At the Erie Fire House in Erie, Pa., William Blakely, a Laurel native and the first black firefighter at the department, has his helmet and photo on the wall as a reminder of his service and ultimate sacrifice.
His son Juan “Scooter” Blakely was a fixture at the firehouse since he was 8 years old, even after his father’s death when he was 14. Since that time, Scooter, his family and fellow firefighters have worked to get Blakely honored as a line of duty death. Now, nearly 40 years later,, he received that distinction in a ceremony during the annual Workers Memorial Day April 28 in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Scooter, Erie Fire Bureau photographer, accepted the International Association of Firefighters Medal of Honor on behalf of his late father.
“It was closure for me,” Blakely said. “It’s been a long road and almost 39 years later to get his spot in history marked for the city of Erie.
Blakely’s last alarm was July 10, 1982, Scooter said.
“They were fighting a warehouse fire,” he said. “There was an arsonist working the city that day, and they were getting the mess beat out of him. He tripped over a piece of hose and broke his collarbone. Then in October of that year, while he stood outside of Veterans Memorial Stadium, he collapsed from a brain aneurysm.”
Scooter said line of duty deaths have changed in the last 30 years.
“Before, a firefighter had to die on the grounds of the fire,” Juan said. “Now they can attach a death from firefighters who died from stress, carcinogens or other reasons.”
Until Wednesday, though, the death was not considered to be in the line of duty.
Scooter was a freshman in high school when his father died, so it left an impression.
“When you lose a parent, it doesn’t really go away,” Scooter said. “This local 293 has gone above and beyond to make sure one of theirs has not been forgotten, and he would be recognized. There was quite a bit of paperwork and events that had to take place for him to be reinstated with the International Fire Association.”
On April 28, William Blakely was awarded the IAF Medal of Honor for his line of duty death.
During the ceremony, retired fire chief Greg Martin, the second black firefighter at the Erie Fire Department, said the ceremony was not only to honor Scooter and his father Willie but the community’s support of its firefighters and first responders.
“Most of you have no clue who Willie Blakely is, but those who knew Willie Blakely knew that he’s just like you,” Martin said. “Just a dude standing there in tow, a gong goes off and it’s time to do the job. He loved his job and he did it well.”
Martin said those gathered were there to honor a deceased firefighter who is being recognized as a line of duty death decades after it happened.
“It took a long time coming but he is now being recognized as a line-of-duty death,” Martin said. “And I just can’t express in words what that means, not just to his family, I’m talking about each and every one of you. But a man who would lay down his life for you, that is a true friend.”
Darren Hart, chief fire inspector of the Erie Fire Department, said at the ceremony he had been looking forward to this for a long time, recognizing one of the Erie Fire Department’s own to bring to conclusion something that should have been done nearly 40 years ago.
“Through my 24 years on the job, I wanted to someday see if we could get Willie the honor of a line of duty death for his son Scooter,” Hart said.
Because of this job, the Blakely family did not have a husband, father or brother for almost 40 years, Hart said.
“I deeply respect Willie Blakely for his guts and being a trailblazer on the department,” Hart said. “I know it had to be very tough at times. But this has never been about race, color or creed to me. It has always been about making something right and giving honor to one of our brothers who more than deserves it.”
Hart and Scooter struck up a friendship. Hart, who had never worked with Blakely, felt like it was something that needed to be done, Scooter said.
“We became friends and remained friends,” he said. “He has worked day and night to get this done for us.”
Scooter followed his father’s trailblazing footsteps and began taking photos for the fire department to show what firefighters did each day. His photos have gained national recognition, spotlighting the Erie Fire Department.
“It’s a family atmosphere and you build strong ties quickly,” Scooter said. “ It’s like being in the military or a police officer. I have friendships for life because I had retirees from his fire house who worked side-by-side who came for the dedication. I received tons of emails and letters from people that said, ‘It’s about damn time.’”
The International Association of Firefighters recently granted line of duty death status to Blakely and will add his name to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs. A ceremony marking Blakely’s inclusion is scheduled for September. Blakely will also be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial wall in Emmitsburg, Md., where the U.S. Fire Academy is located.
“If you try to do the right thing, respect, honor, that’s all within the honor service,” Scooter said. “They did not leave a member behind and the brotherhood came through in full colors for my father. Most places you have to have a funeral to move forward for the department to heal and the family to heal, and this medal is basically closure for me and the family.”
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