Twenty years ago: Kenny Hedrick, Morningside VFD, Prince George's County, MD killed in a house fire.

Story on the Hedricks from WBFF-TV

Baltimore Sun story from 1992

Memorial ceremony tonight at Morningside VFD

This day, twenty-years-ago, was among the toughest I had spent in the news business. Awakened at home, I was told by the assignment desk at Channel 9 in Washington to go to 3807 Walls Lane in Suitland, Maryland for a house fire where it appeared a firefighter had died. By the time I drove from Rosslyn, Virginia to Suitland, I became aware that the firefighter was 18-year-old Kenny Hedrick of Company 27, Morningside.

I didn't know Kenny well, but I knew his family. His father Les was the chief of Morningside and I had known Les and his wife Cathy for more than 15 years, going back to when I was a volunteer in Prince George's County. Even though my reporting on PGFD issues had ruffled some feathers among the volunteer leadership in the county, Les always supported me. I also had worked briefly with Kenny's uncle, Ford Gallagher, when I was a dispatcher for PGFD. As you can imagine, this was a difficult story to cover. 

When word came a few days later that Les and Cathy wanted me to interview Ford before the funeral about his nephew, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant. Hearing the stories of this young man whose goal was to follow in his uncle's footsteps and become a career firefighter in Prince George's County, and looking at the pictures of Kenny as a little boy sitting on a Morningside fire engine with Les, were quite emotional. At the church, it was hard to watch these wonderful people I knew dealing with the loss of their child.

Of course, at the time, I had no way of knowing that twenty years later I would be working alongside Cathy Hedrick at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Cathy transferred her love and her loss into something rather amazing. Firefighters across the country have heard Cathy tell the story of Kenny. Cathy works tirelessly on behalf of the Foundation and on behalf of firefighters. Cathy's efforts, with support from Les, to help make sure that fewer families of firefighters have to experience the pain her family has felt, knows no bounds.

Below is a tour of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial that includes an interview I did with Cathy (for a more detailed and recent story check out this one from WBFF-TV recorded in October, 2011).

One of the lessons from the fire on Walls Lane was fireground accountability. It was believed that Kenny had left the fireground after pulling a seven-year-old boy from the home. But instead, Kenny was trapped in the basement after going back in to search for more victims. Last year on the anniversary of Kenny's death, Mike Ward at Firegeezer.com looked at how this incident pushed fire departments in the region to conduct regular accountability checks. Click here for that story.

In The Secret List today, Billy Goldfeder, a member of the NFFF board of directors, writes about Kenny, Cathy and Les. Click here.

Below is an account of Kenny's death from the website of the Morningside VFD. Tonight at 7:00 PM, there will be a memorial ceremony at the firehouse.

Kenneth Michael Hedrick

On January 12th 1992, Engine Company 27 was dispatched for a first due house fire at 3807 Walls Lane in Suitland. Kenny had been in the structure and made a rescue of the family's seven year old son. Kenny reentered the house to search for additional victims. While searching the basement, he became trapped under debris and perished. Kenny had been a member of the department for about two years. Les Hedrick, his father, was Fire Chief at the time but was not on the call. Kenny attended LaPlata High School and had his sights set on becoming a career firefighter in the Washington DC area. Kenny's uncle, Ford Gallagher, at the time was a 12 year veteran of the Prince George's County Fire Department (PGFD). At Kenny's funeral, PGFD Fire Chief Steve Edwards made Kenny a honorary career firefighter in the PGFD. The new Rescue Squad 27 is dedicated to Kenny. Kenny's parents are still active in the department today; Les serves on the Board of Directors as well as being Vice President and his mother Cathy is still active in the Ladies Auxiliary. Both Les and Cathy are active members in the Fallen Firefighters Foundation and are counselors for families of other fallen firefighters across the Nation. Kenny will be missed by his family both in and out of the fire station. His love and devotion to the fire service will live on as an inspiration to all. 

We love you, Kenny.