By Tim Hahn and Ron Leonardi
Erie Times-News
FROSTPROOF, Fla. — Shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, flags at all Erie fire stations were lowered to half-staff in honor of Erie firefighter Steven McKenrick.
McKenrick, 44, of Lake City, a 14-year-member with the Erie Bureau of Fire, died late Thursday afternoon at a Florida hospital from injuries suffered in a two-vehicle crash Tuesday night on U.S. Highway 27 in Frostproof, Florida.
McKenrick’s mother and another motorist were also killed in the crash, which occurred at about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to Michele Cash, a public information officer for the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office.
McKenrick, an organ donor, was taken off life support Thursday at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center in Lakeland, Fla., Erie Fire Chief Guy Santone said.
“It’s like losing one of your children,’' Santone said. “Steve was an outstanding firefighter, but even more so, he was a great human being. He got along with everybody. Steve was very laid back, a great guy, and very level headed.’'
Santone notified the 137 fire bureau members of McKenrick’s death Thursday evening.
“All the guys are hurting, and we’re sorry to see him go,’' Santone said. “We’re going to miss him.’'
McKenrick was married and was the father of two children.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, McKenrick was driving a 2006 Lincoln Town Car south on U.S. 27 when a 2000 Ford Expedition that was traveling north left the roadway, crossed over the grassy median and collided with the Town Car.
McKenrick’s mother, Kathryn McKenrick, 71, of Edinboro, was killed in the crash, according to Cash. Also killed was the driver of the Ford Expedition, Jacquell Bradwell, 31, of Lake Wales, Florida, she said.
McKenrick’s sister, Janice Servick, 49, of Maumee, Ohio, was also critically injured in the crash. A passenger in the Ford Expedition, Angelica Hampton, 28, of Lake Wales, Florida, was in stable condition at Lakeland Regional Health Center, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities are still investigating the crash to determine how it occurred, Cash said.
Santone said McKenrick and his sister flew to Florida to visit their father, James, who recently underwent open-heart surgery and was recovering at Winter Haven Hospital at the time of the crash. Kathryn McKenrick was a winter resident in Sebring, Florida, with her husband.
“Steve had a lot of irons in the fire. He loved coaching his son in baseball,’' said Shawn Lawry, an Erie Bureau of Fire captain with Engine 12 who was assigned acting deputy fire chief duties Thursday night.
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“Every fourth day, you work 24 hours and you have three days off. This is such a family atmosphere here,’' Lawry said. “You live with them, you eat with them and you take a lot of what you experience back home. Every one of the crews is its own family unit. This is like a second family.’'
McKenrick was hired onto the Erie Bureau of Fire in June 2003 and spent the past six years as a driver-operator with Tower 2 at Central Station. He was a board member with the Erie Firefighters Local 293 union, Santone said.
“We see death and loss on a daily basis, but it touches us in a different way when it’s one of yours,’' Lawry said.
Copyright 2017 the Erie Times-News