911 Ribbon
In Memory of Page
We Remember Ribbon

This page honors all United States rescue workers (that have come to my attention) who have died in the line of duty since February 4, 2004.

May all these rescue workers and all other rescue workers who have died in the line of duty or in retirement rest in peace.

The following is a poem which I found in my research for the 2004 page that I thought fit with the theme of these pages perfectly. It was written by Greg Gray of the Raccoon Township Volunteer Fire Department in Aliquippa, PA (used with his generous permission) to honor his fallen comrade, Firefighter David Vinisky, who was lost August 25, 2004:
With A Heavy Heart I Witness

We lost a part of our world.
A man has been killed.
A brother has fallen.
A good friend is no longer here to help.
For days, we try to prepare to say goodbye.
We have many friends. They are all very wonderful.
They have help in many ways that no one on the outside even thought about-
Food & soft drinks seem to appear out of nowhere-companies from outside are
Here to cover our area while we are out of service.
All those who have come to help are our Brothers-we are not related by blood-
We are not of the same religion or skin color.
We are auto mechanics and computer engineers. Electricians, plumbers, school
Teachers & CPA's, truck driver & CEO, standing side by side in our tragic
Loss.
The day is long and hot, it starts before the sun is up.
The truck is draped, the hall prepared, we can do this, we must.
The service is carried like a litter. All hands on. No one here will let it drop
If we should stumble, and stumble we do.
We are in pain, and we grieve.
We go on.
Now, the service is over.
Back the truck in & have another coffee it's been a long hard day.
Look forward to some rest & see the kids for a time………  
TONES!!!!!!!!!!
Men & women, that an hour ago, were too choked with grief to speak, Jump
Out of patent leather & dress uniform into bunker gear & boots.
There are no reporters here now.
No camera crew.
It's just another fire call out of hundreds that no one will hear about.
They don't care if they get their picture on TV or get to read their name in the papers.
The truck that moments ago sat quiet & blacked- burst into red & wails off into the rain & wind. Someone needs help!!!!!!!!
They care about me, they care about you, they care about "our" homes & they go.
My heart is heavy, but it is lifted high by what I witness here.
Thank you God for the fire fighters!
Thank you firemen!

Rank and Name Age
Date
 Department City State
Firefighter Jared Moore 19 12/29/04 Fairmount Township Fire Department Basehor KS
Firefighter John Stoudt 67 12/25/04 Diligence Fire Company #1 Summit Hill PA
Chief Todd Rowe 30 12/23/04 Elkhorn City Fire Department Elkhorn City KY
Firefighter Nito Guajardo 24 12/20/04 Baytown Fire and Rescue, Station No. 1 Baytown TX
Firefighter Theodore Myhre 73 12/20/04 Bishop Hill Volunteer Fire Department Bishop Hill IL
Firefighter Herbert C. Caldwell III 49 12/17/04 Newberry Township Fire Department Etters PA
Paramedic Doreen Renee Johnson 26 12/14/04 AirVac Ambulance Service Queen City AZ
Firefighter Michael R. Dunlap 47 12/14/04 Hydetown Volunteer Fire Department Hydetown PA
Chief James Larry Rogers 55 12/14/04 Claxton Fire Department Claxton GA
Firefighter Jackson H. Gerhart 65 12/05/04 Chambersburg Fire Department Chambersburg PA
EMT Molly Algren 47 11/30/04 Sitka Volunteer Fire Department Sitka AK
Administrative Battalion Chief Donald Kersting 47 11/15/04 Wichita Fire Department Wichita KS
Captain Edward G. Schnauss 54 11/13/04 Morrison Volunteer Fire Department Morrison MO
Firefighter Lt. Charlie "Littleman" Webb 63 11/06/04 Mayking Volunteer Fire Department Mayking KY
Fire Chief Gary Tilton 58 11/03/04 Katy Fire Department Katy TX
Firefighter Donald N. Carlson 60 11/02/04 Ute Fire Department Ute IA
Assistant Chief Lewis R. "Lewie" McNally 42 11/01/04 Newmanstown Volunteer Fire Department Newmanstown PA
Pilot Karl A. Kolb 56 10/24/04 Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Albuquerque NM
Co-pilot K. John Lamphere 30 10/24/04 Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Albuquerque NM
Nurse Laura A. Womble 47 10/24/04 Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Albuquerque NM
Paramedic Donald Womble 45 10/24/04 Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Albuquerque NM
Paramedic Marco E. Villalobos 33 10/24/04 Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Albuquerque NM
Fire Chief Gary Titlon 58 10/20/04 Katy Fire Department Katy TX
Firefighter/Paramedic Robert D. Heighton 40 10/20/04 South Walton Fire District Fire Department Santa Rosa Beach FL
Firefighter Jordan Nonnemaker 18 10/16/04 Amity Fire & Rescue Amity PA
Firefighter William Bierbower 72 10/15/04 Fairmont Hahntown Volunteer Fire Department North Huntingdon PA
Firefighter Steven Brack 36 10/11/04 Allentown Volunteer Fire Department Allentown GA
Frederick A. Smith, II 33 10/10/04 Salem Center Volunteer Fire Department Pleasant Lake IN
Assistant Fire Chief Mike Kilpatrick 58 10/07/04 North Lake Volunteer Fire Department North Lake WI
Firefighter Daniel Holmes 26 10/03/04 Arrowhead Hotshots Kings Canyon National Park CA
Assistant Fire Chief William "Bill" Weborg 42 09/26/04 Ephraim Fire Department Ephraim WI
Rescue Member/Firefighter William Jim Lightbody 46 09/18/04 Paramus Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc. Paramus NJ
Firefighter Clint Romine 25 09/17/04 Goodsprings Volunteer Fire Department Anderson AL
Firefighter Eva Schicke 24 09/12/04 California Department of Forestry Sacramento CA
Firefighter Richard O'Brien 63 09/10/04 Warren Fire Department Warren RI
EMS Capt. Steve Rosenfeld 52 09/09/04 Salem Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Culpeper VA
Acting Captain Gerald "Mac" McGowan 57 09/05/04 Kansas City Fire Department Kansas City MS
Deputy Chief James D'Heron 51 09/03/04 New Brunswick Fire Department New Brunswick NJ
Firefighter/EMS Director Cordell French 44 08/28/04 Towanda Fire Department Towanda KS
Firefighter and Former Chief Robert E. Woolf 63 08/25/04 Phillipsburg Fire Department Phillipsburg OH
Firefighter David Vinisky 49 08/25/04 Raccoon Township Volunteer Fire Department Alquippa PA
Firefighter/EMT Benjamin Lang 22 08/23/04 Polk County Fire Department/Cyprus Gardens Station 8 Bartow FL
Captain John Taylor 53 08/20/04 Philadelphia Fire Department, Engine 28 Philadelphia PA
Firefighter Rey Rubio 42 08/20/04 Philadelphia Fire Department, Engine 28 Philadelphia PA
Firefighter USMC Corporal Robert (Bobby) M. Weber, Jr. 23 08/16/04 Marine Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Beaufort SC
Firefighter Jaime L. Foster 25 08/14/04 Los Angeles Fire Department Los Angeles CA
Firefighter Barbara Bordenkircher 52 08/10/04 Wickliffe Rural Fire Department Wickliffe KY
Rescue Crew Member Michael J. Bliss 46 08/06/04 Speedway Safety Services Claremont NH
Fire Chief (and Founder) Lester Philips 72 08/04/04 Sunshine Volunteer Fire Department Harlan KY
Firefighter (Former Chief) Mike McAdams 69 08/04/04 Sapello-Rociada Volunteer Fire Company Sapello NM
Fire Police Captain Thomas Conway 78 08/03/04 Haddon Heights Fire Department Haddon Heights NJ
Fire Chief Ed Stallings 71 08/01/04 Carthage Volunteer Fire Department Carthage TN
Former Fire Chief George Raber 64 07/31/04 Hebron Fire Protection District Hebron ND
Pilot Bob Giard 41 07/13/04 Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Spartanburg SC
Flight Paramedic David Bacon 31 07/13/04 Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Spartanburg SC
Nurse Glenda Frazier Tessnear 42 07/13/04 Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Spartanburg SC
Fire Captain Daniel Elkins 47 07/13/04 Los Angeles County Fire Department Los Angeles County CA
Firefighter Harold Dean Chappell 56 07/12/04 Arlington Fire and Rescue, Inc. Jonesville NC
Chief G. Don Fox 60 07/09/04 Bluegrove Volunteer Fire Department Clay County TX
Lt. Kenneth Lipyance 46 06/30/04 Churchill Volunteer Fire Company Pittsburgh PA
Junior Firefighter Joshua Martin 15 06/19/04 Duson Volunteer Fire Department Duson LA
Firefighter Gary Archibeque 39 06/19/04 Show Low Fire Department Show Low AZ
Lt. Edward Ned Neustrom 49 06/18/04 Johnson County Med-Act Johnson County KS
Firefighter Willie Lacy 47 06/17/04 Augusta Fire Department Augusta GA
Assistant Chief William Richard Grudzinski 46 06/08/04 Bridger Volunteer Fire Department Bridger MT
Protection Unit Forester Lawrence "Larry" Joseph Hoffman 51 06/05/04 Oregon Department of Forestry The Dalles OR
Firefighter/EMT Connie C. Bornman 56 05/17/04 Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Company Middle River MD
Firefighter Michael Martin 18 05/14/04 Ebenezer Fire Department Belton SC
Firefighter Randy Henderson 42 05/13/04 U.S. Forest Service, USDA Forest MS
Chief Harry Edward Suggs II 27 05/13/04 Green Pond Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Woodstock AL
Firefighter Jeffrey W. Howell 42 05/13/04 Sharon Springs Fire Department Sharon Springs NY
Firefighter Joseph Edward Bowles 58 05/11/04 West Area Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Fayetteville NC
Captain Grady "Roy" Austin 74 05/03/04 Henderson County Fire Department Lexington TN
Irwin "Buzz" Gross 58 05/03/04 Brookline Fire Department Brookline MA
Firefighter/Paramedic Jeffrey Bergstrom 34 04/27/04 Stone Park Fire Department Stone Park IL
Firefighter Alan David Toepke 30 04/24/04 Midewin Interagency Hotshot Crew Wilmington IL
Lieutenant Bruce Rogers 56 04/22/04 Chesterfield Fire Department Chesterfield SC
District Chief Kevin McIntyre 45 04/19/04 Rockford Fire Department Rockford IL
Acting Chief Mike Fenster 57 04/15/04 Capital City Fire/Rescue Juneau AK
Firefighter/EMT Kenneth Eugene Sterling 43 04/10/04 Westview-Fairforest Fire and EMS Department Moore SC
Firefighter Phillip Stephen Hulen 19 04/06/04 Vann Crossroads Fire Department, Inc. Newton Grove NC
EMT Tye Brown 31 04/04/04 Metropolitan Ambulance Service Trust Edwardsville KS
Paramedic Katherine Malone 30 04/04/04 Metropolitan Ambulance Service Trust Edwardsville KS
Probationary Firefighter Kevin Kulow 32 04/04/04 Fire Station 50, Houston Fire Department Houston TX
Supply Lieutenant Jerald Stalker 62 04/03/04 Castleton Volunteer Ambulance Service Castleton NY
Chief James Harold Pennington 63 03/28/04 Unity-Frost Prairie Volunteer Fire Department Crossett AR
Fire Chief Rick Wilbur 56 03/28/04 Eaton Rapids Fire Department Eaton Rapids MI
Firefighter Ken Temke 45 03/25/04 Campbell County Fire District # 5 Alexandria KY
Firefighter Terri Eiland 40 03/21/04 Forts Lake-Franklin Creek Fire Department Moss Point MS
Assistant Chief Mike Lehnen 57 03/20/04 Bethalto Fire Department Bethalto IL
Deputy Chief Victor Scott 61 03/17/04 Otter Creek Volunteer Fire Department Otter Creek FL
Pilot James E. Towell 63 03/16/04 National Aviation Office (NAO) Boise ID
EMT James Dodridge 52 03/15/04 Old Bridge First Aid and Rescue Squad Old Bridge NJ
Firefighter Mario F. Cunha 32 03/14/04 Soledad Fire Department Soledad CA
Probationary Firefighter Robert Griffin 38 03/13/04 Volunteer Fire Department of Prospect Prospect CT
Battalion Chief Charles G. Brace 55 03/13/04 Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Pittsburgh PA
Firefighter Richard A. Stefanakis 51 03/13/04 Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Pittsburgh PA
Lieutenant Mark Miller 43 03/11/04 Laconia Fire Department Laconia NH
Forest Ranger Edward 'Eddie' Peters 40 03/03/04 Florida Division of Forestry Rosewood FL
Firefighter Rich Gabrielli
70
 02/23/04 George G. McMurtry Volunteer Fire Department Vandergrift PA
Firefighter Eddie Conricote
55
 02/23/04 Liberty Township Fire Department Youngstown OH
Deputy Fire Chief Bret Eugene Neff
37
 02/23/04 Harford Fire Department Harford NY
Fire Commissioner Elliott Davis Jr.
51
 02/22/04 Gloster Rural Volunteer Fire Department Gloster MS
Firefighter Steve Fierro
40
 02/22/04 Carthage Fire Department Carthage MO
Captain Kenny Woitalewicz
38
 02/17/04 Wood River Fire Department Wood River NE
Captain Robert Heminger
39
 02/15/04 Wood River Fire Department Wood River NE
Firefighter (Ex-Commissioner) Glenn "Galdo" Galderisi
53
 02/04/04 Pompton Falls Volunteer Fire Department No. 3 Wayne NJ

Click here for listings for 2010 Line of Duty Deaths

Click here for listings for 2009 Line of Duty Deaths

Click here for listings for 2008 Line of Duty Deaths

Click here for listings for 2007 Line of Duty Deaths

Click here for listings for 2006 Line of Duty Deaths

Click here for listings for 2005 Line of Duty Deaths

If you know of a rescue worker who has died in the line of duty that you would like to see me list here, please e-mail me at frrykid@yahoo.com with verifying information so that I don't honor someone too soon.

All Line of Duty Death information verified from firehouse.com and from links on that site and the Montana Fire Services Training School (based in Great Falls) daily newsleter. In some case, Yahoo! Maps provides and/or verifies city and state information. I also use the USFA FireFighters Memorial Database to find missing information.

Any errors that may creep into a new entry (such as a wrong department name, wrong spelling of a name, etc. will be corrected as soon as I can after I am made aware of such an error and have the correct information. Thank you for your understanding.

The background music is "Amazing Grace" by Isaac Watts & John Newton played on the bagpipes.
This version was sequenced by Barry Taylor. The file comes from godsgospel.com.
I wish to thank them very much for allowing me to use this very appropriate piece of music.

Dynamic Drive Link The scrolling function is provided from dynamicdrive.com, from which  free, original DHTML scripts
and components, all of which utilize the latest in DHTML and JavaScript technology, can be obtained!

Last Edited on 05/29/09
by Douglas J. Ochsner, Webmaster

 For broken or incorrect links, please e-mail the Webmaster @
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