The other side of this life

Me screaming he has front ass in Denny's or Ben comparing his poo to Flipper?

Any takers on celebrating this mans birthday with me saturday night?

Saying goodbye, Thursday 9am

Scott Beveridge, Staff writer

Honoring a fallen fireman Funeral arrangements made for Washington firefighter killed while battling blaze Sunday

Washington Fire Department was preparing Monday for an outpouring of mourners for the funeral for a firefighter killed a day earlier in the line of duty.

The city also on Monday asked for flags to be lowered to half staff to honor Jeremy Charles LaBella, 27, who died when a roof fell on him at a fire at an old Harley-Davidson cycle shop.

"We're just grateful for all the help we're getting," said Joe Manning, captain of the city's paid fire department.

If LaBella's funeral is anything like those for two Pittsburgh firefighters killed in a church fire in 2004, firefighters will travel to Washington from all corners of the United States and Canada, Manning said.

"As you can see, we're getting a lot of help," Manning said at the fire department Monday, where many volunteers were answering nonstop telephone calls about LaBella's funeral. "It's just a huge thing to coordinate."

Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in William G. Neal Funeral Home at 925 Allison Ave., Washington. The funeral is planned for 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, 119 W. Chestnut St., Washington.

Firefighters had yet to schedule a fireman's service, where five bells will be rung four times to signify a fallen firefighter, Manning said.

LaBella, who was hired in August in a city struggling to afford its fire department, apparently suffocated Sunday when he became trapped under a canopy that collapsed with the garage roof, Manning said. The Washington County coroner was awaiting further testing before ruling on the cause of his death.

Members of the department barely had time to get to know LaBella, who had been volunteering with the neighboring Canton Township Fire Department since age 14, Manning said.

"He was a really good guy, easy to get along with," he said.

The fire department was called to a house and garage owned by Edwin Korby about 9:40 a.m. and found fire burning through the garage roof and spreading to the residence. The fire later was traced to electric heat tape wrapped around a water pipe to keep the water from freezing in the garage at 1273-75 Allison Ave.

LaBella and engineer George McMullen were among the first to arrive. As the fire spread, the garage roof collapsed, bringing with it a canopy covering the sidewalk where the firefighters were standing.

On Monday, members of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association were in the city helping with the filing of reports on the death. Union firefighters in Pittsburgh also were in Washington lending a hand, Manning said.

"Everything we do, every effort we take is for the comfort of his family," he added.

LaBella was single and lived with his parents, Charles and Pam.

A memorial fund has been established in his honor. Donations can be mailed to the Jeremy Charles LaBella Fund, Community Bank, 90 W. Chestnut St., Washington, PA 15301.

Definition of a hero

Byron Smialek, Senior writer and columnist

Definition of a hero Jeremy LaBella died a hero. He gave his life serving the people of Washington.

The 27-year-old Washington firefighter died tragically Sunday while fighting a stubborn fire that reduced a garage on Allison Avenue to rubble.

The garage roof collapsed on him and fellow firefighter George McMullen. McMullen was the fortunate one, sustaining only a knee injury and smoke inhalation. He was treated at Washington Hospital and released as news got out that a firefighter had died.

Before his death, LaBella and McMullen, and every other firefighter for that matter, already had met the first qualification of hero.

Joe Marm of Washington, a Medal of Honor recipient for heroism in Vietnam, defined hero as "an average guy who is the last one to run for safety." That fits every firefighter, and every police officer as well. They are the ones running forward while the rest of us go the other way.

As far as fires go, the 9:30 a.m. blaze in the concrete block garage at 1275 Allison Ave. that was once a Harley-Davidson cycle shop was not particularly spectacular, not like the Oct. 15 fire at the George Washington. More than 100 residents and workers were able to get out of the venerable former hotel safely.

The only injury in that one was to Washington police Officer Ron McIntyre, who fell more than 50 feet from a seventh-floor window onto a roof. He was trying to escape the thick, black smoke when he tried to rappel down a standing fire hose and lost his grip. He is recuperating from leg and back injuries sustained in the fall.

Using Marm's definition, McIntyre earns hero status because he stayed inside the smoke-filled corridors looking for anyone who might have been trapped in the acrid smoke. But all cops are heroes for facing bad guys with guns and few reasons not to use them.

With his death Sunday, LaBella became the first firefighter to lose his life in the line of duty in the more than 100-year history of the Washington Fire Department as a paid professional. In 1955, firefighter James Williams died of a heart attack after returning to the fire station from a fire.

Although he died in the line of duty, LaBella's sudden passing Sunday was the third death in as many weeks of dedicated men who spent their professional lives serving the residents of Washington. There is a great difference, though. Neither city police Lt. Ted Zets nor Patrolman Fred Lyle were on duty when they died. Both were retired. Zets, 67, died Jan. 10 after a brief illness. Lyle, 80, died Wednesday after a two-year illness. Both died in bed, as older men are supposed to if they are fortunate enough to escape into retirement.

But the young man who grew up wanting to be a firefighter, just like his father and uncles, and who learned his trade as a volunteer in the same Canton Township volunteer unit where his father is assistant chief, gave his life. He gave his life in full gear on a city sidewalk under a pile of smoldering rubble, not in bed. He was only 27, and a hero.

Contact Byron Smialek at bsmialek@observer-reporter.co.

City of Washington firefighter

Jeremy Charles LaBella, 27, of Washington, died Sunday, February 4, 2007, as a result of injuries sustained while fighting a fire.

He was born June 13, 1979, in Washington, a son of Charles Anthony and Pamela Jean Miller LaBella.

Mr. LaBella was a 1997 graduate of Trinity High School and was Presbyterian.

He was an avid NASCAR fan, enjoyed golfing, and enjoyed camping with family and friends at Big Bear Lake Campground in Hazelton, W.Va.

Prior to becoming a firefighter for the city of Washington, he was a volunteer firefighter for 12 years with Canton Township Volunteer Fire Department, where he had served as secretary and captain. He had formerly worked at Pennsylvania Transformer.

Surviving, in addition to his parents, are a sister, Jill Renee Phillips of Washington; paternal grandmother Nancy LaBella of Washington; his maternal grandmother, Marian Miller of Washington; two nieces, Megan and Haley Phillips; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Deceased are an infant brother, Jason Charles LaBella; paternal grandfather Charles LaBella; and maternal grandfather,Paul G. Miller.

Friends will be received from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, February 8, in Immaculate Conception Church, with Pastor Gary Gibson officiating. Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Canton Township Volunteer Fire Department, 2684 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, PA 15301. Additional information and guest book are online at www.nealfuneralhome.com.

Even though I knew Jeremy in grade school I really didnt become good friends with him until middle school. At the time we both were huge Nirvana fans. I remember we used to see who could get more Nirvana demos than the other. When Kurt died, we both stayed home from school and I went over his house. Hanging out with with each other got us over the grief of Kurts passing. Through school, he was one of the best friends I ever had. He was one of the few friends that I had that I never got mad at. I remember one time we were out in the woods and thought it was a good idea to shoot a BB gun at a bees nest. We were mistaken, but did get away sting free. Some of the best times we had were skating and playing hockey at the bank by his house. We were both big music geeks, so when we found out REM was coming to starlake, we had to go. So we camped out at Giant Eagle. We sat there for 5 hours before we realized there was a random drawling for place in line. I drew 64 and he drew like 80 or something. At this point we are madder than hell. Then, are frend Tony shows up and draws number 2 in line. So we were saved and ended up sitting 8 rows back for REM. It poured all night at that show and Jeremy and I made fun of all the rain covered people in the lawn. After high school we dident get to hang out that much anymore. I wish I would have made more time to see him. He always wanted to hang but I was too busy to call him back and boy do I feel like shit now. Because I kept putting it off, Im never going to talk to him again. The last time I talked to Jeremy he was getting ready to be a paid firefighter. He was so excited, he always wanted to do that for a living, it was his dream. Im sorry I dident call you back buddy, I gonna miss you. You were such a big part of my life and I hope you know that.

Jeremy Charles LaBella was born into a family of firefighters, and began volunteering with his local fire department as a teenager.

A little more than two months after landing a choice job in the field he loved, LaBella was killed Sunday, becoming the city's first paid firefighter to die while fighting a fire in the department's 104-year history.

"It's the day you always dread," Washington Mayor Ken Westcott said Sunday afternoon, hours after a roof collapsed on the 27-year-old LaBella, killing him and injuring another city firefighter.

LaBella and Engineer George McMullen were among the first off the fire truck after a raging fire was reported about 9:30 a.m. at the former Washington Harley-Davidson cycle shop at 1273-75 Allison Ave.

Flames were shooting from all four corners of the roof of the one-story frame garage owned by Edwin Korby, 87, who had escaped uninjured, city fire Chief Linn Brookman said.

As the fire spread, the garage roof collapsed, forcing a heavy wood canopy covering the sidewalk to fall on LaBella and McMullen, who is in his 30s and lives in Washington.

"We had to cut them out with chain saws," Brookman said.

It took 10 minutes to remove the debris and free the firefighters, Westcott said. It wasn't an easy task because the wood was so old and brittle that it kept breaking when firefighters tried to pull it away, he said.

McMullen, who was the first to be freed, began calling out for LaBella as he was being taken from the scene on an ambulance stretcher.

"Did they find him? Is he OK?" McMullen said.

He was taken to Washington Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and a knee injury. He was released a few hours later.

LaBella was pronounced dead at the hospital at 11:15 a.m., Washington County Coroner Tim Warco stated in a news release. The cause of LaBella's death was pending further testing, Warco said following the autopsy Sunday night.

An investigation by the state police fire marshal indicated the fire likely was ignited by electric heating tape wrapped around water pipes to keep them from freezing, Brookman said.

The fire spread to the adjoining two-story frame house. With the temperatures hovering around 10 degrees, water mist from the hoses immediately froze, adding to a thick coating of ice on the ground.

Firefighters were further hampered in putting out the blaze because Korby lived like a pack rat, Westcott said.

"It made it difficult moving around inside to put out the fire," Brookman said.

The blaze was brought under control by 12:30 p.m. Firefighters were still on the scene two hours later dousing hot spots. Eventually, heavy equipment was brought in, Westcott said, to push aside Korby's belongings in order to put out the fire.

LaBella was hired by the city in November to work in the department that also employs his uncle, Jeff LaBella. Another uncle, Dave Gump, is chief of neighboring Canton Township Fire Department. LaBella's father, Charles, is president and assistant fire chief in Canton.

LaBella was single and lived with his father and mother, Pam, on Griffith Avenue in Canton.

"His whole family was the fire department," said Ed Dunn, who answered the telephone at the Canton fire station Sunday.

"He's been with us since he was 14 years old," Gump added.

Washington County Department of Public Safety was providing grief counselors for city firefighters and those from Canton to help them deal with the loss, Westcott said.

The only other death in the fire department associated with a call happened in 1955 when James Williams died of a heart attack after returning to the station from a fire at a plumbing business, Westcott said.

LaBella enjoyed hunting and everything dealing with motorcycles and dirt bikes. He was a 1997 graduate of Trinity High School.

City firefighters said they will announce a memorial fund today for the fallen firefighter. Inside the downtown fire station Sunday night, a photograph of LaBella was hanging on the wall, bordered with black drapery.

In anticipation of LaBella's funeral, the city canceled a council planning meeting scheduled this morning and its regular meeting Thursday, Westcott said. A special council meeting tonight will go on as planned, he said.

Roth, Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang. Add another show to the list this summer.

Even they were amazed how many times Justin tried to light his farts.

Maybe on Super Bowl sunday we will see the giant flame!

Sadly it was my first game this season but a good one at that. My streak of seeing the Pens lose is finally over.