First responders who lost their lives serving the residents of Cumberland County and Fort Bragg were honored Oct. 13 during the 18th annual Cumberland County Emergency Services Memorial ceremony. Cumberland County Emergency Services, the Fayetteville Fire Department and the Cumberland County Fire Chiefs’ Association organized the event, which was held in front of the Cumberland County Emergency Services Memorial located on the Fayetteville Technical Community College campus.
The names of fallen firefighters and EMS workers were read aloud and a wreath was placed at the memorial. The traditional “Last Alarm” was sounded with the bell ringing three sets of five clangs. The Last Alarm is one of the oldest traditions in fire service and hearkens back to earlier times, before radio communications and computer technology existed, when bells were used to call for help. Large red pull boxes marked “Fire Alarm” were mounted on utility poles and citizens pulled the box to call for help in the event of an emergency. Fire units were dispatched to the location of the box number. When the job was complete, the box was reset and 5-5-5 was tapped out on the fire bell, signaling the assignment was complete.
The names of the first responders listed on the memorial are: Joseph E. Boles, Paul I. Boyer III, William I. Capps, Frank R. Echevarria, Luther P. Horne, Ferrell D. Hood, Jesse M. Jones, Steve E. Russell Jr., David C. Sharp II, Jesse U. Shockley Jr. and John C. Tyner.
The memorial is located at 2201 Hull Road, next to Cumberland Hall on the FTCC campus. Anyone who wishes to purchase a brick or have a brick placed on the memorial walkway can go to www.ccfcanc.com/memorial to place an order or contact Fayetteville Fire Battalion Chief David Richtmeyer at drichtmeyer@ci.fay.nc.us or at 910-433-1342.
For more information about the memorial and the Cumberland County Fire Chiefs’ Association, go to www.ccfcanc.com/memorial.