This morning Cadet Class #27 was fortunate to have Mrs. Cathy and Chief Les Hendrick come talk to the class to share their personal experiences surrounding the line of duty death of their son Kenny on January 12, 1992. Kenny’s family has dedicated time working with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. They want to promote a legacy for firefighter life safety and supporting young firefighters who‚ like Kenny‚ want nothing more than to be the best fireman they can be.

This opportunity for the cadet class was very beneficial, but emotional at times listening to their story as parents and Kenny's death at the young age of 18. The class listened very intensely as Chief Hendrick provided some stories of his times as "THE CHIEF" of Morningside Volunteer Fire Department. We want to thank Cathy and Chief Hedrick for their time spent today with the class, very informative to each cadet.

On January 12‚ 1992 Kenny was killed in the Line of Duty. He was a volunteer firefighter with Morningside Volunteer Fire Department in Maryland and had responded with his co-workers to a call for help from a family who lived nearby the fire station. Their home was on fire and they worried that a 7 year-old boy was trapped in the house. Kenny and another firefighter arrived on the scene and began to search the house. They found a small boy and carried him out to the paramedics. The child was pronounced dead a short time later. Returning into the house to search for more victims‚ Kenny became trapped in the basement when fire conditions deteriorated. The other firefighters found him in the basement of the house.