Good-by To A Legend
 

As most of you know I have been the the oilfield most of my life. A legend of my time and many others passed away.

"Red" Adair, legendary oilwell firefighter and all round good guy passed away at age 89 from natural causes.

I met "Red" when I was 10 years old. My birth father had been severly burned in an oilwell blowout outside of Ft. Stockton, Tx. and "Red" and his crew had been called in to put the fire out. While his crew was doing their job, "Red" drove to Kermit, Tx. to see my dad and the family.

Several years later, I saw "Red" in Houstoon while I was on a business trip. I told him i had met him in Kermit when I was a kid and he had come to visit my dad. He told me, "oh yeah, Bickerstaff rig #3 in November 1959. He even remembered that "Blackie" the tool pushed had died later. "Blackie" was my birth father.

Over the years I had run into him several times. On a few occasions I had the opportunity to supply him pipe for some of his needs. Everytime I spoke to him, he remembered who I was and the details of the fire that ultimately took my dad.

His life was immortalized by the movie "hellfighters" starring John Wayne.

The reason for posting this is some things few people know.

"Red" never lost any one of his crews in a fire. AMAZING!
He would never allow them to endager themselves more than he would.

When "Boots and Coots" who worked for him decided tha they wanted to start their own company and compete against him, "Red" offered them the money to do it.

His numerous patents on his equipment were always shared with other firefighters...never sold.

During the first Gulf war and the wells in Kuwait were set on fire, all the so called experts said that the wells couldn't be capped in less than three years.
"Red and his crews, Boots and Coots, and several other companies that were hired accomplished that job in seven months.

So long old friend! I know that you are in heaven because the devil could not afford you to go the Hell. That fire would be out in no time!!!!

Jay

Jay,

Great tribute to a great guy. I never met him
but am in the Fire Protection business and have
read of his exploits. Have also done business
with Boots and Coots for special hazards.

Thanks for sharing on the personal note.

Flip

Jay,

Great post to well desired man for the life he lead. I loved the movie and I am sure he was a true legend!

Jay,
That was a great post. I hope others will read it too.
You sound like a good person yourself.

Good post Jay.

I too was fortunate to have met him while I was attending the University of Oklahoma. I had enrolled in a Blow-Out Prevention class that would satisfy three hours of my engineering requirements at the time. Red conducted a seminar for us and had the whole class facinated and awe struck during his two hour presentation. He even stuck around for a Q&A session long after our professor had left. A very un-selfish person that will be missed. Our industry owes a hugh debt of gratitude to his courage and skill.

Clois

I remember
 

Jay,

Great post. I remember as a youngster seeing Red in his big Caddy with horns on the hood quite often in the south Houston area. My dad knew him and told me some amazing stories. He's a true American hero. May he rest in peace.

Charmer

A terrific story and tribute. I never met the man, but during the Gulf War (when most of us learned about him) I realized his balls were much, much bigger than mine.

-Deano

Thanks for sharing Jay.

While he was here he volunteered to work in hell; he's in a better place now.

I too have been in the oilfield all of my life. I had the chance to work with Red and his crew in 1978 on a blowout just west of Alice TX. Super nice guy who seperated his business and pleasure. A true professional. I also met him again in Aberdeen after the Piper Alpha disaster and he was signing his books for everyone that asked and spent a lot of time with the Aberdeen people and their children.

A true American.
Red - RIP

Mark H

Jay,
Red was the real John Wayne kind of man.

Hersh:)

Hi Jay

Thank you forthe post. I knew of Red and his reputation only through the news media. He was one hell of a man. We can only hope that the good lord gives us more like him.

I think we may just have to track down a copy of Hellfighters.

regards
Doug I

Great post to a great man!
 

Jay,
This is a grest post to a true American Icon, who not only talked the talk, he walked the walk!
I doubt there will ever be another like him, and may he Rest in Peace.
John Russell

Jay

We recently had a tribute to him here in Australia with a feature on the Gulf war blow outs.

In a previous life, I worked for the Shell petroleum group - hey no wonder I got on with you guys at the Run N Gun - and we saw a lot of stories/videos on oil fires and he was often featured.

%/

A number of the guys from the Fire Station at the Shell Refinery in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, took courses on fire management in Texas and I can remember some of them saying they had met or heard first hand stories of his good fire control/management.

%/

He certainly passed on his knowledge.

Bernie