4 Ky. firefighters to be honored during National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Weekend
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Four Kentucky firefighters will be honored during the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend with 140 others on May 6-7 in Maryland.
This year’s tribute will honor 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022 and 65 firefighters who died in previous years.
Each firefighter’s name will be inscribed on a bronze plaque and become a permanent part of the National memorial in honor of their sacrifices. The Kentucky honorees include:
- Fire Chief Jerry “Steve” Ferrell, 63, of the Monticello Fire Department, who died due to complications of cancer, deemed by the State of Kentucky to be in the line of duty
- Battalion Chief Jonathan “Johnnie” Jacobs, 46, of the Georgetown Fire and Rescue, who died due to complications of Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia, a disease associated with long-term exposure to smoke and chemicals, deemed by the state of Kentucky to be a line-of-duty death
- Firefighter John Martin, 62, of the Louisville Fire Department, who died due to complications of cancer, deemed by the state of Kentucky to be a line-of-duty death
- Firefighter Sean McAdam, 49, of the Louisville Fire Department, who responded to a vehicle fire on May 8, 2022 He suffered a stroke while on duty at the fire station on May 9, 2022, and was transported to the hospital where he died on May 11, 2022
On May 6, the National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service is at 7 p.m., and on May 7, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service is at 10 a.m. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas is scheduled to address the thousands of attendees at the Memorial Service on May 7 as well.
At the service, the NFFF will present each family with an American flag that has flown over the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the U.S. Capitol, a badge and a rose.
The NFFF will live stream both events on the NFFF’s website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.
