A recent L.O.D.D to report. This article appeared in the local paper.
"PROCESSION SET FOR LOST FIREFIGHTER IN PRENTISS COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI"
TODAY'S "FIREFIGHTER'S FUNERAL" WILL FEATURE MANY FIREMAN AND FIRE TRUCKS.
BOONEVILLE- "HOBO-9, RICHARD LEE MONTGOMERY, IS 10-7 FOR SERICE."
These words will ring out over Prentiss County 911's emergency radio about noon today, officially drawing to a close a "fireighter's funeral" for Montgomery, who died on New Year's Eve fighting a house fire.
"10-7" is radio speak for "out of service." Montgomery, 54, was part of the Hobo Volunteer Fire Department some 15 years and on call Wednesday when the call came in of an early evening structure fire on County Road 4040, just north of Marietta in southeast Prentiss County.
"We think it was a possible heart attack or blood clot," speculated Fire Chief Richard Yancey, who was working late Friday on the details for Montgomery's final sendoff.
Funeral services will begin at 11am today from McMillan Funeral Home at 702 W. College St.
At least 14 fire department units will lead the procession from the funeral home to military graveside services at Oak Lawn Cemetery on old highway 4. A med-evac aircraft flyover also is planned for their colleague, who had worked maintenance jobs and was a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East.
Yancey also said each unit will be represented with a pallbearer. Fire units from surrounding counties also are welcome to join, he noted. "We hope it will be good," Yancey added.
Mongomery is survived by a daughter and three sisters, all of Booneville.
When the funeral is over, a special "LAST CALL" will go out over Emergency 911 radio:
"PRENTISS 911 TO HOBO-9.
"THIS IS THE LAST AND FINAL CALL FOR HOBO FIRE DEPARTMENT UNIT 9.
"ATTENTION, ALL UNITS. ATTENTION, ALL UNITS.
"HOBO-9, RICHARD LEE MONTGOMERY, IS 10-7 FOR SERVICE.
"MAY YOU FIND THE REST AND PEACE THAT ONLY GOD GIVES FOR YOU HAVE CERTAINLY EARNED IT.
"GOOD-BYE, SIR. YOU WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED.
"PRENTISS COUNTY 911, CLEAR."
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
01/03/2009