Deployed Airmen honor fallen firefighters

Published Oct. 6, 2008
By Master Sgt. Brian Davidson
447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- A firefighter's gear, complete with a silver suit, boots, a polished helmet and even the traditional red suspenders sat alone as a symbol of those who have given their lives in the line of duty. Nearby, Air Force firefighters and emergency medical personnel who are deployed to Iraq bowed their heads for a moment of reflection and prayer in observance of National Fallen Firefighters Day Oct. 5.

The memorial included the symbolic firefighter's gear sitting in the shadow of a fire truck, a bell that tolled nine times, the base Honor Guard lowering the flag to half staff and words from the 447th Air Expeditionary Group fire chief for comrades who have given their lives selflessly so others may live.

"The uniform is placed at the ready, but (it) is a symbol that those whom we have loved and lost will wear it no more," Chief Master Sgt. John Cinquemani said with a heavy New York brogue. "When a firefighter dies, it's the mournful toll of the bell that solemnly announces their passing. It is this tradition that reflects honor on those who have given so much and have served so well. It symbolizes the devotion that these brave souls had for their duty."

As the morning sun rose over the horizon of Baghdad International Airport, Master Sgt. Jeffrey Cable, a firefighter with the 447th ECES, tolled the bell.

The Airmen firefighters deployed here are charged with fire protection for Sather Air Base and the airfield of the Baghdad airport. The memorial service carries significant meaning for many of them because they are also members of the New York Air National Guard. These firefighters know firsthand from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, what sacrifice really means.

Public Law 107-51 was created by the 107th Congress and signed into law Oct. 16, 2001. It called for the American flag to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service that is held annually in Emitsburg, Md.

"And so to those who have selflessly devoted their lives for the good of their fellow man: their tasks are completed, their duties well done," Cinquemani continued. "To our comrades: their last alarm--for they are going home."