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380AEW Article

Airman receives 'Final Alarm' call heard round the world

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  They stood rigid and tall in a row, with somber faces, eyes fixed forward. The gleaming brass bell's tone sliced through the silence at exactly 9 a.m. - ringing once, twice and a final third time to complete the firefighter's Last Alarm Call. For the next 30 seconds, the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters here paused to honor their fallen comrade, Airman 1st Class Derek Kozorosky in a ceremony held Feb. 16.

Airman Kozorosky wasn't assigned here and most of those attending the solemn ceremony had never heard his name until recently. However, as a fellow firefighter, the loss was felt around the world. Airman Kozorosky died Feb. 11 following a vehicle incident at Kadena Air Base, Japan, where he was assigned to the Fire Emergency Services Flight, 18th Civil Engineer Squadron, 18th Civil Engineer Group.

Ceremonies such as this one occur Air Force-wide all over the world. The ceremony here was timed specifically to coincide exactly with the memorial service held at Kadena.

Airman 1st Class Parker Bass was chosen to hold the fireman's axe during the recent ceremony. "Even though this was my first "Last Call" for a fallen brother, I don't think I really knew how much it meant until that time came. Holding the axe while that final bell rang really helped me understand what [the ceremony] signified and [that this] was a moment I will carry with me for the rest of my firefighter career."

Ceremonies like this one are repeated numerous times at bases throughout the Air Force to honor a fallen fellow firefighter, using a brass bell, the firefighter's gear and a bunker. However, finding a brass bell at the last minute at this base in Southwest Asia presented a mighty challenge to the 380th Fire Dawgs.

Senior Airman Tyler Hackbarth and Staff Sgt. John Brown located the base's only bell, brass or otherwise, at the outdoor pavilion, where it was apparent that time had taken its toll on this piece of equipment. The two ECES members took the bell and, after a couple of hours, polished it back to a condition suitable to serve in the honor of Airman Kozorosky's Last Alarm.

"Bringing [the bell] back to almost its original luster gave me pride in knowing that it was showing homage to an individual who gave his all for his job and, sadly, paid the price with his life," said Sergeant Brown.

The next obstacle the Fire Dawgs had to overcome was how to suspend this newly shined brass bell at the fire station so it would ring loud and clear. Its current home was a rusty chain hanging from the top of the pavilion tent. They needed some sort of independent, free-standing support.

Half a dozen Airmen from the 380th ECES fabrication shop jumped in to help. Starting with a basic design in mind, they gathered materiel for a base. As the night wore on, the project began to take on a life of its own. "As we began fabricating, things just started to fall into place," said Airman 1st Class Kyle Ramon, "and we slowly got away from the design we had in mind and started making it with our own touch. We all wanted the stand to be worthy of what it was made to represent."

Painted red to match the Fire Dawgs theme, metal uprights were added to suspend the bell from the strong wooden base. "From then on out it was all custom and a big team effort to help finish on time," said Airman Ramon. By the next morning, the finished product was ready to support the polished brass bell for this firefighters' Last Alarm Call.

The firefighters who participated in the Last Alarm Call for Airman Kozorosky understood the meaning of this somber event. But for some, this was the first one at a deployed location. "Even though we may not have known Airman Kozorosky personally," said Tech. Sgt. Matt Kissel, 380th ECES, "we still feel remorse and sadness for not only him but his family and co-workers as well. Airman Kozorosky may be gone, but he will never be forgotten."

After the bell's final ring, the gathered firefighters stood in deathly silence; firefighter Kozorosky was unable to answer the roll call-- he has been reassigned to the "Department of Heroes." (Also contributing to this story was Master Sgt. Mike Hammond, 379th AEW/PA.)