Wheeling Firefighter Memorial Carries Added Meaning This Year
Niamh Coomey Trending
WHEELING -- Just weeks after losing 26-year-old firefighter Seth Burek to cancer, the Wheeling Fire Department held their annual ceremony Tuesday to honor fallen firefighters.
The memorial service took place on the 33rd anniversary of Assistant Chief Robert Foster's death in the line of duty. Held at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial downtown, the service also paid respect to nine firefighters who lost their lives while serving Wheeling.
Burek, who passed away Oct. 3 after battling with sarcoma, had several family members present in the front row of the ceremony who placed a wreath on the statue in his honor. Members of the Foster family were in attendance as well and stood in the back of the gathering.
Several fire department members gave remarks about their fallen colleagues at the ceremony and went on to discuss the physical and mental toll that firefighting can take on first responders.
Captain Bob Heldreth described the late Burek, commending his bravery during his time on duty as well as in his fight against cancer.
"Seth embodies what it means to be a good firefighter: always positive, always wanting to learn," Heldreth said.
Heldreth also shared an anecdote about Burek.
"Even when undergoing cancer treatment, after reading about some trash left on the memorial, Seth texted me 'Hey Cap, aren't the new guys supposed to take care of the memorial?' Yes they are, Seth," he said. "We could use a hundred Seth Bureks on the job."
Occupational cancers have become more common among firefighters in recent years, Heldreth said.
Fire Department Chief Jim Blazier said presumptive cancers and mental health issues are some of the main issues plaguing first responders. Presumptive cancers are those that are most likely to have originated from job-related exposures.
"What we face now is mental health issues that are suffered by first responders as well as some of the things we are exposed to in structural firefighting that are cancer-causing," he said.
Blazier said the amount of first responders that die by suicide and presumptive cancer are far greater than those who die from workplace injuries.
"Our goal is to continue these memorial services remembering those that gave the ultimate sacrifice but not adding any new names to our list of fallen," Blazier said. "We hope to accomplish this through training, prevention and recognition of things that we can address before it's too late."
In addition to Foster, the engraved names of the nine firefighters who died in the line of duty were read at the ceremony: Firefighter Thomas McCue, Firefighter Bartholomew Link, Firefighter Charles Carrell, Captain Charles Ferguson, Engineer William M. McGee, Assistant Chief Charles "Cap" Beiswenger, Engineer William "Red" Nolan, Assistant Chief John C. Donovan and Sr. Captain Vincent Green.
The fire department honored the fallen with the ringing of a bell to signify that the firefighters have returned home and completed their duty.