BY ERIC D. RUGGERI
Planning a funeral for a firefighter is a difficult and often heartbreaking task. Whether your department serves a population of 500 or 5 million, planning a funeral is not something you do every day. Sometimes, a little guidance and logistical planning assistance are needed.
The death of a fellow firefighter, regardless of the circumstances, affects us all individually; therefore, it’s difficult to acknowledge that all funeral services may not warrant the pomp and circumstance as those involving a direct line-of-duty death, and failing to make the distinction could diminish the honor for the next firefighter who dies in the line of duty.
A few years ago near my home, an off-duty volunteer firefighter went fishing on Thanksgiving morning at an area dam. It was cold out, and some ice had formed on the concrete portions of the dam surrounding the local fishing spot. While walking beside the dam, this young man lost his footing and slipped down into the rushing frigid waters of the dam and drowned. About 10 days later after an exhaustive search, his lifeless body was recovered. When the recovery crews removed his body from the water, the body was placed on a stretcher, draped with an American flag, and carried from the dam to the medical examiner’s vehicle as the rescuers lined the path and saluted with full honors. It was just as if the firefighter had died in the line of duty.
The following day, the photo on the front page of the local newspaper looked like a scene straight from Ground Zero, and it upset me. The question routinely asked is, “Can anyone other than a veteran have his casket draped with the flag of the United States?” The answer is Yes, although this honor is usually reserved for veterans, highly regarded state and national figures, and police and firefighters killed in the line of duty. However, the U.S. Flag Code does not prohibit using the practice for other individuals.
Fire departments, firefighter unions, and fraternal associations are encouraged to set clear limits in their funeral protocols regarding who can and who cannot receive a firefighter’s funeral with full honors. The Career Firefighters Network (www.unionfirefighters.net) has the official International Association of Fire Fighters Funeral Protocol for Line-of-Duty-Deaths posted. This is an excellent step-by-step guide to assist departments needing direction with the logistical planning of a firefighter’s funeral.
When planning the funeral for a firefighter who falls during the course of his duties, the decision of the type of service the deceased will have always, and I repeat always, remains with the family or next of kin. Some do not want the publicity, outpouring of attendees, and fuss sometimes associated with large funerals.
One person from the fire department or the firefighter union should be appointed to act as a liaison to the family. This individual will assist in planning the funeral and in applying for the death benefits that may be due to the family. In smaller departments, the chief or another high-ranking member of the department generally should not serve in this capacity; they should remain available in case an emergency or a call that warrants their response occurs during the funeral ceremonies. Neither should the liaison be a close friend of or someone who worked closely with the deceased. This could prove to be emotionally overwhelming.
This fire department’s funeral detail liaison should advise the family’s funeral director of his appointment as soon as possible. Since most initial arrangement conferences between the widow and the family’s selected funeral director are usually considered private, a second meeting between the funeral liaison and the funeral director should take place immediately thereafter.
The fire department funeral liaison and the funeral director make up an integral part of the funeral planning process. Each brings his tools, background, and knowledge together as a team to ease the deceased’s family’s pain and make the ceremonies memorable.
