BY DAVID J. CAROLAN
On Friday, December 3, 1999, the Worcester (MA) Fire Department responded to a working fire in an abandoned five-story cold storage warehouse. During an attempt to rescue homeless people thought to be in the building, two of the firefighters became lost. Four more firefighters entered the building and attempted to rescue the lost firefighters. The structure then collapsed, killing six good men. These firefighters left behind five wives, 17 children, and a grieving nation suddenly made more aware of the perils of firefighting for firefighters and their families. As one of the speakers at the memorial service would later say, "These men who had so much to lose lost their lives attempting to rescue the least fortunate among us, as well as their fellow firefighters." Their actions highlighted to the nation the values that make the fire service unique and touched a chord in the hearts of firefighters everywhere.
Battalion Chief Jim Jeffries, department chaplain; Firefighter Specialist Joey Reed, head of the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) Honor Guard; and I were sent to represent the LACoFD at a memorial service for these fallen heroes. This is a brief account of that experience.
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