JOE ARENA and LOREY SCHULTZ
WIVB, Reprinted with Permission
View Images of the Services
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Thousands of firefighters have converged in the Queen City to pay their respects to two of Buffalo's bravest.
At St. Joseph Cathedral, Friday thousands of first responders will gather to honor their fallen comrades.
Friday is a day for the Queen City to remember the sacrifices of Jonathan Croom and Charles McCarthy, and try to move on from Monday's tragedy.
Lt. Mccarthy's procession begins before his 8:30 a.m. service.
It will start out at the Cannan Funeral Home on Orchard Park Road, proceed through the Town of West Seneca along Seneca Street, through south Buffalo and past his fire house on Jefferson Avenue.
It will then continue to Saint Joseph Cathedral.
A similar procession will take place before firefighter Jonathan Croom's service Friday afternoon.
It will begin at the Amigone Funeral Home on Delaware Avenue and West Ferry, proceeding up Main Street to the fire station at Main and Mercer, then Hertel Avenue and back down Main Street to the Cathedral.
Police are urging no unnecessary travel Friday, in Buffalo.
The NFTA will be doing its part to keep more cars off the the streets of Buffalo
It is offering free bus and metro rail service Friday, to any firefighter or police officer in uniform.
The Mass of Christian burial for Lieutenant Charles McCarthy will begin at 9:30 Friday morning.
The family has asked that cameras not be allowed inside.
We will provide updates throughout the morning.
The service for firefighter Jonathan Croom will follow at 1 p.m. Friday.
We will stream the service live, here on
www.wivb.com
Remember, police are advising against all unnecessary travel in downtown Buffalo Friday, and suggest you use the 190 rather than the Kensington if you need to get downtown.
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Many of the firefighters who will be at the funerals Friday, were at wakes for Firefighters McCarthy and Croom Thursday night.
Lieutenant McCarthy's wake was held at the Canaan Funeral Home, in Orchard Park.
The wake for Firefighter Croom was held at the Amigone Funeral Home on Delaware Avenue, in Buffalo.
"It's a sobering fact, that firefighting is a very dangerous occupation, happen to anybody involved in the job at any time, so to see something like this, and to see it happen repeatedly throughout the country, over a period of time, it is a very sobering and very tragic thought," said Chief John Gourley, of the Pittsburgh Fire Department.
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