CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor Patrick Morrisey, fire service leaders of the state, and families of fallen firefighters joined together Sunday afternoon outside the state cultural center to honor the lives of those who gave their lives serving West Virginia.
Between the men that gave their life as a firefighter, there was a total of 125 years of service.
“These fallen fire heroes knew their calling and made sacrifices of family time with their loved ones, which is the greatest sacrifice,” state Fire Marshal Ken Tyree said during the ceremony.
“They served their communities and neighboring communities with dignity, ending with the ultimate sacrifice of their last breath,” he continued.
Morrisey says being a firefighter takes a special individual who is willing to put others first.
“Firefighting is not for the faint of heart, but it’s for those who are not afraid to step up and to make sure they’re doing everything they can to lookout for their fellow man,” he said.
He says firefighters have to put others before their own families — something that not many people are willing to do.
“They leave their families in the middle of the night to make sure others are safe and then their families hold their hearts in their clutches, not knowing what is going to happen to them,” Morrisey said. “My thanks go out, not only to the firemen who are here today, but to the families of those every day that have to watch their loved ones dive into harm’s way.”