# Fireman's Last Call Funeral Service **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2024, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372 "2024-12-09T02:55:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/1 "2024-12-09T02:55:14Z")
My cousin died a few days ago and I attended his service yesterday. I have been to hundreds of funerals through the years and never had the experience of the fireman’s last call service. Two firetrucks were parked near the cemetery with a group of firefighters standing together. A dispatcher called out his name on the radio a couple times that we could all hear. Then the dispatcher stated there was no response and he proceeded to speak about the end of his service with this particular fire company. Some other words of respect and appreciation were said and then more dispatcher alert noises. At the end local fire whistles in the community started ringing through the valley where we live. I’ve attended some military funerals with Taps that always get me but this had a unique sadness that really hit me emotionally. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/2 "2024-12-09T03:20:16Z")
Did your cousin die in the line of duty? ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/3 "2024-12-09T03:25:10Z")
No he did not but he was still an active firefighter. He had put up their Christmas tree, went outside and put up some lights and then went inside and died. I hope I go like that. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/4 "2024-12-09T03:54:04Z")
I’m sorry for your loss. I’ve had several friends who were firefighters, and they always spoke very highly about the fellowship in the fire department. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/5 "2024-12-09T04:08:32Z")
Thank you. I buried my father on that date (December 7th) 14 years ago and the military honors and Taps really got to me. He was a WW II veteran and they played Taps and presented me with a folded flag. This fireman’s last call was heartbreaking. Never experienced that before. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/6 "2024-12-09T15:38:45Z")
It’s common at police LOD funerals, too. There’s also a similar ceremony when someone is retiring, except they sign off themselves. I remember when one of the dispatchers retired; they put out a page to standby for an important announcement - after x years dispatcher \_\_\_, # \_\_ is retiring, blah, blah, blah & then gave him the air to say his goodbyes, then pretty much every fire cos went on air to wish him the best. I don’t think it would have happened if there was an incident going on at that time. They sometimes do something similar for a pilot’s final flight ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/7 "2024-12-09T15:42:52Z")
That was done at my father’s funeral five years ago - he was a local volunteer fireman. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/8 "2024-12-09T20:25:11Z")
may his memory be eternal. the last calls and military funerals really hit hard with the finality. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/9 "2024-12-09T20:29:49Z")
Firefighters get special treatment. At my college graduation they wore their helmets instead of mortarboards to show off their degree. And they deserve that special treatment. Damn I am almost crying reading your description. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/10 "2024-12-09T20:32:27Z")
I am not much of a cryer these days but I definitely had to stifle a sob during that one. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/11 "2024-12-09T23:19:41Z")
I used to work for an electrical utility Deaths on the job were not common, but not rare either. They did a similar, but not quite as elaborate, funeral procession/ceremony when an employee died on the job. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/12 "2024-12-09T23:46:17Z")
i also had this experience when a dear friend of mine, who had been an EMT for the volunteer Fire Department of a small town passed away. Salty had been a volunteer for over 30 years and i was not expecting this brief but very moving ceremony. i had been trying to support his children and grandchildren and had done my crying before the funeral. But i really broke down after the signoff. i’m tearing up now, just remembering it. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/13 "2024-12-09T23:47:37Z")
My father-in-law was a retired firefighter when he passed. It was a beautiful and emotional trubute. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/14 "2024-12-09T23:49:07Z")
I’m also very sorry for your loss. I’m glad he was honored in such a lovely way. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/15 "2024-12-10T01:15:55Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > i also had this experience when a dear friend of mine, who had been an EMT for the volunteer Fire Department of a small town passed away. Salty had been a volunteer for over 30 years and i was not expecting this brief but very moving ceremony. i had been trying to support his children and grandchildren and had done my crying before the funeral. But i really broke down after the signoff. i’m tearing up now, just remembering it. I also was not expecting such a brief but emotional ceremony. In fact I wasn’t sure what was going on for a few minutes. Sorry I brought a sad memory for you. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/16 "2024-12-10T01:17:52Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I used to work for an electrical utility Deaths on the job were not common, but not rare either. They did a similar, but not quite as elaborate, funeral procession/ceremony when an employee died on the job. That’s interesting. I did not know anything about these kinds of services except for the military ones which I have attended. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/17 "2024-12-10T01:19:23Z")
I want to thank everyone for the kind thoughts and condolences. I had to share this somewhere - it was just such a moving and unusual experience. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/18 "2024-12-10T02:06:25Z")
@Ellecram please don’t be sorry. It is a good memory. A good memory can still be sad, but i am glad for it. i’m sad for me, but treasure my memories of my friend. He was a good friend to me and everyone in that town and they appreciated him. i was so moved by the esteem he was held in for being such a good person. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/19 "2024-12-10T02:33:40Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > @Ellecram please don’t be sorry. It is a good memory. A good memory can still be sad, but i am glad for it. i’m sad for me, but treasure my memories of my friend. He was a good friend to me and everyone in that town and they appreciated him. i was so moved by the esteem he was held in for being such a good person. Thank you. Thank you for explaining. I totally understand how it can be a good memory. It’s sad to think of the ones who were once in our lives. Remembering them and sharing their impact is a tribute. It’s moving to see the community appreciate them in such a profoundly memorable way. Thank you for sharing your friend’s memory. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372/20 "2024-12-10T07:01:20Z")
Thanks. My dad, who died last year at the age of 90, was a retired firefighter, but we didn’t have a funeral, per his request. Miss you, Daddy! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemans-last-call-funeral-service/1011372.md?page=2)