This message is from Dan McInerney:
I recently attended the LODD (Line of Duty Death) service in Toledo. On a personal note, two years ago, I was teaching a live-fire attack class for Bowling Green State University, and Firefighter James Dickman was one of the students. I remember him clearly—he was very passionate about the fire service, and his dedication was obvious to everyone around him.While I was in Toledo, I was deeply moved by the outpouring of grief and support from both firefighters and everyday citizens. It was a heartbreaking moment for the entire city. Learning that this tragedy was caused by arson made it even more painful. It's hard to imagine how much deeper those wounds must feel now.I've attached a few photos from the Thursday night service. They were taken with a cell phone camera, so the lighting wasn't ideal, but they capture the emotion of the event.
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Also from Dan, here’s the service program.
Drew Smith found this powerful editorial from the Toledo Free Press that was published before the funerals:
Since the first snowstorm hit and Northwest Ohio was buried under nearly two feet of snow, this winter has felt different. In recent years, we’ve had unusually mild winters, especially for our region and history. When the near-blizzard of 2014 struck, I saw family members of local firefighters and police officers post on social media about how dangerous their loved ones' jobs had become.
While we were all safe and warm during the level 3 snow emergency, these brave men and women were out in the worst conditions. Police were on the iciest roads rescuing drivers who shouldn’t have left their homes but needed to pick up just one thing from the mall. Firefighters had an increased number of calls—from health-related emergencies to fires caused by electric heaters.
All this was happening while people shared Facebook posts showing off water experiments to show how cold it was. We were all amazed, but few of us thought about those who had to use water in these conditions to save lives or structures.
The events of January 26 made this winter unbearable.
There’s something about my West Side neighborhood that seems to produce teachers, police officers, and firefighters. One of my classmates lost her husband and the father of her children when TPD Detective Keith Dressel was killed in 2007. I remember how shocked I was when I recognized her face on TV—how it immediately hit me in the stomach and brought tears to my eyes. This wasn’t happening in New York or Chicago—it was right here in Toledo. I thought about her kids and how their lives were forever changed by both their father’s heroism and a coward’s actions.
My Sunday was filled with comfort—wine, a fire, and good TV. My phone was flooded with unanswered texts from people informing me of what happened and asking if I knew any of the firefighters who had been lost. I had no idea what was going on. I reached out to friends and family who know firefighters. The first name I heard was Machcinski, and my heart stopped. Everyone in Toledo knows a Machcinski; Steve and I went to Whitmer together.
The second name came with a story that made it worse. The other firefighter, James Dickman, was new to the Toledo Fire Department and a new father. How proud he must have been, his life’s dream and hard work finally paying off. His future was as bright as the flames he would soon be facing—flames that would extinguish his life in an instant.
I realized that new faces would join Danielle Dressel and her children. That two more families had lost sons, brothers, husbands, and in Dickman’s case, fathers. That two men who left for work never came home again, all because they wanted to keep us safe while providing for their loved ones.
This didn’t happen in Detroit or Chicago—it happened on Magnolia Street. We’re lucky that we haven’t seen more of this in our area. Our luck ran out yesterday.
Will you please join me? As a sign of respect, love, and gratitude for the two lives lost and those who survived, I think we Toledoans should line the streets during the funeral processions and say our goodbyes and thanks to the fallen heroes and their families. Let’s show these grieving families that these sacrifices won’t be forgotten, and these names will be remembered. Let’s remind the world that we appreciate and love those who carry ladders, hoses, or guns. Let’s remind our children what a real superhero looks like and what the noblest jobs are.
It may be -50 degrees when these fallen heroes pass by for the last time, but the weather shouldn’t stop you—it didn’t stop them when fighting that fire. It will once again remind the world of the strength and heart we have. On what could be the coldest day in recent decades, let’s give warmth to those who need it most.
If your heart isn’t broken or heavy, then you probably aren’t from the 419. We all complain about how miserable this winter feels, but 99% of us don’t realize how cold and dangerous it really has been.
To the grieving families and fellow firefighters of the Toledo Fire Department: I am truly sorry for your loss. These lives will not be forgotten.
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