By FireRescue1 Staff
WICHITA, Kan. — Firefighters were instructed to remove memorial stickers honoring a fallen colleague from their fire trucks this week.
For the past decade, several Sedgwick County fire trucks bore a memorial sticker for Lt. Bryon “Bubba” Johnson, who was electrocuted on a grass fire call. Following his death, firefighters placed a sticker with his name on several rigs.
However, Fire Chief Tavis Leake ordered crews to remove the five stickers from the trucks, stating it was unauthorized and unfair to families of two other fallen firefighters.
“There is no way that he would want to do anything malicious or dishonor this gentleman,” Assistant Sedgwick County Manager Tom Stolz told KSN. “He just wants to make sure that we are fair and equitable to all of the families of all three of the gentleman who paid the ultimate sacrifice in their job.”
Johnson’s widow, Ariana Davis, opposes the removal of the stickers. “That’s like saying to me or to his children or to these guys it’s not important anymore, but it is important.”
Chief Leake is reviewing the memorial policy, and will decide how to move forward on the issue.