Bringing Tristan Home

Firegeezer notes:  In this week leading up to Veteran's Day on Friday, we are presenting this touching documentary on the final trip of a firefighter in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, who was killed in combat in Iraq.  The preparations for this tribute were done on a moment's notice, but you will see that literally dozens of fire departments sprang into action to honor this young man.  The compassion, honor, and brotherhood that they exhibited is touching.  Please join us over the next five days as we ride along, Bringing Tristan Home.

Dozens of FD's in Two States Honor a Firefighter / War Casualty

In August, 2006, Bryn Athyn Fire Co. (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania) lost a member, killed in action while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq. Tristan Smith was a young man, recently promoted to Lieutenant in the fire company, and nephew of Chief Kris Smith.

The fire company learned that his remains would be released from the Dover Air Force Base mortuary on Friday, September 8, and transported back to Bryn Athyn by government contracted hearse. A number of members got together and decided to send apparatus to Dover to provide a fire department escort. Word got out, so on that day Bryn Athyn Engine 11, Special Service 11 and Ambulance 355-1 were joined by Willow Grove Fire Co. Engine 10-2 and Horsham Fire Co. Squad 15.

Life member and former Deputy Chief Greg Jakubowski used his many connections as he states:

“Advance contacts had been made with numerous area companies, along with Tucker Dempsey, 1st Vice-President of the Delaware State Fire Chief’s Association, to properly respect Tristan on his ride back. Tucker is past chief of the Cheswold, Delaware Fire Company. He had connected us with Kevin Wilson, past chief of the Clayton, Delaware Fire Company, retired Delaware State Police officer, and Chief of the Wyoming, Delaware Police Department. Tucker coordinated the Delaware state fire response, and Kevin assisted us in gaining a Delaware State Police escort and was the designated Public Information Officer to interface with the Delaware media. Both of these individuals were HUGE assets in coordinating our trip down and back through Delaware.”

Bryn Athyn career FF/EMT Jeff Tarman made contact with members of fire companies in Delaware County, Pa. to let them know of our plans. Plymouth Township, Montgomery County Fire Marshall Andy Mount did the same in central Montgomery County.

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On the way down we took a brief rest break at Cheswold, Delaware’s station before continuing the short distance to Dover.

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At the time we were to depart Dover AFB we learned that there had been some misunderstanding on the part of the hearse driver. He had left the base and got onto Delaware Rt. 1 to begin what he thought would be a routine trip. A Delaware State Trooper who had been assigned to escort the procession through the state quickly stopped the hearse and explained to the driver the change of plan. As Greg Jakubowski explains in his write up “…but not until the procession had entered Delaware Route 1 North, bypassing a Dover Fire Department memorial with crossed ladders and an American flag set up on Route 113 just North of the Route 1 turnoff.”

Once formed, the procession moved from Rt. 1 to US 13.　

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The towns that we passed through or near in Delaware included Cheswold, Smyrna, Blackbird, Townsend, Middletown, Odessa, Port Penn, Saint Georges, and Wilmington Manor.　

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Other nearby fire departments also picked spots along the highway and joined in. At each town we went through there was apparatus staged beside the road. When it was possible there were traditional aerial ladder arches with flags displayed, or even single aerials with flags. Members stood beside the road to render honors. 　

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Tomorrow – Part 2:  We continue through Delaware into Wilmington, then cross into Pennsylvania.
CLICK HERE to read Part Two.

Part 1 path of travel:

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