the past 12 years. Just two days before his death‚ Bill gave his first flying lesson to his son‚ Robert.


When not helping out at the fire department‚ Bill could be found at his second home‚ his hangar on the Quincy Gansner Airport. Be it working on his Cessna 210‚ PiperPacer‚ North American AT-6‚ sharing his expertise with other aircraft owners on the field‚ or working on his classic Ford Mustang and other automobiles‚ Bill was doing what he loved. A drag racing enthusiast‚ Bill enjoyed helping out on Alan Johnson’s Funny and Top Fuel Cars‚ starting when he and Alan were youngsters together. 

Bill was always there to lend a hand to those in need. He found great pleasure in helping out with the Johnsville Junior Ski Team and co-coaching his son in the sport. He was also an assistant leader with Troop 151 of the Boy Scouts of America. 

In passing‚ Bill leaves his loving wife of 26 years‚ Lisa‚ and the pride of his life‚ his son‚ Robert Henry Hopman. He is also survived by brothers-in-law John and Bill Wintersteen, and mother-in-law‚ Nancy Wintersteen.

Watch the video interview with Bill's wife Lisa Hopman below, shared from the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation, where Bill has a memorial at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This was filmed during his induction ceremony in the fall of 2011. Click on the symbol just to the left of the word vimeo in the lower right hand corner for full screen playback.



Click to go the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Page for Bill

See the slide show below for photos from the Memorial held for Bill at his "man cave" at the Quincy Gansner Field Airport. FD's from around Northern California attended, along with retired California State Fire Marshal Ronny J. Coleman. Bill's helmet was presented to his son Robert by Quincy Fire Chief Robbie Cassou, and Chief Coleman presented a special fire challenge coin to Robert. Bill's widow Lisa received the ceremonial American Flag.
​Photos courtesy of Tom Forster.

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  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Fire Departments
    • Beckwourth FPD
    • Bucks Lake FD
    • Chester FD
    • Crescent Mills Fire Protection District
    • Eastern Plumas Rural FPD (& C Road)
    • Graeagle FPD
    • Greenhorn Creek FD
    • Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District
    • Indian Valley FD
    • La Porte FPD
    • Long Valley VFD
    • Meadow Valley FPD
    • Peninsula Fire Protection District
    • Plumas County OES
    • Plumas Eureka FD
    • Portola FD
    • Quincy FPD
    • Sierra Valley FPD
    • U.S. Forest Service, Plumas NF
    • West Almanor FPD (& Prattville)
  • Members Only Section
  • Awards & Recognition
    • Chief Robbie Cassou Instructor of the Year Award >
      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
      • 2013 John Gay, Captain Quincy FPD
      • 2014 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2015 Frank Carey, Assistant Fire Chief Quincy FPD
      • 2016 Dony Sawchuk, Captain, Quincy FPD
      • 2017 David Schmid Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen Leadership in EMS Perpetual Award >
      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
    • Chief Ronny J. Coleman, Honorary Member PCFCA
    • Recognition of Retiring Fire Chiefs
    • Special Recognition >
      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Inside the Fire House
    • An Introduction to Fire Departments
    • Why do Fire Departments provide Emergency Medical Services?
    • How Good is your Fire Department? A review of Rating Systems
    • What is the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association?
    • Helping Each Other - what is Mutual or Automatic Aid between FD's?
    • The Little Dispatch That Could - Plumas County Sheriff's Office Dispatch
    • What's Required to Drive Fire Engines Legally and Safely
    • On Obtaining Newer Fire Engines
    • Recognizing Great Service!
    • What is a Firefighters Muster?
  • Biographies
  • Emergency Medical Care Committee
  • Firewise Communities
  • Former Fire Departments
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Group Calendar
  • Join Us - We are Recruiting!
  • Major Fires & Incidents
    • 2013 Pizza Factory Fire, Quincy CA
    • 2015 Ponderosa Bowling Alley, Portola CA
    • 2017 Minerva 5 Incident, Quincy
  • Memorials
    • Chief Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka FD
    • Chief Andy Anderson, Quincy FD
    • Richard Bruce "Dick" "Specs" Matheny, USFS
    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen, Quincy FPD, PDH, EMCC
  • Partner Law and Related Agencies
    • Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2016 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2017 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
  • Quincy Fire Academy
  • The Quincy FPD Support Team
  • Regional Training
    • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator 1A CFSTES
    • Emergency Medical Technician - 1
    • FSTEP Auto Extrication
    • Live Fire Training
  • Related Links