In the line of duty

Marisa O’Neil

Saturday’s ceremony at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado

was just the sort of thing 29-year Newport Beach veteran firefighter

Alan Schmehl would have loved.

As bagpipers and drummers played, firefighters in crisp dress

uniforms and white gloves stood with the families of fallen

firefighters to honor and remember their loved ones. A black, granite

wall included the recently etched names of 106 firefighters who died

in the line of duty over the past year.

Schmehl’s name was among them.

And though he wasn’t standing there beside his widow, Judy

Montgomery, and their two children, 5 and 8, she felt his spirit was

with them.

“I remember looking up at the clouds, with the Colorado Rockies in

the background, and thinking: ‘Al, this is for you,’” she recalled.

“I wanted to bring it all in and put it in my memory, so I could

treasure it forever.”

Schmehl, 52, died from a rare type of brain cancer last August

after a lengthy illness.

Though he died five months after his retirement, his death was

considered to be on the job because of continuous exposure to toxic

substances. Schmehl is one of at least three who responded to the

1987 chemical fire at Hixson Metal Plating Inc. and later died of

cancer.

The International Assn. of Firefighters, a labor union for the

United States and Canada, built the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in

1976 in Colorado Springs. Each year, the names of members who died in

the line of duty are added to the wall behind the memorial.

When they heard that Schmehl was going to be honored this year,

Newport Beach Fire Capt. Rich Thomas, engineer Jeff Remmele and

paramedic Jeff Boyles jumped at the chance to accompany Schmehl’s

family.

“We felt it was really important that we attend,” Boyles said.

“Not only for [Montgomery], she’s been dealing with [Schmehl’s

illness] for years, but we thought it was especially important that

the kids understand we don’t just forget that their dad passed away.”

The ceremony, which included honor guards, pipers, drummers and

firefighters from throughout the country, was a positive, if

overwhelming experience, Thomas said. Emotions ran high as names of

the fallen were called out and uniformed firefighters presented flags

to the widows and saluted them, Boyles said.

“When I was presented with the flag, it was a very slow salute,”

Montgomery said. “They brought their hands up very slowly and touched

their brows and brought them down slowly. It’s supposed to be the

final salute. It just brings tears to your eyes.”

This was the first year that representatives from the Newport

Beach Fire Department attended the ceremony, Montgomery said. That

made her feel very honored, she said.

Last year was a trying one for the Newport Beach Fire Department,

Boyles said.

Retired firefighter Kenny Flessel, who was in his 40s, died of

cancer; Schmehl died in August; and Training Division Chief Randy

Scheerer, 53, died of a sudden heart attack in December.

Newport Beach fire paramedic Brian Slater, 52, fell into a coma

after a bodysurfing accident just days before he was to play bagpipes

at Schmehl’s funeral. Slater is recovering from his injuries.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4268 or at [email protected].