Missouri’s fallen firefighters will be remembered during two services at the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City on May 19 and 20.
On Saturday, May 19, a candlelight vigil in honor of all Missouri firefighters who have died while serving their communities throughout the state will be held at the Fire Fighters Memorial.
On Sunday, May 20, the names of three Missouri firefighters who died in the line of duty will be added to the monument wall commemorating firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their fellow Missourians.
The firefighters whose names will be added to the Fire Fighters Line of Duty Memorial Wall are:
· Captain Leslie “Les” Clark, age 80, Dixon Rural Fire Protection District, Jan. 20, 2011. Volunteer firefighter Clark suffered a medical emergency while responding to a reported structure fire in a tanker truck. He had served the Dixon Rural Fire Protection District as a volunteer firefighter for more than 20 years. Clark died from a heart attack.
· Firefighter Henry “Jay” Branscum, age 32, Northeast R-IV Rural Fire Association, Sept. 3, 2011. Firefighter Branscum suffered a fatal medical emergency while working at the scene of a structure fire. He collapsed shortly after battling the fire; his cause of death was later determined to be from a heart attack.
The public is invited to attend at the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri, one block northwest of the I-70 & U.S. Highway 54 interchange, Kingdom City.
The Candlelight vigil is set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19, and the Memorial ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 20.