Fire Captain John Wiley Cotter, a 33-year member of the Springfield Fire Department died on February 1, 1948 as a result of injuries received during an accident while on the fire truck on November 7, 1947. The fireman were responding to a house fire at the time of the accident.
Captain Cotter was assigned to Station 4. His son, Firefighter Clyde Cotter, assigned to headquarters station, was visiting his father and was riding on the fire truck when the collision occurred. A second fireman on the truck, Douglas M. Choate, received minor injuries. The younger Cotter and the other two firemen on the truck were not injured.
Jeremy ‘Chris’ Adams Springfield Fire Department – Florida Classification: Career Rank: Fire Chief Date of Death: January 16‚ 2007 Age: 40
Springfield Fire Chief Chris Adams‚ 40‚ of Springfield‚ Fla.‚ died unexpectedly Tuesday‚ Jan. 16‚ 2007‚ in a local hospital. Chris Adams was born in Panama City‚ Fla.‚ on March 17‚ 1966‚ to William and Doris Adams. Chris’ father was a firefighter and Chris followed in his father’s footsteps. He began as a volunteer at the Springfield Fire Department‚ until he received his certification and began serving the city full-time and serving the community in which he lived was exactly what Chris did. He worked his way through the ranks to Captain and eventually‚ in 2004‚ was selected by the mayor to be the Fire Chief.
Chris was a proven leader who worked diligently to upgrade every aspect of the department. He applied for and received grants to upgrade the equipment‚ vehicles and training of his firefighters. He worked with local‚ state and federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Defense to obtain training in the latest safety techniques. Chris created a team that worked together like a family. Every member of the fire department‚ police department and City Hall knew Chris and where he lived. Chris welcomed them into his home anytime and there never was a need to knock. Chris loved his job‚ his team and the community he served so well.
Chris Adams was a devoted husband to his wife of 21 years‚ Darline. They met in school and were married July 26‚ 1985. They have two daughters‚ Heather‚ 17‚ and Hollie‚ 13‚ who were the light of his life. Chris dedicated his life to providing the best of everything for Darline and the girls. He loved them more than anything else and was always there to take care of every little need. He was an example of how to provide for your family. Chris always was there to provide support for his mother‚ brothers and sister‚ nieces and nephews‚ ‘Bootman the Cat‚’ and every friend who asked. Chris was the guy everyone went to when they needed a favor. Chris provided many memories for his family and friends to remember him by.
If you knew Chris‚ you knew he had many interests. If Chris was not in uniform‚ he was wearing a Jeff Gordon or Jimmy Johnson T-shirt and hat. Chris loved to sit on his back porch or in the swimming pool and watch NASCAR races. Nobody loved NASCAR more. Chances are if you went to Wal-Mart‚ you would see Chris there since he went almost every day. Even when Chris took his family on vacation‚ they went to Wal-Mart. The place Chris loved to go more than anywhere else was Disney World. He loved to go to Mickey’s house and take Darline and the girls. Even if they wanted to go somewhere else on vacation … Chris still managed to talk them into Disney World.
Survivors include his wife‚ Darline Adams; two daughters‚ Heather and Hollie Adams‚ all of Callaway; his mother‚ Doris Adams of Springfield; two brothers‚ Will Adams of Panama City‚ Fla.‚ and Steven Lott of Louisiana; one sister‚ Sharon Merchant of Panama City; He was preceded in death by his father‚ William Jackson Adams. Chris will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
He touched so many people in the time God let us have him here on Earth. Chris was the kind of man we name streets and buildings after … he was truly a great American!
Peter Beebe-Lawson‚ 50‚ volunteer fire fighter from Springfield‚ Maine‚ answered a call‚ responding to a fire at a cedar mill in neighboring Prentiss Plantation on May 7‚ 2007. He arrived at the scene‚ spoke with the owner of the mill‚ took photos of the fire on his cell phone‚ promised a reporter he would e-mail him the photos‚ returned to the fire house in Springfield to get the tanker truck‚ and called home to let his wife Selby know which of the two cedar mills on Mud Pond Road was burning. ‘It’s Jim’s. Gotta go.’ Those were the last words she heard from Peter.
On the way back to the fire Peter lost control of the tanker truck and was killed in the crash. He was buried with full honors following a funeral Mass at St. James Catholic Church in Kingman‚ Maine.
Peter was a friendly and outgoing person‚ who could remember the name of every person he had met since moving to Springfield with wife Selby and stepchildren John‚ David and Christa in 2005. Together Peter and Selby administered Mary’s School‚ a tuition-free private school for special needs children K-12. They also founded a religious community called Mary’s Ward‚ whose aim is the adoption and education of special needs children and sibling groups.
Peter was well known throughout Southern Maine for his involvement in musical theater. Frequently appearing in leading roles opposite Selby‚ Peter was a community theater favorite for Portland area audiences‚ appearing with Portland Lyric Theater‚ Embassy Players‚ and others. In the Springfield area‚ Peter was already in demand as a soloist at funerals.
His community involvement did not end with theater and fire service. Peter was on the Board of Directors of the Hank Beebe Music Library and SonLight Incorporated. He volunteered regularly at St. Mary’s Food Cupboard in Lincoln and was a member of the Knights of Columbus‚ John Paul II Council in Portland.
His favorite activities at home were being a stepfather‚ raising goats and chickens and living out his Catholic faith with his family. He was most proud of learning to cut wood for building animal pens and for heating the house. He also loved being a fire fighter.
Peter is survived by his wife Selby‚ stepchildren John‚ David and Christa‚ father Albert Milo Lawson‚ six siblings‚ in-laws Hank and Nancy Beebe and the Springfield Fire Department. He is buried on land owned by SonLight Inc.‚ called Mary’s Wood.
‘He was always my hero‚’ remarked Selby to a reporter at the funeral‚ ‘but now he’s a lot of people’s hero.’
Joe lived his life with a simple‚ quiet sort of passion. He loved his God‚ he loved his family‚ and he loved his work. He loved a good argument‚ and he loved a good joke – often at his own expense. He lived life and it showed. He lived every minute of his 46 years.
Joe joined the Fire and Rescue Department of Springfield‚ Illinois in 1989. He consistently challenged himself to be the best he could be. He was an intermediate emergency technician. He was promoted to Driver Engineer in 1999 and to Captain of Engine House #6 in 2002.
Joe lost his life on January 14‚ 2003. While he was fighting a fire‚ he went out to refill his air tank and collapsed. Though he was immediately rushed to the hospital‚ he did not survive.
Though Joe is gone‚ his spirit lives on through all who knew and loved him. His Division Chief said‚ ‘Joe will be missed‚ but not forgotten.’ His friend and fellow firefighter spoke of how ‘he embodied the spirit of a firefighter.’ His pastor said‚ ‘Some people serve God reluctantly. Not Joe. He saw a need and he served it.’ The Mayor of Springfield said‚ ‘If only we could all leave this world doing the work we love to do the way he did…’
Whether Joe was working‚ fishing‚ traveling out west with his wife‚ Sandy‚ their children and other family members‚ or just being with family and friends‚ he was always 100% present. And his presence is missed.
Steven M. Wilmot‚ 47 an arson investigator with the Springfield Fire Department‚ died on August 9‚ 2000‚ from injuries sustained while investigating an arson fire. Captain Wilmot had been a member of the department for 15 years.
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