When I am called to duty, God
Wherever Flames may rage give the strength
to save some life
Whatever be its age
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late or save an older person
from the horror of that fate
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout and
quickly and efficiently to put the fire out
I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me
To guard my every neighbor and protect their property
And if according to your will I have to lose my life
Please bless with your protecting hand
My children and my wife.
Special Thanks to The Toledo Fire
Museum for this information.
The following Firefighters were killed while serving their community.
James Welch (Pipeman) - Badge #75 - December 15, 1872
Killed when he fell from a ladder passing hose at a fire at
Ottawa and Lafayette.
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John Viebrook (Pipeman) - July 31, 1883
Fell from the top of a hose drying tower after
returning from a fire.
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Capt. James Fraser - Badge #8 - January 3, 1894
Burned to death at King Elevator fire, body never found.
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Capt. Oscar S. Wills - Badge #31 -May 22, 1898
Killed by falling walls at Down & Snell Wholesale Grocery
Superior and Jefferson
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Capt. John M. Gallagher - September 19, 1900
Killed at a fire at Henry Rosen's Junk Warehouse
Corner of Vance and 13th
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David D. Young (Pipeman) - Badge #187 - October 24, 1901
Died from injuries sustained when he fell through the
pole hole at #13's Engine House
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Capt. John B. Ward - Badge #11 - December 24, 1901
Killed responding to false alarm, Box 153, Nebraska and
Hawley, when #7 Hook and Ladder collided with
Oak Street car at Collingwood and Door
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Ralph H. Westfall (Pipeman) - Badge #78 - January 30, 1902
Died of injuries received at Henry Rosen's Junk
Warehouse fire.
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Thomas J. Smith (Pipeman) - December 9, 1902
Killed by falling walls at Keifer Bros. Furniture Store,
Dorr St.
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Richard Donnelly (Pipeman) - Badge #209 - December 11, 1902
Died from injuries received at Keifer Bros. Furniture,
Dorr St, Box 171.
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William Croke (Fireman) - Badge #259 - April 11, 1908
Died of injuries received in an accident at #8 engine house.
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John B. Kaintz (Fireman) - Badge #222 - February 24, 1915
Died of injuries received at #5 Engine House while
answering an alarm to the Walbash Railroad Roundhouse
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John C. Timmers (Fireman) - Badge #161 - April 20, 1916
Died from injuries received when #2's steamer ran over him
at the corner of Erie and Adams, while responding to
Box 34.
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Albert T. Urie (Fireman) - Badge #101 - December 11, 1916
Killed at the Paddock Merchandise Company fire,
114 St. Clair St.
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Capt. Edward J. Welch - Badge #86 - December 11, 1916
Killed at the Paddock Merchandise Company fire,
114 St. Clair St.
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Paul J. Quigley (Fireman) - Badge #130 - February 14, 1931
Killed at #18's when he fell during ladder drill.
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Capt. Andrew J. Flynn - Badge #241 - January 31, 1932
Died of injuries received when #16's ladder was involved
in an accident with Community Traction Bus.
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Bernard A. Orzechowski Badge #55 - January 31, 1932
Died of injuries received when #16's ladder was involved
in an accident with Community Traction Bus.
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Edward Radunz (Fireman) - June 21, 1932
Died of injuries from fall at Willys Parkway and Berdan.
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District Chief Vanner E. Wendt - Badge #192
December 25, 1933
Died of injuries when he was hit in the neck by a nozzle
fighting a fire on Suder Ave.
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Steven Fekete (Fireman) - Badge #38 - September 15, 1936
Collapsed and died of of a heart attack in the seat of No 6's
ladder truck after returning from a house fire at Box 545.
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District Chief George J. Ehmann - Badge #87 -
October 29, 1937
Killed in a collision at Lincoln and Lawrence
responding to fire at Libbey High School.
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Clemons P. Willacker (Fireman) - Badge #30 -
September 23, 1939
Died of heart attack fighting a fire in a warehouse
Lagrange and Water St..
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Howard C. Rippel (Fireman) - Badge #263 - February 17, 1943
Burned to death at fire at 1005 W. Woodruff Ave., Box 168
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Robert L. Fitzgerald (Fireman) - Badge #228 - October 13, 1943
Heart attack while conducting Civil Defense Drill
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James P. Fakehany (Fireman) - Badge #405 - February 12, 1944
Killed after he fell through the floor at fire at Colony Block,
burned to death.
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Timothy J. Morrissey (Fireman) - Badge #294 -
February 15, 1945
Died of heart attack fighting house fire at 1128 Dorr St.
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Emil M. Steck, Jr. (Fireman) - Badge #389 - November 16, 1947
Died of injuries received in accident on November 13, 1947
involving #1's pumper.
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Joseph Pietkowski (Fireman) - Badge #215 - June 6, 1950
Died of heart attack while fighting fire at 310 Bronson St.
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Department Chief Karl B. Scheidler
November 2, 1952
Died of heart attack fighting a large marsh fire on
November 1, 1952.
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Donald W. Timiney - Badge #263 - February 20, 1953
Died from effects of a fire on Mayo St. The day before,
two children had died in this fire.
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John M. Jacoby (Fireman) - Badge #182 - March 18, 1955
Died of heart attack suffered at fire February 7, 1955
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Kenneth Williams (Fireman) - Badge #16 - September 20, 1958
Killed at fire at S&S Distributors, 1100 W. Central Ave.
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Robert G. Harrison (Fireman) - Badge #290 - June 15, 1961
Died as a result of burns received at explosion of
gasoline truck at Anthony Wayne Trail and Vinton St.
on June 10, 1961.
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Glenn E. Carter (Fireman) - Badge #246 - June 23, 1961
Died as a result of burns received at explosion of
gasoline truck at Anthony Wayne Trail and Vinton St.
on June 10, 1961.
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William G. Genson (Fireman) - Badge #435 - July 10, 1961
Died as a result of burns received at explosion of
gasoline truck at Anthony Wayne Trail and Vinton St.
on June 10, 1961.
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Deputy Chief Ewald Bode - July 28, 1961
Died as a result of burns received at explosion of
gasoline truck at Anthony Wayne Trail and Vinton St.
on June 10, 1961.
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Lieutenant Chester A. Rybarczyk - Badge #109
September 2, 1967
Killed in fire at PeeWee's Bar, 5101 Suder Ave.
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Louis W. Fuhr (Fireman) - Badge #427 - March 22, 1969
Killed responding to a false alarm when #18's pumper was
struck by automobile at Jackman and Laskey Rd.
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Deputy Chief Claude E. Willoughby - May 7, 1969
Died of heart attack while fighting multiple alarm fire at
916 Lagrange st.
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Capt. Robert J. Pietras - Badge #37 - June 21, 1969
Died as a result of injuries received fighting a fire at
2472 Lawton, Box 1151, on June 10, 1969.
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Ralph Arthur (Fireman) - Badge #315 - January 9, 1977
Died from heart attack resulting from exposure trying
to rescue his two children from Maumee Bay after
they broke through the ice in a snowmobile accident.
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Donnie Cathcart (Fireman) - Badge #52 - May 19, 1981
Died as result of fighting a fire at Bell and Fernwood on
May 18, 1981.
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Killed in Military Service During World War II
George Lutife
Louis M. Ziebar
Raymond A. Romeos (Fireman) - Badge #10
Eugene McHugh
Ralph L. Wiesenberg
Nicholas Seybold
The following Firefighters died from either natural causes or secondary effects of their work environment.
2002
1/2 --- Michael Miller - Badge 81
2/11 -- Charles "Chick" Hallett - Badge 346
2/20 -- Eugene E. Gliszcinski - Badge 275
5/3 -- Fred Siferd - Badge 26
5/17 -- Rolland Henning - Badge 76
8/8 -- George Tanber - Badge 12
10/2 -- Russell Matthews - Badge 128
2001
1/7 --- Hugh C. Cherry - Badge 259
2/23 -- George Elekonich - Badge 90 & 1
3/24 -- Sherill "Rusty" Fleming - Badge 429
3/26 -- James Bruning - Badge 116
3/29 -- William "Bill" Crahan - Badge 163
4/28 -- Robert B. Bullimore - Badge 26
5/26 -- John M. Topolewski ** - Badge 351
5/28 -- John F. Kolasinski - Badge 242
6/27 -- James O. Day - Badge 299
11/2 -- Alojzy 'Ollie" Mollen - Badge 440
11/28 - Kiminski, Walter M - Badge 41
12/2 -- Blank, Roger J. - Badge 340
12/22 - Holst, Richard J. - Badge 378
**At the time of John Topolewski's death, he was the oldest living
professional firefighter in the USA. He was 107 years old.
2000
1/13 --- Oliver Day - Badge 171
2/15 --- William Redman - Badge 97
6/13 --- Charles A. Kolasinski - Badge 229
6/14 --- Richard A. Estrel - Badge 8
7/14 --- John T. Martin, Sr. - Badge 227
8/10 --- Henry Ludwig - Badge 436
9/4 --- Paul A. Lester - Badge 92
10/11 - James F. Boyer - Badge 234
10/24 - Richard W. Bortner - Badge 428
12/5 --- Richard Lammie - Badge 31
1999
1-15 --- Gerald Ankenbrandt - Badge 163
1-25 --- Gary Good - Badge 446
4-30 --- Robert Noonan - Badge 281
5-27 --- James Sido - Badge 233
7-26 --- Richard Sieczkowski - Badge 404
9-16 --- Robert Hall - Badge 118
9-27 --- Frank Hojnacki - Badge 60
10-15 -- Taylor Perkins - Badge 429
10-18 -- John Rodgers - Badge 430
11-10 -- Chester Coleman - Badge 5
12-20 -- John Burzynski - Badge 174
1998
1-8 ---- Jay Ruppel - Badge 415
1-20 --- Norman Snyder - Badge 240
2-12 --- William Elton - Badge 78
2-15 --- Jack Dallas - Badge 106
3-10 --- Joseph Besendorfer - Badge 184
3-20 --- Robert Jankowski - Badge 424
5-13 --- James Martin Sr. - Badge 460
7-29 --- Arthur Deshetler - Badge 319
9-14 --- William Lueck - Badge 68
11-25 -- Harold Middleton - Badge 362
1997
1-3 ---- Stanley Rutkowski - Badge 83
5-30 --- Jay Morris - Badge 102
6-6 ---- Valentine Mikolajczyk - Badge 181
8-25 --- Eugene Hiltman - Badge 56
10-8 --- William Jablonski - Badge 235
10-23 -- Thomas Casey - Badge 185
11-25 -- Riley Micham - Badge 349
1996
1-2 --- Larry Baer - Badge 43
1-8 --- Robert Bugaj - Badge 390
3-2 --- Herbert Hoffman - Badge 426
4-5 --- Robert Elkins - Badge 269
4-18 -- Carlton Matlock - Badge 449
5-18 -- William Kertesz - Badge 123
7-24 -- Don Wawrzynski - Badge 364
8-23 -- Jerry Davis - Badge 367
10-14 - Kenneth Collins - Badge 219
11-25 - Eulan Tucker - Badge 332
11-26 - Daniel Kosak - Badge 336
1995
1-22 --- Donald Jarzynski - Badge 340
2-4 ---- Robert Rygalski - Badge 101
3-1 ---- John Perry - Badge 230
4-1 ---- Harold Vaughn - Badge 309
4-4 ---- Edward Koval - Badge 212
7-8 ---- John Stecker - Badge 115
8-7 ---- Mel Stafford - Badge 439
8-31 --- John Kornowa - Badge 300
9-17 --- Bernard Kramer - Badge 95
10-20 -- Steve Schwab - Badge 14
12-14 -- Carl Nalodka - Badge 324
1994
1-12 --- James Wilkins - Badge 401
2-12 --- Robert Curtis - Badge 337
3-4 ---- John Grady - Badge 144
4-1 ---- Frank Hojnacki - Badge 423
4-30 --- Edwin Kosman - Badge 92
5-9 ---- Russ Meacham - Badge 255-417
5-26 --- John Burgan - Badge 305
7-28 --- Herbert Boldoun - Badge 360
9-5 ---- Timothy Shiltz - Badge 512
9-6 ---- Richard Wodtke - Badge 357
10-1 --- Layton Finn - Badge 227
10-10 -- Kenneth Wendt - Badge ___
10-18 -- Kenneth Harberson - Badge 107
10-18 -- Robert Ridenour - Badge 403
11-30 -- Harold O’Neail - Badge 27
12-7 --- Eugene Ireland - Badge 116
12-13 -- Robert Webber - Badge 256
1993
2-5 ---- Harry Mills - Badge 297
3-10 --- William Day - Badge 255
3-18 --- Ernest Malohn - Badge 13
3-22 --- Donald Schroder - Badge 259
4-9 ---- James Burtch - Badge 60
6-23 --- Kenneth Mallach - Badge 432
6-23 --- Millen, Luther - Badge 45
8-22 --- Al Stewart - Badge 276
9-27 --- Charles Walcott - Badge 279
12-8 --- Dewey Talley - Badge 412
12-13 -- Alex Margy - Badge 69
12-26 -- Allen Johnson - Badge 389
12-31 -- Carl Monto - Badge 401
1992
1-31 --- Norbert Sund - Badge 438
2-15 --- Eugene Boganski - Badge 52
6-15 --- Clyde Apthorpe - Badge 183
7-7 ---- Marcus Lenix - Badge 370
7-22 --- Robert Rabbit - Badge 282
8-18 --- Walter McVicker - Badge 261
9-2 ---- Kenneth Fineske - Badge 113
9-2 ---- Vincent Weisenburger - Badge 266-226
10-21-- Joseph Baron - Badge 347
10-22-- Thomas Alfieri - Badge 387
1991
1-1 --- Leo Dressel - Badge 54
1-4 --- Ray Gregory - Badge 241
2-28 -- Larry Kromenacker - Badge 187
3-26 -- James Durivage - Badge 66
5-3 --- Donald Mehling - Badge 35
5-14 -- Stanley Bojarski - Badge 296
5-20 -- Gordon Meek - Badge 291
5-20 -- Walter Perry - Badge 295
6-4 --- Raymond Vandenburg - Badge 169
11-18 - Joseph Taberner - Badge 268
12-30 - Edwin Shultz - Badge 75
1990
1-15 -- Thomas Best - Badge 382
3-1 ---- Edward Bade - Badge 382
3-27 -- Harry James - Badge 97
4-3 --- Walter Ringger - Badge 402
4-13 -- Robert Heeren - Badge 213
5-17 -- Al Wetli - Badge 198
6-20 -- Gerald Dowling - Badge 139
7-16 -- Joseph Westenkirchner - Badge 189
8-1 ---- Clarence Blanchard - Badge 286
8-27 -- Carl Henzler - Badge 400
9-17 -- Jack Pio - Badge 254
10-22 - Richard Lass - Badge 69
11-27 - Peter Callaghan - Badge 199
12-28 - Greg Szabo - Badge 86
12-31 - Louis Bellner - Badge 345
