Ceremony held to honor the Fallen Firefighters of Ventura County
September 26, 2012
Santa Paula News
Firefighters from across the county will assemble at the Ventura County Government Center on Saturday, September 29, for the eighth annual ceremony honoring firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty in Ventura County.
The ceremony will be held at the Fallen Firefighters of Ventura County Memorial on the grounds of the Ventura County Government Center. The Memorial is a permanent monument to honor firefighters who have given their lives protecting the people and property of Ventura County. It is a joint venture of the Ventura County Fire Chiefs Association, firefighter labor organizations and the eight fire agencies serving the county - Ventura County, Oxnard, Ventura City, Federal Fire, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.
This year, the ceremony will feature special recognition of Ventura County Fire Department Captain Leonard Jenkins. His is the most recent name added to the Memorial.
The Memorial is located on the Victoria Ave. side of the Government Center. The circular monument has a pedestal inscribed with the names of 41 fallen firefighters and the Firefighter’s Prayer. On top of the pedestal is a seven-foot statue of a firefighter holding a small child. Three flagpoles serve as a backdrop to the Memorial.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony that will be held on the lawn surrounding the Memorial. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 29, and is expected to last about one hour. Fire engines will line one lane of northbound VictoriaAve. and the ceremony will include the reading of the names on the Memorial, bagpipes, patriotic music and the traditional Firefighter’s Bell Ceremony.
