Shane Murray Memorial

Home

Personnel

Apparatus

Media

Information

S. Murray Memorial

Links

Guestbook

Run Report

Shane Murray Memorial

page3.jpg (10959 bytes)

Our prayers and thoughts are with your firefighters and the family of Firefighter Shane Murray. May God Bless.

Captain Ronald W. Devlin (Past Dept Chief 2001)
Endeavor Fire Company No.1
FD City of Burlington NJ

Hello
Just a short note to pass on our condolences on your loss of a fellow firefighter. I would like to extend the sympathies of my family as well as my fellow firefighters.

Sincerely,
Mike Courtois Firefighter
Ft. Johnson Volunteer Fire Co.
Ft. Johnson NY 12010

Bobby -
I don't know if you remember me - Donna Swann (JCHS class of '87). I just wanted to send our condolences to you and the rest of your department in the loss of Shane Murray. My husband is a volunteer fireman for the Almaville Fire Department (Smyrna, TN), and a paramedic for Sumner County EMS. We were deeply saddened to hear of your department's loss. My husband, Eric, mourns with your department. I've found that once you're a firefighter, all other firefighters become your brothers, whether you know them or not. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

God Bless,
Donna Swann Getner

DEAR BROTHER FIREFIGHTERS
I AM VERY SORRY TO HERE OF YOUR LOSS. ITS HARD TO LOSE ONE OF YOUR OWN . FOUR YEAR AGO WE LOST ONE OF OURS WHILE RESPONDING TO A CALL ,SO WE KNOW WHAT A TRAGIC TIME THIS IS FOR YOU. BUT IT ALSO TIMES LIKE THIS THAT MAKE ME PROUD TO BE A FIREFIGHTER. TO FIND LOVE AND COPANIONSHIP THAT A FIREFIGHT FAMILY CAN HAVE. MY PRAYERS FOR YOU AND THE MURRAY FAMILY WILL BE TO FIND THE PEACE AND COMFORT THAT GOD CAN GIVE YOU, AND THAT HE WILL CONTUNUE TO BE WITH YOU DURING THIS GREAT LOSE OF A LOVED ONE.

BROTHER FIREFIGHTER
RICHARD ELLIOTT
PRESIDENT
CLARKSVILLE VOL. FIRE DEPT.
CLARKSVILLE, VA 23927

Gentlemen,
I am an Assistant Chief with the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department in North Dakota. I am serving in the military and am originally from Jonesborough Tennessee. I am sorry for you loss and our departments thoughts and prayers are with you. Your tribute to your fallen brother is amazing. He is still with you in your hearts and watching over you as you continue doing what you enjoy doing, "Protecting the citizens of your community". If there is anything we can do let me know.

Brother Firefighter
Jeff Story

Hello,
First, sorry for your loss earlier this month. I have started a memorial page for this year on my departments site, www.scribafd.org. Please take take a look. I would like also to add your departments site to our links page?
Thanks,
Michael

On behalf of the Champaign IL Fire Department, I would like to convey our deepest sympathy for the lost of our brother.
Our prayers are with you and his family,
Lt. Lew Smith

My name is Tracy Summar and I am the Assistant Fire Chief for the Lascassas Volunteer Fire Department in Tennessee. I am also a paid firefighter for the Murfreesboro, Tn Fire Department. On behalf of all Middle Tennessee Fire Departments, I would like to express my sympathy to the family and co-workers of our fallen brother Shane. May God bless each and every one of you and Shane's family.

Chief Turner and Staff,

You are in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless the JCFD.

Sincerely,
Ken Ezell
Leeco, Inc.
Tennessee Sales for Emergency One

Sorry to hear about your loss.I can tell you from a recent experience, I know what you are going through.We recently lost one of our members in a tanker accident that occurred while responding to a mutual aid call just outside of our area.He himself was only 21 yoa and was a very dedicated firefighter.For further info regarding our accident visit the Cameron web site at www.cameron.com and go to city hall to get to the fire dept. section. Again I am very sorry to hear about the loss.

Ronald Walker Jr.
2nd Asst Chief
Cameron WV VFD

Please accept my sincere sympathy on the loss of Fire Fighter Shane Murray. I am with the Blount Co Fire Dept. but I wasnt able to attend the services but wanted you all to know that your dept and Shane's family was in my and my families prayers..

Kevin Fitzgerald
Blount Co - 743

On behalf of the men and women of the West Manatee Fire & Rescue District I would like to extend our condolences to the family of Shane Murray and the family of the Jefferson City Fire Department. Last year we lost one of our own in the line of duty and feel your grief, We were comforted by the many emails and letters received, especially one that contained an excerpt from an essay of Chief Moorhead of Loral, Ohio titled: "So you want to be a firefighter". "Your family becomes ours; and ours becomes yours. In our breed, you will experience our often strange sense of humor, and you'll develop its pride. Not boastful, bragging, cocky pride, rather an inner pride known only to those who have worn the gear. You will develop a respect for your fellow firefighters across the nation, and their job that exists in no other profession. It is often said that firefighting gets in your blood. That's not true. If you become one of us, it gets in your heart."
Your loss is our loss and may God Bless Shane's family and the family of the Jefferson City Fire Department.

Sincerely,
Kenneth A. Price Jr.
Chief Kenneth A. Price Jr
West Manatee Fire Rescue
Manatee County Florida
Born 1960, Jefferson City Tennessee
Pricea@wmfr.org
www.wmfr.org

To all Dept. Members,
May the good Lord help you with your loss. I am always saddened to hear of the loss of a "Brother". May you all find peace and happiness in his memory.

With deepest regret,
Lieutenant Scott A. Clifford
West Thompson Fire Rescue
West Thompson, CT 06255

WE AT THE DEAN DALE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, LOCATED IN WICHITA FALLS , TEXAS WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO YOUR DEPARTMENT ON LOSS, AND WOULD LIKE TO WISH A SPEEDY RECOVERY TO ANY WHO WERE INJURED. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU.

RODNEY REESE
FIRE CHIEF

I had the opportunity to meet your Chief and visit your station last summer. While on vacation, my father in law had a massive heart attack and was flown to Jefferson City where he underwent cardiac bypass surgery. The care he received was extraordinary. As a retired Battalion Chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department, he was glad to hear that we had stopped by to visit your station. My sincerest sympathy is extended to your department at this time. God bless.

Cindi Maahs Knobbs
Fire Inspector
Bureau of Fire Prevention
Moorestown, NJ

Chief,
I'm so sorry for your loss.

Signal Hill Fire Department
Belleville IL 62223
FireFighter/EMT-BD
Mary T Cripps

Dear Fire Fighting Brothers:

The members of the Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department, Thomasville, Alabama, would like to express our sincere condolences to your department and to the family members of Shane Murray. We, too, are a small group of volunteers dedicated to protecting our city of 5,000. We are a very close-knit group, as I am sure you all are, making the tragedy even more difficult to cope with.
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time, and we will continue to pray for you in the coming months.

Sincerely,
Mark Sims, Chief

Charlie Dixon, Public Affairs Officer
Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department

I just read ther notice from FEMA of the loss of one of your firemen,Shane Murray.
With great sorrow, we, at Factoryville Fire Company, pass our condolences to the Murray family, and to your Fire Company.
It's always very tragic, when we lose one of our brothers or sisters. whether it be by natural causes, or by doing what we do while on scene. We too, have experienced loss, and it never goes away. I would really have to search my mind to try and find a tighter bond than what is demonstrated between firemen. We know we are putting our lives on the line every time we answer a call for either an MVA or a fire. But, this is what we are trained for, and we do our utmost best for all concerned while we are on scene. I am the Fire Police Capt. for our Company, and me and my other Fire Police make it top priority to make safety number one, especially if we have to shut a road down, and divert traffic around the scene. Once again, our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Shane Murray

Respectfully
Mel Caughill
Factoryville Fire Company
Factoryville, Pa. 18419

Our condolences in the tragic loss of Firefighter Shane Murray. Another hero called home.

Ken Jacobson, Chief
Ironwood (MI) V.F.D.
"Dream as if you'll live forever.
Live as if you'll die today."
--James Dean

I just wanted to let you all know that you and Shane's family are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sorry that this terrible accident happened. May God be with you during this time.

Steve Lowe
Firefighter, Alcoa Fire Department

Guys/Girls,

Just wanted to pass on my condolences to you on your loss. I work with many firefighters the same age as Shane and to lose someone at such an early age is a absolute tragedy.
Our thoughts are with you.

Firefighter Paul Dadge
Station 10 - Wokingham
Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue
England

On behalf of the Mount Olive Volunteer Fire Department in Mount Olive, Illinois I would would like to extend my deepest condolences to the members of the Jefferson City Fire Department and Firefighter Murray's family. The loss of a fellow firefighter and family member is truly devastating. You will be in out thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,
FF/EMT Daniel Borror

I worked on a previous job with Shane "Dawg" Murray, and not only a fellow worker, he was my hunting buddy, also one of my best friends. He died doing what he loved, and that means alot. The pictures are very nice and would of made him very proud. Life hasn't ever been the same without you Dawg, but I'll see ya one day. Always in our hearts>

Toby & Lori

This message is for Shane we know you do a great job when you go fight fires and now it is your time to rest so I want to tell you and all the Jefferson City firemen that we think you all do a good job. So be careful and be safe in every thing you do and thank you. We miss you Shane

Mark, Gwen, (Alexis little girlfriend), Taylor

Shane was my cousin and one on my best friends. There wasn't a day he wouldn't stop by work and shoot the breeze w/ me.. He will always be my "bonehead".

Shane was like a brother to me all through school and after. I will never forget the times we had, good and bad. He is the perfect example of a true hero.

Deputy Raymond Raper
Johnson Co. Sheriff's Dept.
Kansas

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 3 years since the passing of a good friend. Shane was the model American. He always had a smile on his face and would always find a way to put one on yours. He was always dedicated to the job at hand, no matter what it might be. He is truely missed. He and his family will always be in my prayers . NEVER FORGOTTEN

P.Mayes DVFD

Shane will always be in our hearts.

That Day, March 1, 2002

Dedicated to all the courageous Firemen who fought the house fire that destroyed my home.

On March 1, 2002, just like any Friday, I got up at 5:45 to get ready to go to work. I showered, dressed, woke up my daughter, Leslie, and my granddaughter, Miranda and left the house. As I went out I petted my dogs on the head and told "Puppy", our black Lab, to take care of things, just like I did every morning. Little did I know that would be the last time I ever saw "Puppy" and the next time I saw my home, raging, black smoke was billowing out of it.

It was getting close to 3:30, my end of the work day and like everyone else, I was thinking, "At last, Friday afternoon and the weekend ahead". Then the phone on my desk rang and when I answered it, my whole life changed. The caller was my daughter who screamed into the phone, "Get home, the house is on fire!" Someone had called her at work and she immediately called me before starting home. I grabbed my purse and ran to my car; I don't even remember the 2 1/2 mile drive to my house. I parked up the street because fire trucks and cars were everywhere. All I could see was black smoke so thick that you could hardly breathe. I started running to the front of my house but someone grabbed me and held me back. I was hysterical because of the fire and I didn't know where Miranda was, she should have been home from school by now. Then my daughter arrived and was more hysterical than me, screaming Miranda's name. Finally friends started arriving and then we saw Miranda. Her wonderful bus driver, Bob Williams, had kept her on the bus and then let her off later when he saw us. The three of us just held each other and cried. Then I realized "Puppy" was not in the yard. The other dogs were hovered in the back corner of the fenced in yard. "Puppy" had been left in the house, we were devastated. To think that he had been in there and couldn't get out! I thought back to that tiny pup that I had brought home 6 years earlier and it was awful to think about what happened to him. He could not have survived. The house was a raging inferno.

We stood in the empty lot next to my house and everything was running through my mind. What are we going to do? Where will we even sleep tonight? We have nothing, no clothes, nothing. Everything is gone, my Mom's piano, my Dad's desk and on and on. More friends kept arriving and were trying to comfort us. I saw all the firemen in front of our house seemingly doing what they were supposed to be doing. Yet everything seemed surreal. No one can understand the feeling of total devastation unless it has happened to them. Time stands still, you just stare at the smoke, hundreds of feet above what had been your home. Has it been minutes or hours? At least my family is safe. Where do we go from here? How do we start over? What now?

But then amid all of this devastation of my life, it gets worse, so very much worse!! The three of us had grouped with friends but then my daughter suddenly turns to me and says she has something to tell me. A fireman has died inside our home and several other firemen are hurt. Everything in my being stood still. I could feel my heartbeat. Everything I had been feeling about the total devastation of our loss, and the death of our dog, just paled in the knowledge of this death and injuries to others. At the time I did not know the name of the firefighters that were involved, but my first thoughts were, the one that lost his life is someone's son, grandson, husband or father. What they have lost is a million times more than my loss. I cried and cried for that courageous soul who had died trying to save our home. I know nothing about firefighting but the dedication I saw that day has changed my life forever. The dense, black smoke was roaring out the doors and windows by this time yet the other firemen kept working to save my home! Their hearts must be made of gold to sacrifice so much trying to save someone’s home.

A little while later I learned that the fireman that died was Shane Murray and he was only 21 years old. My heart was breaking for his family. Then someone told me who his Mother and Step Father were and I realized that I knew them, having all worked at the same place. I will never, my entire life, go through a day that I don't think of this young man and what he tried to do for me.

At the church when Shane's family was receiving friends, I hesitantly went forward with my heart breaking, Dana, Shane's Mother threw her arms around me and said for me not to cry, that Shane had been doing what he loved, I will never forget that!

So please, when you can, remember these brave souls that rescue and protect us and try their best with their lives to save our homes from harm.

Dedicated to those brave men of March 1, 2002

Five years ago we lost a great lad...

And my heart will forever be sad.

As I left home early in the day...

It never entered my mind that a life would be taken away.

Only five feet away from lifesaving air...

A hero has fallen and he just can't get there.

Though my life changed that day, never to be the same...

It was nothing compared to the loss of Shane.

I'll never forget him and how brave he was that day...

Trying to save my home from the flames licking away.

How heavy the sadness of all the hurt and pain...

Never will it be gone, like a soaking rain.

Shane was special, as we can all sees...

And he'll be remembered in a special place throughout eternity.

Always in my heart, always remembered.

Pat Dukes

Back to the Shane Murray Memorial Page