11th Annual California Firefighters Memorial, A Day to Honor Our Fallen Firefighters
Channel: Cal OES
Date: 07/10/2013

The day couldn't have been more perfect to honor and memorialized 22 men and women who served as firefighters for our state and our country and died in the line of duty. The 11th Annual California Firefighters Memorial was held at the State Capitol in a midday ceremony steeped in fire service tradition.
Hundreds of family and friends of the fallen joined together to pay tribute to their loved ones who gave their lives to protect the state and its citizens. The tribute featured a uniformed firefighter procession and the traditional "Last Alarm" ceremony, in which a fire bell is rung to signify a fallen firefighter's final call of duty.
"On this solemn occasion, we're reminded of what it takes to keep our communities safe," said Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. "These 22 firefighters truly exemplify the meaning of service."
This year's honorees bring the total number of names on the Memorial Wall to 1,268. The first name on the Wall is that of James Welsh, a San Francisco firefighter who died in a catastrophic blaze on May 4, 1851, less than a year after California became a state.
Gary Eugene Lott, who served with Cal Fire as a fire captain and pilot for 16 years, was one of the new names added to the Memorial Wall and honored today. His family came from Georgia and Fresno.
"I admire the work of those who planned this event and those who continue to keep this Wall, so we could have a place to honor the courage of Gary and the rest of the firefighters who left us prematurely," said Lisa Beck, Gary's daughter.
"This Memorial Wall was created by the people of California to make sure that we all know your loved ones and what their lives meant to the people of California. It was not meant to be a place of mourning but of tribute. So today let us celebrate and pay tribute to your loved ones," said Lou Paulson, Chair of the California Fire Foundation. "They will forever be bathed in the glory of a life of duty, honor, courage and sacrifice."
The Saturday ceremony, conducted by the California Fire Foundation, honored eighteen firefighters who died from traumatic injuries or job-related illnesses in the past year and a half. Four others from earlier years, whose names came to the California Fire Foundation's attention in 2013, were also added to the Memorial Wall.
"Sometimes a person cannot know for sure what mark he or she has left on the world," said Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, "that will never be said of those we remember today. They were strong and caring people, brave and upright. Today's ceremony reminds us how important firefighters and other emergency management personnel are in protecting California. For us, this is a time of admiration and of thanks."