VIDEO: Flags flew at half-mast Sunday to honor the men and women firefighters who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
In Youngstown, the department held a ceremony honoring the 19 firefighters who died while serving the city.
The bell rang each time a name was announced. Nineteen names of fallen Youngstown Firefighters were read.
The final five bells symbolize the firefighters’ final call: a long-honored tradition.
“We’ve had 19 Youngstown firemen that have died in the line of duty in our history. The last one was [in] 1984. We’ve been very fortunate that we [haven’t] had any since then,” said Youngstown Fire Dpt. Captain Gene Cook.
“We’ve had some close calls, but we just want to make sure we honor these gentlemen,” he said.
The ceremony concluded with the throwing of a single rose – also an important symbol.