State Senator Sue Rezin | Illinois General Assembly
State Senator Sue Rezin | Illinois General Assembly
On May 14, state leaders convened in Springfield for the 31st Annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial and Medal of Honor Ceremony. The event took place at the Bank of Springfield Center, where numerous firefighters from across Illinois assembled to pay homage to their fallen colleagues.
The ceremony included a tribute to five Illinois firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty last year:
- Chicago Firefighter/EMT Jermaine Pelt
- Chicago Fire Lt. Jan Tchoryk
- Chicago Fire Lt. Kevin Ward
- Chicago Firefighter/EMT Andrew “Drew” Price
- Maroa Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Larry Peasley
In addition, 12 firefighters from various parts of the state were bestowed with medals of honor or valor for demonstrating exceptional bravery.
As per the U.S. Fire Administration, the number of firefighter fatalities continues to escalate, with 25 deaths reported this year in the United States alone. This figure includes an Aurora firefighter who tragically died while on duty just last month.
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