By William J. Kemble
Daily Freeman
STONE RIDGE, N.Y. — The community of firefighters and emergency services on Wednesday remembered the late Cottekill Fire Chief David A. Gagnon, who died in the line of duty on Friday, as an inspiration who showed the type of dedication throughout life that keeps everyone’s family and friends safe.
During preparations for the July 8 funeral mass, Highland Fire Department Assistant Chief John Gallagher said the procession of regional volunteers that brought Gagnon through an arch of tall fire ladders topped with the American flag is a testament to deep recognition of a life invested in making the community a better place.
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“He was a colonel in the United States Army,” he said. “He dedicated his life not only to his country, state and nation, but to the small town of Cottekill.”
Dying “in the line of duty” became a very real phrase over and over again for the people who themselves recognized that their own service carries risk.
“Anytime the pager goes off, you don’t know what you’re going to be encountering, and there is always a possibility that something fatal can happen,” Gallagher said. “We don’t operate that way. We try to operate so that never happens, but sometimes in life things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it, no matter how much training or anything you’ve had. This is a very dangerous profession whether you’re paid or volunteer. Being in a fire department, EMS, police, the situation can arise where your life is going to be (in) jeopardy and that’s how it hits a soul.”
Cottekill volunteers on July 3 responded to a fallen tree call in Rosendale when Gagnon was struck by a portion of the tree that unexpectedly snapped, officials have said.
Gagnon, 58, served as a Cottekill fire volunteer for 30 years. He is survived by his daughter Andrea Gagnon and her mother Nora Gagnon; three grandchildren, life partner Jennifer Cameron; his father Daniel Gagnon; brother Daniel Gagnon; and sister Michelle Haller.
Gagnon also had a 35-year career in the New York Army National Guard, served in Iraq, participated in the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, and worked during the recovery effort following Hurricane Sandy.
Cottekill Fire Department Captain Wayne Roosa said Gagnon was able to put his entire background together for the good of the community.
“Dave as a leader is outstanding, is very fair, very levelheaded with all the experience he had in the United States Army, Boy Scouts, Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “He was a multi-functional person.”
Roosa said it had started to sink in that he was standing side-by-side with Gagnon when the tree came down.
“I had turned a little bit to the left and at that point the tree came down,” he said. “The tree branches hit me and I turned around and he was gone. All I could see was part of him sticking out from under the tree and everybody reacting, and we did what we were trained to do.”
Ulster County Emergency Services Commissioner Everett Erichsen said leadership skills were important qualities to have in a small volunteer force.
“Keeping a volunteer department together is very, very hard,” he said. “You have different personalities you’re dealing with, you have to listen to them, understand them, and be willing to convince them to do the really hard things as a volunteer firefighter. He was able to do that.”
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