National Fallen Firefighters
Memorial Weekend, Missouri Names Added
JEFFERSON CITY, October 5, 2006—State Fire Marshal
Randy Cole announced the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF)
and the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Fire Administration
will hold the 25th annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend
on October 5-8, 2006.
Plaques with the names of the 100 men and women killed
in the line of duty in 2005 and 7 firefighters who died in previous
years will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Monument,
located on the National Fire Academy campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Missouri has three special individuals whose names will
be added to the memorial. Firefighter Robert Allen Bestgen of the
Osborn Fire Protection District died on September 3rd, 2005 from injuries
sustained during an incident the previous day at the U.S. 36 Raceway
in Osborn. Bestgen was trying to stop a push truck that had slipped
out of gear and appeared to be heading toward spectators. Bestgen
served the Osborn Fire Protection District for twenty years.
Firefighter Timmy Shane Hardy of the Neosho Fire Department
died on November 7th, 2005 while battling a fire at the Ragland Mills
complex in Neosho. Hardy was killed when he became entrapped in a
conveyor belt he was riding to the top of the grain elevator. Hardy
began his firefighting career as a volunteer in 1994.
Chief Gerald J. Buehne with the Affton Fire Protection
District was killed March 10, 2005 while driving a fire department
staff vehicle and was struck by another vehicle traveling at a high
rate of speed that was attempting to flee from law enforcement.
###