Five NC firefighters to be honored among 226 fallen heroes nationwide

Five North Carolina firefighters are among more than 200 fallen heroes being honored and remembered this weekend.

Posted 7:32 p.m. May 4 — Updated 2:14 a.m. May 5

Carly Haynes

, WRAL reporter

This weekend, people from across the nation came together in Maryland to pay tribute to firefighters who have passed away in recent years.

Among those being honored during this gathering are five firefighters hailing from North Carolina.

A fallen firefighter memorial in the small town of Emmetsburg Maryland, carries the names of people whose impact can’t be measured.

"Their lives weren't lost in vain. They pursued something greater than themselves," one speaker said.

A new name, etched in gold, Jeremy Klemm, a Durham firefighter.

"He was always happy, always making jokes. Just very pleasant to be around," Brad Allison, Durham Fire Department said.

The crew remembers Klemm vividly, even after his passing in September 2021 from COVID-19 complications.

"If you ever needed anything, you could lean on him," Allison said.

A candlelight service honors Klemm alongside over 200 other firefighters who fell in recent years. Four others hailed from North Carolina.

"I've been a firefighter for a long time, and losing firefighters like this is very tough. It's always a tragedy," Allison said.

Klemm's name now rests beside the eternal flame, a beacon of remembrance that will never flicker out.

This year’s national tribute will honor 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years. The honorees will include the following North Carolina firefighters:

Engineer Ricky Allen, age 36, of the City of Conover Fire Department, died on 3/2/23, due to complications of bile duct cancer, deemed by the State of North Carolina to be a line-of-duty death.
Fire Investigator Eddie Fenderm age 57, of the Asheville Fire Department, died on 1/8/22 from complications from pancreatic cancer deemed by the State of North Carolina to be in the line of duty.
Captain James Goudelock, age 39, of the Town of Dallas Fire Department, died on 7/23/2022 due to complications of cancer, deemed by the State of North Carolina to be a line-of-duty death.
Captain Jeremy Klemm, age 45, of the Durham Fire Department, died on 9/18/2021 due to complications of COVID-19.
Driver/Engineer Larry Kye, age 22, of the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, died on 3/8/1989, in a crash when he lost control of his NC Forest Service vehicle on an icy patch during a winter storm, as he was returning to County Headquarters after performing fire control equipment maintenance at the District Office Shop. The vehicle slid into oncoming traffic and was struck by a tractor-trailer. Larry Kye died at the scene of the accident.

Detailed information about each of the 226 firefighters being memorialized can be found on the 2024 Roll of Honor.

“National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to pause and reflect on the heroic efforts and selfless service of the fallen firefighters we are paying tribute to this year,” said NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro. “We will always remember the bravery, commitment, and sacrifices of each of these 226 heroes—and their families.”

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