2009 Firefighters Memorial Service
Firefighters, families, and friends gathered at the Chatham County Firefighters Memorial on Sunday, October 4, 2009 to remember the two dozen firefighters who have died in the line of duty in Chatham County.
The ceremony is hosted by Savannah Fire & Emergency Services. The Chatham County Fire Chiefs Association sponsors the event with a formal ceremony held at our local memorial, and a fellowship meal inside the station immediately following the event.
Following SFES Captain Desmond Small's rendition of the National Anthem, proclamations were read by Alderman Tony Thomas for the City of Savannah, and by Chatham County Commission Chariman Pete Liakakis in honor of the memorial.
Dennis Garden, a burn survivor and President of the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, provided the keynote address.
During the cermeony, firefighters laid a rose on the memorial for each of the 25 whose names appear on the stone. As each name was read, the historic fire bell (Big Duke) rang out. The Savannah Pipe & Drum Corps played during this solemn portion of the program. The ceremony closed with the final alarm 5-5-5-5 struck on a truck's bell, then taps.
The family of Savannah Firefighter Norman Simmons joined us again this year to honor their loved one. Simmons died in the line of duty in 1991. His family joins us each year to celebrate his life and support those who continue the service.
This year's ceremony was dedicated to the memory of retired SFES Captain Phillip Lightfoot, who founded the Chatham County Firefighters Memorial Committee. An engraved marble slab, honoring his service, rests beneath "Big Duke"
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