VIDEO: Portland Fire & Rescue held their โCarry The Loadโ event Friday, honoring fallen firefighters. Carry The Load is a nationwide nonprofit that seeks to preserve the importance of Memorial Day by honoring fallen first responders and veterans.
The day became personal for PF&R after fire lieutenant, 56-year-old Jerry Richardson, died in 2021. He developed lung cancer after years serving his community. Firefighters marched over five miles to Station 21, one of the last stations Lt. Richardson worked at.
โI feel like itโs important that we connect with Americans to remind them of the sacrifices that our military, first responders and veterans have paid to this country because they sacrifice so much for us to have the rights we have, for us to have that freedom that we have, and I feel like itโs important that we keep saying, the ones that have fallen, keep saying their names so theyโre not forgotten a second time after their death,โ said Emilie Andrews with Carry The Load.
Lt. Richardson is just one of 77 Portland firefighters that have passed while serving the local community.
