Saturday June 4, 2011 VA Falen Firefighters Memorial Service

Saturday morning, two members of the 2 House Crew and Salem Fire EMS Honor Guard traveled to Richmond, VA as representatives of the department to participate in the VA Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service.    Lt Mike Elston, and Senior Firefighter Chris Smith joined members of Roanoke Fire-EMS Honor Guard and Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Honor Guard who also participated in the memorial service

One of the seven being remembered was Battalion Chief Billy Obenchain, Chief Obenchain retired from Roanoke Fire EMS but had a great impact on the lives of a lot of people in the fire service in the Roanoke Valley and across Virginia.
The seven that were honored at the ceremony were...Billy Obenchain, William “Danny” Altice, Posey Dillon, Timothy Pigg, Carl Persing, William “Hal” Clark and Zyglmantas Zalys.

Members of the Honor Guard, families of those being honored, and most of the attendees received a very nice challenge coin to commemorate the event. 
 

The Honor Guard members from Roanoke Fire EMS that participated were:  Battalion Chief Roger Manual, Captain Chris Trussler, Lt. Robert Reid, Lt. Dan Goodwin, Zach Obenchain (Chief Obenchain’s son), Richard Lipes, Travis Meador,  Josh Hull,  and Jeff East.  The Honor Guard members from Roanoke County Fire and Rescue were:  Captain Jeff Lawson, Lt. Toby Martin, Lt. Jeff Yopp and Lt Riley McClure.
 Below are a couple of shots from rehearsal, and of the Salem and Roanoke City Honor Guard participants.

Please that the time to send prayers and condolences to the families and to the San Francisco Fire Department for the two brothers Lt Vincent Perez, and FF/PM Anthony Valerio that died in the line of duty.