Crime & Safety
Hundreds Attend Fire Department Memorial Dedication
Firefighters past and present honored.
More than 200 people attended a dedication ceremony for a memorial honoring Lexington firefighters past and present at the Lexington Fire Department headquarters, 45 Bedford St., on Saturday, Sept. 11.
According to Lt. Ken Tremblay, who organized the event, no public funds were used for the memorial and it was built by off-duty firefighters under the direction of firefighter and paramedic Mark Simonds.
"A resident who remains anonymous bequeathed a significant donation for the erection of a memorial," said Tremblay.
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The Lexington Firefighters Local 1491 and the Lexington Firefighters Aid & Relief Association matched the resident's donation, he added.
Construction was actually completed last fall, but due to bad weather, the decision was made to officially dedicate the memorial with an outside ceremony on Sept. 11, 2010, an important date for people in the fire service, said Tremblay.
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The memorial concept was designed by firefighter and paramedic Jason Morey, and includes a monument engraved with images of the former East Village Fire Station, the Meriam Street Headquarters Station and the traditional maltese cross symbol of the LFD.
The message, "Dedicated to all who have served with honor, dignity and devotion as members of the Lexington Fire Department," is also engraved on the monument.
It is located at the base of the flag pole surrounded by a park-like setting with a red brick walkway, two curved fieldstone walls and two teak benches.
"It was nice to see something go from pencil and paper to fruition," said Morey. He was honored to be asked to provide his design services to the project and pleased the Lexington Historical Commission said they loved it.
"It's fitting to have it dedicated on the ninth anniversary of 9-11," said Morey.
State Rep. Jay Kaufmann and State Sen. Ken Donnelly (a retired Lexington Fire Department lieutenant) were guest speakers along with the Lexington Fire Chief William Middlemiss, Board of Selectmen Chairman Hank Manz, President of the Lexington Firefighters Local 1491 Lt. Robert Cunha and Lt. Peter Ricci of the Lexington Firefighters Aid & Relief Association.
"We must not forget those that built this department into one of the best in the state and the country," said Donnelly.
"This memorial is truly a memorial in the sense that a citizen was touched by the help she received by the Lexington Fire Department," he continue.
Jill Raithel, wife of Capt. Bud Raithel, thought a better date could not have been picked for the dedication. She attended with the couple's son, 10-year-old Jack, who helped plant flowers around the memorial site during the construction.
Several retirees and their family members were in attendance, as well as family members of firefighters who passed away, including the family of Fire Chief Jack Quinlan.
Retirees Gerald Jones and Alan Emery posed together in front of the new memorial with their hands locked together. Jones retired in 1982 after 33 years of service and Emery retired in 1984 after 22 years of service.
"It makes us feel good. It should have been done years ago," said Emery.
The memorial was unveiled by Cunha and the newest member of the Lexington Fire Dept., firefighter and paramedic Kevin Ciccone, who comes from a family of firefighters including his father and two brothers.
"I was very honored to be part of it," said Ciccone, who did not help build it because he started in May 2010, but he was honored to be asked to assist in the unveiling, he said.
