Quincy Reporter

Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) attended a ceremony on May 10 to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty.

"Fallen firefighters from across the state were honored at the 29th Annual Illinois Fallen Firefighter Memorial and Firefighter Medal of Honor Awards Ceremony May 10 in Springfield," the senator said in a recent Facebook post. "The Fallen Firefighter Memorial service was held at the Firefighter Memorial on the grounds of the Illinois State Capitol to honor Illinois firefighters lost in the line of duty. Following the ceremony at the Capitol, the Medal of Honor Ceremony took place at the Bank of Springfield Center. The memorial ceremonies brought scores of firefighters from across Illinois to Springfield to honor and remember their fallen brothers and sisters."

The  firefighter's memorial event followed a ceremony honoring fallen police officers, Tracy said in a recent release from her office.

Loved ones of the fallen firefighters were presented with the "Death Duty Gold Badge" by the fire marshall during the ceremony, a recent report from WSILTV said.  

This year's honorees included firefighter/paramedic Michael Pickering of the Chicago Fire Department, firefighter MaShawn Plummer of the Chicago Fire Department, Lt. Garrett Ramos of the Sterling Fire Department and firefighter Mehdi Mourad of the Wabash Fire Protection District; the report said. Lt. Brian Kulaga of the Cicero Fire Department received  the Medal of Honor.

"The Illinois Firefighter Memorial is dedicated to the firefighters of Illinois, who have given their lives in the line of duty and to those firefighters who heroically serve with courage, pride and honor," a report from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal said.

The Firefighter Memorial in Springfield is "an original bronze work of art consisting of four life-size figures of firefighters in full gear, a child, a ladder, and hose," the Fire Marshall's office said. "There are 2,400 red paver bricks which are enclosed by a two-foot wall with capstones engraved with contributor's names."