Born: 12/11/1994 LODD: 9/27/2012 Burial: Redmen Cemetery, Dagsboro, Delaware Fire Company: Dagsboro The small and tight-knit community of Dagsboro was hit hard on Thursday, September 27, 2012, when Justin E Townsend became the first firefighter in Dagsboro Fire Company history to die in the line of duty. He was just 17. Justin had just finished school for the day at Sussex Tech, where he was studying collision repair. He was a passenger in the car of
Born: 1965 LODD: 4/9/2021 Fire Company: Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company On April 9, 2021, Laura Lee Madara was working as fire police on the scene of an accident on Polly Branch Road when she struck and killed. She retired from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as an Assistant Superintendent. Laura was a member of the Selbyville Vol. Fire Co. where she served as Fire Police and President of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Born: 1965 LODD: 4/9/2021 Fire Company: Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company On April 9, 2021, Laura Lee Madara was working as fire police on the scene of an accident on Polly Branch Road when she struck and killed. She retired from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as an Assistant Superintendent. Laura was a member of the Selbyville Vol. Fire Co. where she served as Fire Police and President of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Born: 3/30/1946 LODD: 2/3/2002 Burial: Bethel Methodist Cemetery, Lewes, Delaware Fire Company: Lewes Louis A. Rickards‚ 55‚ volunteer president‚ Lewes Fire Department‚ died February 3‚ 2002‚ in a motor vehicle accident as he traveled to a regional firefighters association meeting. He served with the department for 39 years‚ including 25 years as chief or assistant chief and 13 terms as president. In 1997‚ he was named Chief Emeritus of the Lewes Fire Department. Rickards was
Born: January 1898 LODD: 12/27/1955 Burial: Cathedral Cemetery, Wilmington, Delaware Fire Company: Wilmington Fire Department Deputy Chief Michael Joseph Kirlin, Sr collapsed at a fire on E. 6th Street in Wilmington on December 27, 1955. He was reportedly the last survivor of the old volunteer fire companies that were made part of the Wilmington Fire Department when the city organized the paid department in 1921. He died as a result of a heart attack, which
Born: 12/29/1978 LODD: 12/22/2008 Burial: Odd Fellows Cemetery, Smyrna, Delaware Fire Company: Delaware City On December 20, 2008, Michelle was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle while rendering aid to a victim of a motor vehicle accident on southbound DuPont Highway in the area of the New Castle County Airport. She succumbed to her injuries two days later in Christiana Hospital surrounded by her loved ones. Michelle is the only LODD within the Delaware City Fire Company since
