Fallen Firefighters of Ventura County

Firefighters from agencies across California will assemble at the Ventura County Government Center on Saturday, September 27, to dedicate a Memorial to Ventura County firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.

The dedication of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial is the culmination of a four-year effort to build a permanent monument to honor firefighters who have given their lives protecting the people and property of Ventura County. It is a joint venture of the Ventura County Fire Chiefs Association, firefighter labor organizations, Rotary International and the eight fire agencies serving the county – Ventura County, Oxnard, Ventura City, Federal Fire, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.

“This year’s ceremony is a special one,” said Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper, “because not only will we be remembering our fallen firefighters, we will be dedicating a Memorial to them so their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

The Memorial is located on the Victoria Ave. side of the Government Center. The circular monument has a pedestal inscribed with the names of 39 fallen firefighters and the Firefighter’s Prayer. On top of the pedestal is a seven-foot statue of a firefighter holding a small child. Three flagpoles serve as a backdrop to the Memorial.
“It’s a beautiful Memorial,” said Lana Hawthorne, the widow of Kent Hawthorne, a fallen Ventura County firefighter. “This tribute means so much to me and the other families and it’s especially gratifying to know how much the community supported the effort to build it.”

The public is invited to attend the ceremony that will be held on the lawn surrounding the Memorial. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, and is expected last about one hour. Fire engines will line one lane of northbound Victoria Ave. and the ceremony will include the unveiling of the Memorial, bagpipes, choral presentations and the traditional Firefighter’s Bell Ceremony.