The Columbus Dispatch
COLUMBUS, Ohio — While Cincinnati buries one of its heroes on Wednesday, Columbus firefighters will be on hand to respond to emergencies there.
After legal hurdles and scheduling nightmares, 126 Columbus firefighters will cover shifts to allow Cincinnati firefighters to attend Daryl Gordon’s funeral and honor a man who gave more than 30 years of his life to save others.
Gordon died last week while fighting a fire.
The Columbus firefighters are volunteering on their own off-duty time. Jack Reall, a Columbus battalion chief and fire-union president, said he and others started coordinating the effort on Friday while plans for Gordon’s funeral were being made.
Columbus firefighters will be covering fire equipment only. Other area jurisdictions will help with medical or paramedic runs.
All jurisdictions will work closely with high-ranking Cincinnati firefighters to eliminate confusion on locations of emergencies.
“We got a call from Cincinnati’s (fire union) Friday, and they requested us to come down so they can go to the funeral,” Reall said. “This is a big legal nightmare because I got guys from Columbus working in another city representing Columbus Fire, and so it’s taken quite an effort.”
Columbus safety director George Speaks and Mayor Michael B. Coleman also worked to expedite the process and make sure firefighters could go.
“Our Columbus firefighters are honored to help support the Cincinnati Fire Department during this time of need, and our prayers continue to be with the lost firefighter and his family, as well as those firefighters who serve our communities each and every day,” Coleman said in a statement released by his office.
Gordon, 54, died on Thursday after falling down an elevator shaft during a fire. He has a wife and two young daughters.
The funeral will start at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral in Cincinnati. Burial services will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Springdale.
Many of the Columbus firefighters are heading to Cincinnati tonight to be ready for the 6 a.m. Wednesday shift.
Reall said helping Cincinnati firefighters was too important to pass up.
“A lot of these guys, and we will have a few hundred more going to the funeral, are off duty,” Reall said. “So after doing that they will get up Thursday morning and come back to work.”
Copyright 2015 The Columbus Dispatch
All Rights Reserved