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 January 1, 2005.

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 Jason D. Hasenauer 21 12/28/05 Hilton Fire Department Hilton NY
Firefighter Chelsea Garvin 19 12/15/05 Fish River/Marlow Volunteer Fire Department Fairhope AL
Captain Chad Ernest Wessels 31 12/11/05 Briggs Volunteer Fire Department Briggs TX
Captain Richard McCurley 22 12/02/05 New Orleans Fire Department New Orleans LA
Firefighter Christopher James Roy 25 11/28/05 Calera Fire/Rescue Calera AL
President of IAFF Local F61 and Firefighter Robert T. (Tim) Staepel 41 11/25/05 Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia Federal Fire Department Philadelphia PA
Firefighter Charles McKenzie 75 11/23/05 West Van Lear Volunteer Fire Department West Van Lear KY
Firefighter Clint Dewayne Rice 28 11/22/05 Hico Volunteer Fire Department Hico TX
Fire Police Captain James E. Lafferty, Sr. 68 11/14/05 Union City Volunteer Fire Department Union City PA
Captain Firefighter Kevin Joe Foster 41 11/12/05 Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department Ellerslie GA
Chief Max Willard 68 11/12/05 Oakwood Volunteer Fire Department Oakwood VA
Fire Chief Kenneth D. Mitchell 59 11/10/05 Tull Volunteer Fire Department Tull AR
Chief Brian J. Pugh 53 11/08/05 Port of Portland Airport Fire Rescue Department Portland OR
Firefighter Timmy Shane Hardy 32 11/07/05 Neosho Fire Department Neosho MO
Captain Michael J. Bevans 59 11/06/05 North Little Rock Fire Department North Little Rock AR
Assistant Chief James C. Webb, Jr. 41 11/05/05 Bynum Volunteer Fire Department Bynum MI
Firefighter Walter L. Sykes Jr. 48 10/26/05 Lewiston Volunteer Fire Department Lewiston CA
Firefighter (former Chief) Paul Herbert Thorne Sr. 71 10/25/05 Forestville Volunteer Fire Company Upper Marlboro MD
Adjunct Instructor & Altoona Fire Capt. Robert Gallardy 47 10/25/05 Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Allentown PA
Firefighter Franklin Eubanks 47 10/25/05 Arlington Volunteer Fire Department Philadelphia MS
Lieutenant Wendell Jeffrey 47 10/24/05 Memphis Fire Department Memphis TN
Fire Police Captain Peter E. Hotaling, Sr. 57 10/04/05 Claverack Fire District - A.B. Shaw Fire Company Claverack NY
Chief Ed King 55 09/21/05 Reno County Fire District No. 7 Turon KS
Firefighter Trainee Kevin Enfinger 23 09/18/05 Lake County Fire Academy Tavares FL
Chief Henry James Combs 46 09/04/05 Watts Volunteer Fire Department Watts KY
Firefighter Robert Allen Bestgen 51 09/03/05 Osborn Fire Protection District Osborn MI
EMT Ricky Allen "Rick" Seiner 53 09/02/05 Citizen's Memorial Healthcare Ambulance Stockton MO
Firefighter Michael Switala 50 08/28/05 Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 Lower Burrell PA
Fire Police Officer Daniel R Angert 44 08/25/05 Petrolia Volunteer Fire Company Petrolia PA
Firefighter Phil Young 59 08/22/05 Dover Fire Department Dover DE
Fire/Police Officer Joseph F. Walsh 76 08/17/05 Keansburg Fire Department Keansburg NJ
Captain Nicholas Lee Yuselew 47 08/16/05 Pueblo of Zuni Fire/EMS Zuni NM
Sergeant Rodney N. English 48 08/14/05 City of Detroit Fire Department Detroit MI
Fire Chief Edwin Berg 67 08/11/05 North Prairie Fire Department North Prairie WI
Vice President/Firefighter William Bastian 62 08/06/05 West Webster Fire Department Wester NY
Firefighter Chris Kanton 24 08/06/05 Riverside County Fire Department Perris CA
Firefighter Thomas L. Ivey 48 07/26/05 West Iron County Fire Department Iron River MI
Firefighter Donald DeVries 50 07/17/05 Belvidere Fire Department Belvidere SD
Firefighter Todd Blanchard 31 07/14/05 Eastern Wake Fire Department Knightdale NC
Engineer Joe Evans 61 07/10/05 Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Company Bridgeville DE
Fire Apparatus Operator Thomas A. Hurlbert 54 07/07/05 Rockdale County Fire Department Conyers GA
Firefighter Gary Jolley 52 06/28/05 Mount Carmel Volunteer Fire Company Flemingsburg KY
Firefighter John Husser 55 06/28/05 Rockville Centre Fire Department Rockville Centre NY
Firefighter Valeree Claude 33 06/24/05 Pinetop Fire Station 2 Pinetop AZ
Firefighter William McAnally 64 06/22/05 Ossining Fire Department Ossining NY
Chief Keith David Allred 52 06/21/05 West Desert Fire Department Nephi UT
Firefighter Peter Lund 54 06/14/05 Woodmere Fire Department Woodmere, Long Island NY
Firefighter James J. O’Neil 54 06/13/05 Hempstead Fire Department Hempstead NY
Firefighter Bruce Sternberger 56 06/10/05 Hardtner-Elwood Volunteer Fire Department Hardtner KS
Firefighter Crew Supervisor Audie Lee Cross 44 06/03/05 Nevada Division of Forestry Carlin NV
Firefighter Paul Carr 58 05/31/05 Atlantic City Fire Department Atlantic City NJ
Fire-Rescue Recruit Karl "Kliff" Kramer 22 05/28/05 Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Jacksonville FL
Lieutenant Frank J. Kucera 43 05/27/05 Seminole County Fire Rescue Sanford FL
Lieutenant Dennis J. Bottge 53 05/22/05 Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Fire West Palm Beach FL
Assistant Chief Mike Childress 47 05/07/05 Level Cross Volunteer Fire Department Randelman NC
Safety Officer James Michael Ratcliffe 62 05/03/05 Metuchen Fire Department Metuchen NJ
EMT Heidi Behr 23 05/03/05 Riverhead Town Volunteer Ambulance Riverhead NY
Paramedic William Stone 30 05/03/05 Riverhead Town Volunteer Ambulance Riverhead NY
Firefighter Justin P. Faur 23 04/30/05 Otter Creek Fire Department Andover IA
Firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton 27 04/25/05 Amarillo Fire Department Amarillo TX
Pilot Brian Bruns 47 04/20/05 Aero Union Corporation (AUC) Chico CA
Pilot Paul Cockrell 52 04/20/05 Aero Union Corporation (AUC) Chico CA
Pilot Tom Lynch 41 04/20/05 Aero Union Corporation (AUC) Chico CA
Driver/Operator David Wayne O'Conner 38 04/20/05 Memphis Fire Department Memphis TN
Assistant Lieutenant Robert Henderson 38 04/18/05 Evanston Fire Department Evanston WY
Firefighter Jacob Cook 23 04/18/05 Evanston Fire Department Evanston WY
Firefighter Alfred Wohrman 60 04/17/05 Beekman Fire Department Poughquag NY
Firefighter Sally Renee Clark 49 04/16/05 Pleasant Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Laurel MS
Firefighter Dale A. Monica 54 04/16/05 Burke Volunteer Fire Department Burke NY
Firefighter Richard Allen Fast 49 04/11/05 Midway Volunteer Fire Department Alum Bridge WV
Firefighter Trainee Justin M. Wisniewski 18 04/03/05 Southington Fire Department Southington CT
Firefighter William Poage 51 04/02/05 Pintlala Volunteer Fire Department Hope Hull AL
Firefighter/Paramedic Brandon Scott Phillips 26 03/30/05 Keller Fire Department Keller TX
Firefighter Trainee Robert G. Brooks, Sr. 42 03/28/05 Montgomery Fire Department Montgomery NY
Fire Chief Al Wright 51 03/21/05 Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department Hollywood AL
Sgt. Andre Ellis 39 03/16/05 Dixie Suburban Fire Department Louisville KY
Fire Base Manager John Greeno 50 03/10/05 United States Forest Service Sonora CA
Fire Management Officer Charles Edgar 54 03/10/05 United States Forest Service Lufkin TX
Pilot Jose Victor Gonzales 45 03/10/05 United States Forest Service Lufkin TX
Fire Chief Jerry Buehne 64 03/10/05 Affton Fire Protection District Affton MO
Deputy Fire Coordinator/Fire Investigator James E. Mero, Jr. 51 03/09/05 Essex County Office of Emergency Services Elizabethtown NY
Fire Policeman Thomas Mower 62 03/03/05 Goodwill Fire Company #1, Station 77 Glenolden PA
Firefighter Michael Aunkst 45 02/27/05 York County Mutual Aid Benedict NE
Fire Chief Lonnie Wayne Nicklas 39 02/24/05 Shepherd Volunteer Fire Department Shepherd TX
Senior Forest Ranger Henry Hobbs 37 02/21/05 Florida Department of Forestry, Jacksonville Division Bryceville FL
Captain Grady Burke 39 02/19/05 Houston Fire Department Houston TX
EMT Jeff Ferrand 37 02/19/05 Pafford Ambulance Hope AR
EMT John Rook 23 02/19/05 Pafford Ambulance Hope AR
EMT Christopher Klingan 23 02/19/05 Pafford Ambulance Hope AR
Firefighter Michael Mercurio 52 02/18/05 Urbandale Fire Department Urbandale IA
Lieutenant Michael Lee Crawford 51 02/15/05 Carroll County Fire Rescue and EMA Roopville GA
Staff Sergeant (Firefighter) Ray Rangel 29 02/13/05 7th Civil Engineer Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base Abilene TX
Captain Mark McCormack 36 02/13/05 Santa Clara County Fire Department Los Gatos CA
Chief Enginner Angelo Petta 46 02/12/05 Garfield Fire Department Garfield NJ
Firefighter William Pierce 53 02/10/05 Ogdensburg Fire Department Ogdensburg NJ
Firefighter Todd Smith 31 02/06/05 New Paltz Fire Department New Paltz NY
Captain William 'Bill' Goodin 56 02/05/05 Mt. Victory Fire Department Pulaski County KY
Firefighter William R. Hudson 50 02/03/05 Salem Fire Department Salem MA
Firefighter Donald Conner 74 01/26/05 Brooken Volunteer Fire Department Stigler OK
Firefighter Richard T. Sclafani 37 01/24/05 Ladder 103, New York City Fire Department New York NY
Fire Lieutenant John G. Bellew 37 01/24/05 Ladder 27, New York City Fire Department New York NY
Lieutenant Curtis W. Meyran 46 01/24/05 Battalion 26, New York City Fire Department New York NY
Assistant Fire Chief Micheal Falkouski 59 01/23/05 Rensselaer Fire Department Rensselaer NY
Fire Equipment Operator Timmy Young 41 01/20/05 Columbia Fire Department Columbia SC
Capt. Scott Thornton 39 01/20/05 Summit Township Fire Summit Township MI
Firefighter Walter "Matt" Sarnoski 19 01/20/05 Sabula Fire Station DuBois PA
Firefighter Mark Noble 46 01/15/05 Olympia Fire Department Olympia WA
Forestry Technician Jerry W. Hopper 61 01/11/05 Tennessee Division of Agriculture Nashville TN
Deputy Chief Joseph Edward VonHandorf 52 01/11/05 Chelsea Fire Department Chelsea MA
Firefighter James Fugate 20 01/11/05 Collinsville Fire Department Collinsville OK
Firefighter Robert Dewey Martin 26 01/09/05 Bostic Volunteer Fire Department Bostic NC
Fire Lieutenant and Fire and Emergency Training Network Instructor Christopher DeWolf 41 01/06/05 Newington Fire Department Newington NH
Firefighter Carl E. Sherman 66 01/04/05 Southington Fire Department Southington CT
EMT Terry Lee Pearson 48 01/04/05 Roseau Area Hospital and Homes Roseau MN
Captain Ornell E. Fuller, Jr. 40 01/03/05 Midway Volunteer Fire Department Dexter NM

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 2004 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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