Firefighters remember fallen colleagues, begin yearly convention”Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
That portion of the Gospel of John describes the love that all firefighters must have for their fellow man to save lives and property, the Rev. M.L. Stringfellow said Sunday. It’s not about liking the trucks or enjoying the act of putting out the fire, he said, because few men would find much to like about fighting a blaze with water in subzero temperatures.
“It’s all about love,” Stringfellow told those gathered at Hopwood United Methodist Church for the 80th annual memorial service of the Fayette County Firemen’s Association .
The annual service is held at the beginning of the Fayette County Firemen’s Convention to remember the firefighters who loved and served their communities yet “answered that last bell” in the past year.
Hopwood Fire Department Assistant Chief Scott Conn explained that the “last bell” is a longstanding tradition in the firefighting service, as many volunteers are lifetime members.
This year, participants rang the bell, mounted on a Farmington Fire Department truck, and placed a white carnation on a cross for each of the 37 Fayette County firefighters that passed away in the last year.
As a way of thanking the fire companies represented in the audience, firemen’s association Secretary Larry Abel called for the bell to be sounded another three times.
Also, bagpipers from New Haven Hose played after the solitary notes of “Taps” echoed through the church.
Rev. Stringfellow marveled at the love that firefighters show for their community when they respond when the alarm bell sounds.
“It’s not a question of where is the fire or will I go, but that you are a firefighter and do go,” he said.
To show the depth of love and the height of courage needed to serve as a firefighter, Rev. Stringfellow cited those who rushed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
“They went in knowing that the building had been struck by a plane with only the thought to get as many people clear as possible,” he said.
Standing at the front of the church, Fayette County Firemen’s Association Chaplain Roye Leckemby spoke out against the removal of God from everyday life. He indicated that the American spirit of patriotism and love of fellow man flows from the Christian principles espoused when the United States was founded.
“Look how many firemen have been lost since 9-11, and some pretty close to home,” Leckemby said, adding that the resurgence of patriotism since the September tragedy needs to be maintained, not removed. “Without God, our national spirit will slowly be killed.”
Echoing that sentiment, Stringfellow said that if love was all that was needed, no fire company would ever want for equipment.
Along those lines, legislation that would provide funding for volunteer fire departments is pending in the state Legislature, and Conn said such a financial boost would go a long way toward helping his and other organizations.
Conn said the legislation and other issues may come up for discussion at the annual meeting, scheduled for Saturday, the last day of the convention.
The Farmington and Hopwood departments are co-hosting this year’s convention. Several inter-department competitions, entertainment and family fun activities are scheduled throughout the week at the Farmington Fire Hall.