the casket onto the caisson to have a similar casket with which to practice. If a similar casket cannot be provided, any casket can be used with an approximate amount of weight to represent that of the deceased added to the casket. A tradition that has been practiced for over two hundred years at firefighter funerals is the bell ceremony or “The Ringing of the Bell.” This ceremony is normally conducted after the Fireman’s prayer is read and is the final ceremony in a Line of Duty Death funeral service. The ringing of the bell symbolically announces that the comrade has come home for the final time. While wearing white gloves, a member of the department will ring the bell three times before placing a hand on the bell to silence the ringing. The member will do this three times, with the bell being allowed to continue ringing on the third time. It is important to have the bell arranged at the service, along with a microphone. There is a selection entitled “Ringing of the Bell” that an additional member of the department will read as part of the ceremony (Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, 2019). services for these personnel will be very similar, if not identical, to that of other fire service members. For departments or organizations that are not a part of a fire department, the structure will still be very similar. There will normally be coordination officers assigned to assist the family and also in preparing for the components of the service. Personnel may use an ambulance or another agency vehicle as a caisson to transport the casket to the service and then to the place of final disposition (Silloway, 2011). When this is the case, some or all of the pallbearers may accompany the casket in the ambulance or agency vehicle. Most ambulances will have ample room in the rear for the casket. Just as in using a fire engine caisson, it is advisable to ensure there is adequate room and no equipment or surfaces that will impede the placement of the casket. A portable casket table from a funeral home may serve well for placing the casket in the rear of the ambulance. dies while serving his or her country, the director is in a position to care for and begin the healing process for the family, the comrades of the soldier, and sometimes even an entire country. When a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other public service member is killed in a Line of Duty Death or passes away while serving the public, the director is in a position to care for and begin the healing process for the family, the professional family, and the community that has been so valiantly served. National Sheriffs’ Association. (Unknown). K-9 Burial Protocol. “The Rocky Protocol.” Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi Wxs_y1qv8AhU3NlkFHcUrDrcQFnoECBkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sheriffs.org%2Fsite s%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fuploads%2Fdocuments%2FK9%2520Burial%2520Protocol.pdf&usg=A OvVaw24nDzT0m08VTryocscHxHi National Volunteer Fire Council. (2010). Funeral Procedures for Firefighters . Retrieved from https://www.nvfc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Funeral_Procedures_Guide.pdf Silloway, Tawnya. (2011). Line of Duty Death Handbook . American Medical Response. Torreon, Barbara Salazar. (2015). Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions . Congressional Research Service. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Unknown). Honor Guard Operational Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi_xoif1 6v8AhXoFFkFHWJyDBgQFnoECB4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fws.gov%2Fpolicy%2FHo norGuardHandbook2019.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0I46aUuQuR6fOcJN6bBgwO Weissberg, Michael W. (2001). Honor, Glory, Respect: Conducting Police Funerals.
platforms will be placed at the rear of the apparatus in a stair- step fashion with the tallest risers closest to the truck. This allows the pallbearers to pass the casket to other members of the honor guard that are positioned on the risers. The casket should remain as level as possible as it is raised to each height of the risers before being placed atop the apparatus. Upon placement atop the apparatus, the casket should be sufficiently secured in place. Many fire departments who are prepared and have done this in the past will have a sort of casket table built or bought for the purpose. Should a department not have a device for this purpose, a portable casket table from a funeral home can work when properly secured. When a department experiences a death in the department, the pumper that will be used as a caisson will be removed from service in order to be prepared for the funeral services. In the time leading up to the service, the truck will be cleaned and polished for the service. As previously mentioned, it is a good practice for the honor guard or pallbearers who will be placing Emergency medical services Funeral directors who have been in the industry long enough may have served on an ambulance operated by a funeral home. This was a common practice in years past. The emergency medical services of today have greatly advanced from the years past and are normally operated by municipalities or private companies. Those involved in emergency medicine today include both air and ground emergency medical services. These first responders include search and rescue personnel, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and pilots. These brave men and women put themselves in danger where their talents and passion are used to save lives of ill and injured people in every conceivable situation. When a Line of Duty Death occurs, the life of these heroes must be celebrated and honored. The honors for emergency medical services personnel are, in many ways, very similar to that of the fire service and law enforcement. In many areas, emergency medical technicians and paramedics are active members of the fire service. Therefore, the Conclusion Every decedent entrusted to the care of a funeral service professional deserves the tribute and services their family members request. This care extends to the family and friends of the deceased. When tragedy strikes and a hero falls in service to a country or a community, the directors and staff entrusted with the services must be prepared to diligently ensure every detail is checked. The family is always of utmost importance in a funeral or memorial service. When a soldier is killed in action or References Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois. (2019). Bell Ceremony and the Fireman’s Prayer. Retrieved from https://www.affi1935.org/honorguard/ceremony/ Baltimore Police Department. (2017). Policy 1714. Honoring Deceased Personnel. Retrieved from https://www.powerdms.com/public/BALTIMOREMD/ documents/143329 Federation of Fire Chaplains. (2004). Chaplains Manual Fire Department Funerals. Retrieved from https://www.firehero.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/chaplainsmanual.pdf Frazier, Audrey. (2013). The Call That’s Hard To Make. The Journal of Emergency Dispatch. Joint Service Honors Command. (2010). Military Honors History . Retrieved from https://www. jshc.info/Military_Honors_History.html Los Angeles Police Department. (2008). Funeral Protocols. Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved from https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/LAPD%20Funeral%20Protocol%20 -%20Revised%207-10-08.pdf Mertes, Jenny. (2018). Military Funeral Service Rituals. Where Bereavement Starts. Retrieved from https://www.funeralwise.com/customs/military/
MILITARY AND LINE OF DUTY FUNERAL SERVICES Final Examination Questions Select the best answer for each question and mark your answers on the Final Examination Answer Sheet found on page 36, or complete your test online at EliteLearning.com/Book 1. In a traditional military funeral, there are generally how many pallbearers bearing the casket? a. Seven. b. Six. c. Eight. d. Five. 2. Regarding the usage of the twenty-one-gun salute, the United States originally used one shot for each of the twenty-one states in the year:
a. 1812. b. 1846. c. 1921. d. 1818.
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