MFRI BULLETIN A P R I L - J U N E
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REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES by Gary E. Warren, Deputy Chief (Retired) Baltimore County Fire Department Chief of Operations and Special Operations
As we continue to mourn the loss of our sister and brothers from the Baltimore City Fire Department, as well as so many others throughout the state this past month, it is also a time to remember those who have died before them in the line of duty. When a tragedy occurs, the fire service family from all over the world comes together as one. This was demonstrated during the Baltimore City funerals. Why is this? Chief Edward F. Croker, FDNY, said it best: “I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do, believe that his is a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice.” Today, Chief Croker’s comments would have spoken of firefighters and first responders, not firemen, but his words still hold true. When you join the fire service, you become part of a family dedicated to protecting life, property, and the environment, and are willing
to sacrifice everything to complete that mission. Maryland has a rich fire service history and has unfortunately experienced many line of duty deaths throughout
the years. From the Eastern Shore to Western Maryland, our line of duty death scrolls have been published. To find our sisters’ and brothers’ line of duty death information, you can visit the Maryland Fire-Rescue Services Memorial’s website at mdfirerescuehero. org. If you visit Annapolis, make time to visit the memorial to honor our heroes. What are the lessons that these heroes want us to learn from their sacrifices? We must celebrate their lives, remember their names, and ensure the lessons
they left us are instilled in the future generations, so their memory will live forever. This is a time to remember all our fallen heroes from across the state. Remember the words of John 15-12, “Greater love hath no man, than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We must never forget their sacrifices! Let us think about that “Greater Love.” When you examine the career or volunteer fire service from our past centuries, you will be hard pressed to find a profession outside the realm of first responders and our Nation’s military that embodies “Greater Love.” This is the bedrock for these professions; to give yourself to something bigger than we could ever be, all for the person beside you inside a hostile environment, or the person you have never met. We will lay down our lives, leaving so much pain and destruction in our absence, and all for what some might ask? We do this because it is the oath we took; it is what we signed up for, or love of the job and each other. We are the people that do not live for tomorrow, we cherish and seize every day. We kiss continued on page 4