By Todd South
The Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
ROCK SPRING, Ga. — Even in his “serious” portrait, Walker County firefighter Jarrett Little couldn’t help but smile.
A 10-foot-tall image of the young man beamed down on a crowd of nearly 600 here Sunday in the Walker County Civic Center.
Below the portrait and the stage sat a flag-draped wooden coffin that held the 24-year-old man’s body. Just a few feet away his mother; father; brother Sean, who is also a firefighter; and those who knew him wiped tears and listened to kind words about their Jarrett.
“The one thing Jarrett always did was smile,” Chaplain Neal Brown said. Mr. Brown recounted meeting Mr. Little when the firefighter joined Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue as a 15-year-old Explorer.
“You just couldn’t help but like him,” Mr. Brown said, recalling Mr. Little’s infectious energy.
Mr. Little died Wednesday while on his way to a fire with Walker County Fire and Rescue. The truck he was driving rolled and hit a power pole during a turn onto McFarland Avenue from Mission Ridge Road.
Firefighters Matt Mills and Adam Lozano were hurt in the accident but are recovering at home. Mr. Little died in a hospital.
Fort Oglethorpe Fire Chief Bruce Ballew took the stage and spoke directly to Becky Little, Mr. Little’s mother.
“You are his family, but in this room is a family, a brotherhood of firefighters,” Chief Ballew said, reminding her that family always would support her.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your son,” Chief Ballew said.
Hours earlier, firetrucks stood at intersections from Fort Oglethorpe to Rock Spring. With vehicle lights flashing firefighters from as far away as Atlanta lined the nearly 10-mile route.
A Walker County ladder truck and Fort Oglethorpe ladder truck sat opposite each other with ladders raised just before the entrance to the civic center. An American flag stretched between the extended ladders, pulled taut by a steady breeze.
Below hundreds of area residents, firefighters, police, friends and family awaited the procession. For nearly two hours they stood. Some talked about children, others dinner, most chatted aimlessly or laughed nervously while shifting on sore feet.
But all fell silent when a chorus of blue lights flashed down U.S. 27. A Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office patrol car and seven police motorcycles led the way.
In their wake a line of 45 Walker County emergency vehicles — ladder trucks, engines, pumpers, ambulances, brush trucks — rumbled past.
Near the end, a long red truck, lights wrapped in black, bore the body of Mr. Little.
Once the truck had circled the building and parked in the front a retinue of firefighters lined to lower the casket from atop the truck.
A six-man honor guard, white gloved and dressed in deep blue, turned and marched into the building.
Bagpipes began to play.
The body was lowered and carried into the building by Mr. Little’s fellow firefighters to begin the service.
Seconds after the body entered the building two emergency medical helicopters flew overhead, blades thumping. The machines then looped around and flew back again before leaving.
At the end of the service the honor guard returned to the casket and held the flag tight above the wooden surface as a trumpet played taps.
The flag folded into a creased triangle and handed to Walker Fire Chief Randy Camp, he knelt and gently laid the cloth in Mrs. Little’s hands.
Pinned to her shirt was a photograph of her two sons both dressed in full firefighting gear, both smiling.
Copyright 2009 Chattanooga Publishing Company