Wednesday, November 30, 2005  It is with deepest regret and sorrow to report the line-of-duty death of Fire Fighter Donald A. Willard of IAFF Local 108 ? Northampton, Massachusetts. Brother Willard died Thursday, November 17, 2005 of brain cancer. Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 20, 2005 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Ahearn Funeral Home, 783 Bridge Road, Northampton, Massachusetts 01060, (413) 587-0044. The funeral will be held on Monday, November 21, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. also at the Ahearn funeral home.  

Thursday, November 3, 2005  "Firefighter had heart attack trying to save historic Lewiston residence...but never disclosed his history of heart trouble" By Kimberly Bolander, Record Searchlight November 3, 2005 LEWISTON -- A firefighter died after battling a blaze last week that also claimed the 1850s-era home built for this town's founder, Frank B. Lewis. Walter Sykes, 48, of the Lewiston Volunteer Fire Department, was taken ill in the midst of fighting the Oct. 26 fire and later died of a heart attack. The fire destroyed the two-story home of former fire chief Jesse Cox, 63, and his wife, Rosemarie, 62. Sykes moved to Lewiston from Roseville 1½ years ago, Assistant Fire Chief Dan Pulizzano said Wednesday. But the volunteer firefighter never disclosed his history of heart trouble, including suffering a heart attack at age 42 and having two heart stents implanted, Pulizzano said. If fire officials had known, Sykes would not have been allowed to fight fires, Pulizzano said. Yet in fire trainings, "he was able to match anybody else," and enjoyed the fundraising and charity work of firefighting, Pulizzano said. "He was more of a giving guy than people think," he said. "He paid the ultimate price for it, with his death." Jesse Cox, who expressed regret about Sykes' death, said he and his wife of 45 years have been able to salvage their marriage license, some photographs and a doorjamb where their four grown daughters once marked their height. Most everything else is gone, but an upbeat Cox said he's sustained by the community's many offers of help. "I've been a fire chief for so many years and given advice to families that now I have to take: that you're safe, your family's safe, and the rest is just stuff," he said. The Coxes' home, on Lewiston Road and Schoolhouse Road, was originally built as a four-room, one-story building, said Sue Rhodes, an attendant with the Jake Jackson Museum in Weaverville. The Lewis House, later known as the Scott House, then the Cox House, is site 18 in the Trinity County Historic Sites book. Rosemarie Cox said newspapers, once commonly used as insulation, have been found in the ceiling and walls. "The date on one was 1857," she said. "Another one was written in German." The house was built for Lewis, after whom the town is named, and was known as the oldest house in Lewiston. By 1891, the 14-acre parcel overlooking the town was purchased by William J. Scott and his wife, Anna, the historic sites book reads. The Scott family lived there for 60 years and is still prominent in Trinity County. Many members of the Scott family later lived in Trinity Center, Rhodes said. The second-story addition was built in 1896, with more remodeling over the years, the book reads. The Coxes raised their four daughters in the home, but saving it was impossible, Jesse Cox said. After fleeing the burning house himself last week, Cox turned away firefighters who wanted to go inside and fight the flames. "I would sacrifice my house before I would let anybody sacrifice their lives," he said. According to Cox, a fire marshal thinks an airborne ember from the chimney landed on the metal roof, slid off and ignited a corner of the house. From there it spread underneath the house, which sat on pilings. It came up through the first floor, hot and fast, Cox said. After the fire, a rumor spread that perhaps firefighters didn't hurry to the blaze because it was at the home of the former fire chief. Cox and 13 other volunteer firefighters quit the Fire Department in March 2004, after a controversy over public funds. The Lewiston Community Services District board had filed a lawsuit against the firefighters for not releasing all bookkeeping documents, but Cox said he had handed over everything the law required him to. After serving 29 years, he decided it was too legally risky to be a volunteer firefighter, he said then. Despite a bad break with the department, Cox squashed the "delay" rumor Wednesday, saying firefighters did their best at an already involved fire, and he'd like to thank them. "My wife and I appreciate very much what you tried to do and what you did," he said. "We are very grateful." Trinity County Supervisor Bill Chambers of Lewiston, who quit the Fire Department with Cox, also doubts firefighters delayed their rescue efforts. "I don't believe that would ever enter anybody's mind. ... It never did when I was fighting fires," Chambers said. The Coxes are living in a mobile home and travel trailer on their property. Cox, a contractor, plans to rebuild their home. But this time, it will have a room big enough to fit the whole family, he said. "We're supposed to be here," he said. "It's a really nice place to live."  

Thursday, January 13, 2005  From Firehouse.com News Firefighter Robert Dewey Martin, 26, of The Bostic Volunteer Fire Department, died January 9 after attending a strenuous EMT training class. According to Bostic Volunteer Fire Department Chief Randy Jolley, Martin attended an EMT class on Saturday, January 8, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “He was practicing patient assessment which involved lifting and moving patients.” Martin went home after class, and was not complaining of any discomfort. Chief Jolley said. “He woke his wife up at 6 a.m. the following morning, gasping for air. She called 911, and performed mouth to mouth.” He was transported to a local hospital where he died. The official cause of death has yet to be determined. Firefighter Martin was remembered fondly by his co-workers. Chief Jolley described him as, “a real hard worker, a dedicated firefighter and family man.” He had been a firefighter since he was 18, and with The Bostic Volunteer Fire Department since March 2003. Firefighter Martin was buried January 12. He is survived by his wife Daisy and their two children.  

Courtesy of WBBM 780 Radio The Cook County sheriff's office says a north suburban fire department diver was pulled unconscious out of a lake during a training exercise this morning. A Cook County Forest Preserve spokesman says the diver is expected to recover. It was an "equipment malfunction," according to the Cook County Forest Preserve spokesman: The Cook County sheriff's office says a diver for the Park Ridge fire department was pulled unconscious out of Belleau Lake in Park Ridge, about 10:15 a.m., after a diver training exercise that went wrong. Sheriff's office spokeswoman Sally Daly says the diver was revived at the scene. Daly says the training exercise involved divers from five suburban fire departments at Belleau Lake, which is part of the county forest preserve. The injured diver was taken to Lutheran General Hospital. A Forest Preserve spokesman says the diver's injuries are not believed to be life threatening.