By FireRescue1 Staff
FALL RIVER, Mass. — The city and its current firefighters are honoring all fallen firefighters this weekend during an annual ceremony at the Firefighter Memorial at Kennedy Park.
The public and city firefighters are coming together to remember and honor six retired city firefighters who died last year, The Herald News reports.
They are remembering: Lt. Robert Fortin, 57, who died three years after retirement; District Chief Medrick Lavallee, 98, a World War II veteran; Firefighter Frank Crofton, 92; Lt. Lionel “Zip” DuPont, 96; Lt. Joseph Michael Wrobleski, 91; and Lt. Joe “Fumes” Medeiros, 91.
Wrobleski and Medeiros died nearly 30 years after retirement.
The ceremony is part of an annual nationwide day of remembrance to honor firefighters, those who died while on active duty and even after retirement, said Fire Chief John Lynch.
“We look at that monument and realize that on any given day, my name could be on there,” said Lynch.
The ceremony serves as a way for others to give thanks to fallen firefighters. Lynch hopes the ceremony raises awareness about firefighter sacrifices and about the Firefighter Memorial at Kennedy Park.