Maryland Fire-Rescue Services Memorial Foundation

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Maryland Fire-Rescue Services Memorial Foundation

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Established to support the Maryland Fire & EMS Services honoring those who have given their lives. Hands are reaching out, touching.

Maryland Memorial and its meaning

BETWEEN MORNING AND MIDNIGHT

The Firefighter and EMS provider are ascending the staircase of time as they depart from this world. They are running to their calling to do the job of serving our community with strength, determination and sacrifice as if going to war. The second before their life is consumed they reflect and turn to their loved ones to say their farewells for the last time. The lower area represents our world of family and community occupied by the kneeling mother, supporting child and elderly man. There is room for the visitors to join and take part in the memorial. The upper stairs are raised up and separated from the lower area distinguishing the two worlds, rising above and ascending the staircase. The fire and rescue persons turn to reflect on their departing world. The seven ascending steps represent the seven days of the week. Every day they go to work to serve and protect our lives while never knowing when that tragic day may come. A keystone with the bronze bagpipe signifies the sounds of ceremony and the threshold of the spiritual world. The Firefighter and EMS provider represent all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to serve and also all those who continue and have selflessly served our needs. The kneeling woman represents the mother left behind, shocked, surprised, passionately reaching out to her lost one to touch and say goodbye one last time. The child is consoling and supporting the mother. The elderly man is an old sage who shares knowledge of grief and purpose. As this is a continuing challenge we face, the mother stands for the present time in which we must deal with this sacrifice, the elderly man stands for the past wisdom and understanding of the ways all things fit together, and the child stands for the future and those who will come to show compassion, support and serve. All figures are reaching out to touch, console, say goodbye and share their lost love. The sculpture represents our community showing gratitude while proudly honoring those who serve. Artist Rodney Carroll

Baltimore, MD

10/23/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes.
Independent Hose Company ~ Frederick County ~ Maryland
October 22,1902
An alarm had been sounded at midnight . Fireman Charles B. Shope responded to the fire pulling a man-drawn hose reel from Independent Hose Company No.1.
Fireman John Francis Smith, from Junior Fire Company No.2, saw that Fireman Shope was struggling and went to assist him. The following is paraphrased from Fireman Smith's eyewitness account: "An alarm was sounded at midnight and I over took a reel belonging to one of the other companies being dragged slowly down the street by a man far past his youth. As I caught the tongue of the hose reel, I cried to him to hasten, but with a voice weak from illness and fatigue Fireman Shope answered
"I can't, I'm played out ". He then staggered, went down on the pavement, and in a few minutes was dead. "
Fireman Charles Buckey Shope was 67 years old and had served 26 years.
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Baltimore County F.D. ~ Baltimore County ~ Maryland
October 22,1984
On Monday, October 22,1984 @ 13:33 hrs: Baltimore County Fire Box 6-2 was alerted for a reported building fire at the Shiller's Furniture & Appliance Store in the 7400 block of Holabird Avenue.
At 13:37: BCo. E-6 & E-61, out of the Dundalk Station, arrived at location with a 210' x 130' 2 story block building, heavy smoke and fire showing.
At 13:41 hrs: Crews from Engine 6 & 61 started an aggressive interior attack and a 2nd alarm assignment was requested . As firefighters were stretching hose lines to the interior of the building, they saw that the building had a third floor that was not visible from the exterior.
At 13:52 hrs: 3rd alarm assignment was requested and conditions deteriorated rapidly. While exiting the building ,a firefighter reported interior backdraft conditions and reported three firefighters were still inside the structure.
Several unsuccessful attempts were made to knock down the heavy fire in the rear of the building so that crews could re-enter the structure and search for the three trapped firefighters.
Moments later, it was erroneously reported that three firefighters had been found exiting the rear of the building.
At 14:12 hrs: 4th alarm assignment was requested.
At 14:32 hrs: 5th alarm assignment was requested
At 14:55 hrs: special call requesting 4 additional engines
At 14:55 hrs: A roll call of all fire department personnel on the fire ground was conducted and three Firefighters were unaccounted for. Again, search & rescue efforts to find the 3 missing firefighters commenced but were majorly impeded due to multiple structural collapses that had occurred.
On the evening of Monday October 22,1984 ,the bodies of Firefighter Walter J.Bawroski,Sr. & Firefighter Henry W.Rayner,Jr. were located and recovered.
During the early morning hours of Tuesday October 23, 1984, the body of Firefighter James A. Kimbel was located and recovered .
Firefighter Walter Joseph Bawroski, Sr. (Sta. 6~Dundalk) was 38 years old and had served 15 years.
Firefighter Henry William Rayner,Jr. (Sta.6~Dundalk) was 32 years old and had served 4 years.
Firefighter James Alan Kimbel (Sta.6~Dundalk) was 24 years old and had served 2 years.

10/23/2026

.Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes
Hyattsville VFD ~ Prince George's County~ Maryland
October 21,1953
Hyattsville VFD's Truck 1 had cleared a reported trash fire and was returning to Station 1 on Farragout St.
Suddenly, a produce-laden truck from Philadelphia side-swiped the ladder truck causing Firefighter John T. Streets and Firefighter William R. Stainback to be hurled through the air and into the street, fatally injuring both firefighters. Two Hyattsville policemen were eye witnesses to the incident and went in pursuit of the produce truck ,stopping it just before the Maryland /DC line, and apprehending the driver & his helper, both of whom were reported to be drunk.
Firefighter John T.Streets was 40 years old and had served for 2 years.
Firefighter William R. Stainback was 35 years old. Number of years served are unknown at this time.

10/23/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes Baltimore City Fire Department ~ Baltimore ~ Maryland .
October 20,1925 .
On April 20, 1925, Box 3422 was sounded at 3:32 a.m. The Lyceum Theatre was afire and would realize 5 alarms, a special call for Chemical Foamite Co.No.1, and 12+ hours, before the stubborn blaze was extinguished. Battalion Chief No. 3, Charles E. Rice , "caught a heavy cold" while at that fire that plagued him for weeks and with no signs of improvement, he went "off-sick" on July 25,1925 . Chief Rice, his health continuing to deteriorate, remained "off-sick" until his death on October 20,1925.
Chief Charles E .Rice was 56 years old and had served for 33 years.

10/19/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes.
Westminster Fire Eng.&Hose Co.1~Carroll County~Maryland
October 19, 1996
Firefighter/Fire Policeman Eugene Bauerlien had been on-duty all morning at the Westminster VFC cooking for the fire company's pancake breakfast. At about 11 am, he took off his apron, donned his fire police attire, and headed up to the Western Maryland College campus, located on the west end of the City of Westminster, to assist with directing college homecoming traffic .
Afterwards, FP Bauerlien returned to the Westminster VFC pancake breakfast to help with cleanup and suffered sudden cardiac arrest. Sadly, all resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
Firefighter/Fire Policeman Eugene Bauerlien was 72 years old and had served 22.5 years.
Frederick County DFRS ~ Frederick County ~ Maryland
October 19,2013
Firefighter Kevin W. Jenkins, having been exposed to various carcinogens and toxins during his 26+ years of service as a firefighter, and after a courageous and hard fought battle, Firefighter Jenkins died as a result of occupational cancer/liver.
Firefighter Jenkins joined the United Steam Fire Engine Company #3 as a volunteer in 1987 and earned his Life Member status. He joined the ranks of the Frederick County DFRS as a career firefighter in July of 2000, first being stationed at Independent Hose Company #1, and later at Green Valley Substation, where he worked until his occupational disease disability retirement in 2012.
Firefighter Kevin Wayne Jenkins was 44 years old and had served 26 years.
Baltimore City Fire Department ~ Baltimore ~ Maryland.

On the afternoon of October 19, 2023, at approximately 3:42 pm, Box Alarm 46-40 was dispatched for a report of a dwelling fire in the 5200 block of Linden Heights Avenue in West Baltimore. Units arrived on the scene to find a two-story middle of the group dwelling with heavy fire conditions.
One of the first responding units to arrive on the scene was Engine Company #29 of which EMT/FF Rodney W. Pitts, III was assigned.
During his dire efforts to battle and extinguish this fire, EMT/FF Pitts suffered severe injuries, was emergently treated at the scene, then transported to an area hospital. Tragically, EMT/FF Pitts succumbed to his injuries.

The heroic & gallant efforts of EMT/Firefighter Rodney W. Pitts, III will forever remain in the hearts of the members of the Baltimore City Fire Department.
EMT/Firefighter Rodney William Pitts, III was 31 years old and had faithfully served the citizens of his hometown as a Baltimore City Fire Department EMT/Firefighter for 1 year.

10/18/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes.
Junior Fire Company No.2 ~ Frederick County ~ Maryland
On July 14, 1902 , an alarm rang out for a building fire at the Montevue Asylum. Units from Junior, Independent,& United Fire Companies arrived to find heavy fire from the windows of the south wing of the hospital. All of the patients had been safely evacuated .The fire companies worked hard for hours and successfully kept the fire contained to the south wing, sparing the rest of hospital from destruction. Firefighter J. William Betson, from Junior Fire Company No.2, developed pneumonia from which he never recovered. His health continued to deteriorate throughout the summer and into the autumn.
On October 18, 1902, Firefighter Betson died from "pneumonia & heart failure". Firefighter J. William Betson was 22 years old and had served 3 years.

10/16/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes
BCoFD ~ Baltimore County ~ Maryland
October 16, 2008
On October 15,2008, Paramedic/Firefighter Brian D.Neville, assigned to BCoFD Station 11, was detailed to BCoFD Station 17/ EMS7 to serve as Acting EMS Lieutenant/ District Supervisor.
At shift change, on the morning of October 16,2008, colleagues went to EMS 7's quarters to relieve Paramedic Neville and found him deceased.
The State Medical Examiner later determined that Paramedic Neville had suffered sudden cardiac arrest due to arrhythmia.
Paramedic Neville was considered a role model for younger paramedics and will be remembered for his selfless service to others and his dedication to his family.
Posthumously‚ Paramedic Neville received the 2009 Maryland Region American Legion EMS ‘Provider of the Year’ award for saving the life of a ten-year-old boy who was severely bitten by a neighbor’s dog. The boy’s femoral artery was severed‚ but he underwent surgery and has returned to a normal life‚ including playing football.
Paramedic/Firefighter Brian Dennis Neville was 32 years old and had served 7 years.

Stockton Volunteer Fire Department ~ Worcester County ~ Maryland.
October 16 ,2022.
On the morning of October 16, 2022, Neil Payne, Chief of the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company, was in the Command Car when he suffered a medical emergency. Chief Payne was able to radio for help and attempted to render aide to himself. Responding crews arrived to find Chief Payne semi-conscious but his condition quickly deteriorated into cardiac arrest and he was transported to Tidal Health Peninsula Regional Medical Center. Sadly, the valiant efforts provided by Fire & EMS personnel and of medical center staff were unsuccessful and Chief Payne was pronounced deceased at the very hospital in which he was born.
Neil Payne joined the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company on January 7, 1986 and just 6 years later was elected as Fire Chief, a position he held, and for which he faithfully served, for the better part of 30 consecutive years, earning Chief Payne the distinction of being the longest serving Fire Chief in Worcester County. Chief Neil Payne was the heart and soul of the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company. He was looking forward to the arrival of the recently ordered new fire engine, and to the upcoming 100th anniversary celebration of the Stockton VFC. Most importantly, Neil was a loving husband to his wife of 38 years, Dawn; a devoted father to his daughter Shelby Heiser and his son Brock Payne, who followed in his Dad’s footsteps, becoming a member of Stockton and serving as the Rescue Captain; and of course the proud grandfather of Wesley and Kinsley Heiser, who he dearly loved and who were his pride and joy. Neil’s passing is a huge loss to his family, to his fire company family, and to the citizens he served for nearly four decades; but, as Neil would say “ one clown doesn’t shut down the circus.” So, we honor him by getting back to the job of protecting Worcester County and Northern Accomack County, VA. Chief Neil Alan Payne was 59 years old and had faithfully served in Fire & EMS for 36 years.

10/15/2026

Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes
Baltimore City Fire Department ~ Baltimore ~ Maryland
October 15,1985
Fifth Battalion Chief Ralph R. Newell was in his office and had started on daily paperwork when Lt. LeGrand (E-23) found the Chief in cardiac arrest. C.P.R. was started and the rest of the company, along with Ambulance 1, was called to assist.
Chief Newell was transported to University Hospital where, sadly, he was pronounced dead.
Fifth Battalion Chief Ralph R. Newell, a veteran of the United States Army , was 57 years old & had served in the BCFD for 35 years.

10/14/2026

.Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes..

Baltimore City Fire Department ~ Baltimore ~ Maryland
October 14, 1937

On October 13, 1937, Box No. 528 sounded at 9:01 p.m. A 3-story brick loft building, southwest corner of Hanover and Perry Sts. was afire. The H.H. Hoffenberg Printers occupied the lower floor and the Gordon-Lavin Paper Box Co., the upper floors. Five alarms were sounded as the fire took hold of the building.
Early on, Lieutenant James K. Harrison was killed when he was crushed by a falling brick wall.
Several hours later, on October 14,1937, while racking up a hose line on the fire ground, Fireman John H. Sommers, No.15 Engine Company, suffered sudden cardiac arrest and was transported to South Baltimore General where, sadly, he was pronounced D.O.A.
Fireman John H. Sommers had served for 6 years. His age is unknown at this time.
Bowman Addition VFD ~ Allegany County ~ Maryland .
October 14, 1946.
Late in the evening on Saturday October 12, 1946, Bowman’s Addition VFD was responding in their 1933 Ford Fire apparatus to assist Bedford Road VFC for a working house fire on Bedford Road. The Bowman's Addition unit was traveling on a narrow dirt road called Peavine Run & was nearing Bedford Road when the right rear wheel hit a patch of wet leaves, sending the unit into a spin, resulting in the truck crashing over an embankment. The engine's driver & four firemen riding on the unit were not injured. However, the 4 firemen riding the back step were thrown off the truck and were transported to Allegany Hospital. Three of them were treated for multiple lacerations, bumps,and bruises. Tragically, the 4th man, Firefighter Bruce Fulk, suffered severe injuries including a fractured skull and was admitted to the hospital. Sadly, on Monday October 14,1946 at 3:30 a.m., Firefighter Fulk died from the injuries he suffered.
Firefighter Fulk was a United States Army Veteran of WW I & a recipient of the Bronze Star for being wounded in the Meuse Argonne battle. He was the father of 11 children. .
Firefighter Bruce Christian Fulk was 51 years old. Number of years served is unknown at this time. .
Narrative paraphrased from Oct 15 1946 edition of the Cumberland News including statements made by investigating Trooper William McElfish.
Mrs. Fulk predeceased her husband; hence, when Firefighter Fulk died, his 11 children became orphans.

10/13/2026

.Honoring & Remembering Maryland Fallen Heroes.

Baltimore County Fire Department ~ Baltimore County ~ Maryland.
October 13, 1910
For over 100 years, Mt.Washington, Govans, Highlandtown, & Canton have been Baltimore City neighborhoods; however, prior to being annexed in 1919, those, & several other current neighborhoods throughout the city, were part of Baltimore County.
The neighborhood of Canton was home to the Baltimore County Fire Department Canton Engine House No.7 which housed horsedrawn steamer Engine No.7 & is also where James E. Flynn had been assigned since being hired in 1894 as Chief Engineer responsible for the departments steam fire engines.
In the spring of 1910, Chief Engineer Flynn was riding in a horsedrawn FD vehicle being driven by District Chief John Heinkle. The two were on their way to an inspection when suddenly the horse became frightened & bolted, Chief Engineer Flynn was thrown from the vehicle and went head on into a telegraph pole. He sustained serious injuries including a badly lacerated tongue. Flynn was confined to bed, his tongue became cancerous, and he could no longer eat. He died as a result of his injuries on October 13, 1910 .
James Flynn was born in Ireland. He came to Canton when he was in his early teens & became a machinist apprentice. After learning his trade ,he became the Chief Engineer of a Baltimore steamship company called the Bay Line Steamers. He was 44 years old when he was hired on as Chief Engineer of the BCoFD.
Baltimore County Fire Department Chief Engineer James Edward Flynn was 60 years old and had served in the fire service for 16 years.

Baltimore City Fire Department ~ Baltimore ~ Maryland
October 13, l937
Box No. 528 sounded at 9:01 p.m. A 3-story brick loft building, southwest corner of Hanover and Perry Sts. was afire. The H.H. Hoffenberg Printers occupied the lower floor and the Gordon-Lavin Paper Box Co., the upper floors. Five alarms were sounded as the fire took hold of the building. Engine No 5 was one of the last to arrive and its members were ordered to place its hose pipe in narrow Perry St. and play into the top windows of the blazing building.
Suddenly, a loud cracking noise was heard. Lieutenant James K. Harrison and other firemen dropped the hose pipe and ran for their lives. Lieutenant Harrison was last, and within inches of safety when he stumbled over a raised sidewalk grating and fell, just as a brick wall came crashing down upon him. He was buried under 20 feet of rubble and rescue operations were started at once, with acetylene torches being used to cut away the iron fallen fire escape that blocked the rescuers. Meanwhile, a priest, Father James P. Spencer, Professor of Psychology at St. Mary's Seminary, faced the possibility of severe injury or death, as he crawled through the fallen brick and debris to administer conditional Absolution to the dead fireman. After a half-hour the body of Lt. Harrison was removed, his head crushed and his body flattened.
Chief Engineer Howard Travers said that it was the worst experience he ever had, saying "I felt a lot of wind and heard a terrific crash behind me. It was a great loss for us, he was as bright as a steel trap and was going places in the Department."
Lieutenant James K. Harrison was 32 years old and had served 9 years.

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Fallen Hero narrative paraphrased from "The Unheralded Heroes" by William A.Murray.....
Our thanks to Retired BCoFD Captain Ed Schwartz for uncovering the archived Baltimore Sun 1910 newspaper article that reported Chief Engineer Flynn's Line Of Duty injury, & subsequent LODD, and for bringing it to the attention of the MFRSMF, so that Chief Engineer Flynn could be Honored & Remembered as one of Maryland's Fallen Heroes.

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