John N. Carnegis was known as many things to many people—a leader, a mentor, a friend, a husband, and a dad. But to all, he was known as a firefighter.

John’s passion for the fire service began at a young age when he became a volunteer in Marieville North Providence, Rhode Island, at age 16. John later became a career firefighter for North Providence Fire Department in North Providence, Rhode Island, where he held several ranks before he was promoted to battalion chief of training and safety in 1996. After retiring from the department, John and his family moved to Frederick, Maryland, where he took a position with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. During his time with Homeland Security, John held many positions. Before retiring in 2019, he was responsible for the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer and Managing Officer programs.

John has always been passionate about teaching the next generation of firefighters. He had the opportunity to share his knowledge when he became an instructor for the Maryland Fire Rescue Institute (MFRI) in 2008. Some of his favorite courses to teach were Hazardous Materials, Advanced Life Support, EMS, Fire Suppression, and Instructor Evaluator Disciplines. In 2023, John took on the position of MFRI’s state programs manager, where he managed three out of the six regional offices throughout the state of Maryland.

John also became involved with the Frederick County Fire Service. He was a member of the Vigilant Hose Company and an instructor for the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue. He served as a member of both the hazardous materials and technical rescue teams and participated in their Advanced Life Support program.

In addition to the many positions he held in the fire service, John was proud to be a registered nurse.
John enjoyed spending quality time with his wife, Tricia Carnegis, and his daughter, Zoe Carnegis. He also enjoyed spending time with his dog, Max. John always looked forward to family trips to Disney World and taking the opportunity to visit as many fire departments around the country as he could.

After a ten-month battle with pancreatic cancer, John entered the gates of Heaven with his family by his side on Saturday, August 10, 2024.

Though John is no longer here, his legacy will live on.

As John always said, “No Surrender, No Defeat.”