TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of State Fire Marshal held a Ringing of the Bell Ceremony on Tuesday in the Capitol courtyard.
This solemn event paid tribute to the firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.
JoAnne Rice, the Director of the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal, was among those who spoke at the ceremony.
“It’s truly an honor for me to be here this morning on this solemn day to pay tribute to the 13 firefighters we lost last year and during the previous year. This day is an opportunity for us to recognize them and their families and to add them to this monument here in Tallahassee,” Rice said.
The event included a Bell Ringing Ceremony, symbolizing the “Last Call” for these heroes.
Among them, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Engineer Heath O’Shea, who died in the line of duty on April 13, 2024.
O’Shea, 44, suffered a medical emergency while on duty at Fire Station 54 on April 12. Despite efforts of JFRD personnel and medical professionals at the hospital, O’Shea died the next day.
His loved ones were escorted by an honor guard to place a rose at the base of the monument in Tallahassee.
Lake City Assistant Fire Chief Dwight Boozer was also honored at Tuesday’s ceremony. He died in February of last year after a battle with cancer.
