Chester Firefighters Pay Tribute To Fallen Instructor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A fallen Philadelphia firefighter was honored Wednesday by a class of Chester City fire recruits whose training he had supervised.
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Sixteen members of the Bravo Class made up of Chester City fire recruits - in full dress uniform - gathered at the Memorial Wall on the second floor of the Philadelphia Fire Museum on Wednesday to place a wreath in memory of their instructor - Philadelphia Fire Lt. Matt LeTourneau - who died in a weekend fire in North Philadelphia.
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Brian Decker is an apprentice firefighter and member of Bravo Class.
"Matt was a true leader," Decker recalls. "He was a great instructor and he was a fireman's fireman they say. He just wanted us to be the best that we could be and he pushed us to be the best we could be."
Retired Middletown, Delaware County Fire Chief Chip Lillie remembered LeTourneau as a popular Philadelphia Fire Academy instructor.
"From the teenage kid just coming on to the 40 year olds, they all looked forward to taking classes with him and always looked forward to being a part of his programs and stuff. " Lillie says.
A viewing for LeTourneau begins Thursday night. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on the Parkway on Friday, followed by burial in Delaware County.