Indiana firefighters to be honored this weekend in Maryland ceremony

Jen Guadarrama, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·2 min read

Update: The location of these events was moved to PNC Sports Complex Arena at Mount St. Mary’s University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, Maryland, 21727, the organization announced May 3.

Several Indiana firefighters who died in the line of duty will be among 89 honored during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on May 4-5, 2024, in Maryland.

The honorees will include the following Indiana firefighters:

Firefighter/EMT Gerald Brooks, 49, of the Indianapolis Fire Department, died on Nov. 2, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Assistant Chief Ronald Derrickson, 58, of the Straughn Volunteer Fire Company, died on Sept. 15, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Firefighter Duane Erwin, 78, of the Elberfeld Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a structure fire on Oct. 20, 2021. Upon returning home, he complained of a headache that worsened over the next three hours. He was transported to the hospital where he remained until he died Oct. 23, 2021, due to a stroke.

Engineer Mark Gillam, 58, of the Elwood Fire Department, died on Oct. 3, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Captain Martin "Marty" Meyers, 50, of the Kokomo Fire Department, died March 4, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Captain Donald Neiswinger Jr., 50, of the Owen Valley Fire Territory, died on Jan. 18, 2022, from complications of COVID-19.

Firefighter/EMT Bernard Noll, 55, of the Southwest Allen County Fire District, died on Jan. 14, 2022, from complications of COVID-19.

Assistant Chief Kyle Osgood, 29, of the Farmland Volunteer Fire Department, died as the result of a rollover of the tanker truck in which he was responding on May 25, 2023.

District Chief David Phelps, 74, of the Prairieton Fire Department, died at the scene of a structure fire due to a heart attack on Nov. 2, 2023.

Firefighter Jack Ronco, 55, of the LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Department, died on Jan. 1, 2022, due to complications of COVID-19.

Deputy Chief Joe Stucker, 59, of the Fairland Volunteer Fire Department, died on Oct. 17, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Firefighter Bill Walters, 88, of the Waterloo-Grant Township Volunteer Fire Department, died on Aug. 9, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

National Fallen Firefighters weekend details:

7:30-9:30 p.m. ET May 4: candlelight service hosted by Fire Captain Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department.

10 a.m. ET May 5: National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service hosted by actor Jeremy Holm.

Where: PNC Sports Complex Arena at Mount St. Mary’s University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, Maryland, 21727

Watch online: Events will be live-streamed at the National Fallen Firefighters' website, firehero.org, and its YouTube channel and Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend: Indiana honorees