Aldermen recognize firefighters

By Amy Widner

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Pine Bluff aldermen commended Fire Chief Dannie Smith and the fire departments from across the state that helped with Lt. David Curlin's funeral May 28.

"The service for Lt. Curlin was one of the most moving I've ever seen," Alderman Bill Brumett told Smith at Monday's city council public safety committee meeting. "It was one of my proudest moments on the council. How you handled the service was very professional, very dignified."

Smith joined the department in November 2009 and had only known Curlin for a short period of time before the Jan. 4 accident that ultimately led to his death on May 22. Curlin was fighting a fire in downtown Pine Bluff when a wall from the burning building fell on him. Curlin had served the department for 14 years and was its training officer.

Smith got to know Curlin better during his 140 days in the hospital, he said at Curlin's funeral. At least one member of the fire department visited Curlin in the hospital every day. As his health improved, Curlin had talked of returning to the job in his capacity as training officer.

"You did a remarkable job, considering the short amount of time you knew Lt. Curlin," Alderman Wayne Easterly said at Monday's meeting. "I applaud you for what you did and what you allowed the department to do to support him the whole time while he was trying to get back."

"Everything we did for him, he deserved," Smith said.

Smith said Curlin's funeral would not have been possible without the help of several area fire departments.

In order for members of the Pine Bluff Fire Department to attend the funeral, firefighters from other departments chipped in to work at Pine Bluff's fire stations and cover the Black Pilots of America event at the Pine Bluff Municipal Airport. These included Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Conway, Hot Springs, White Hall, Watson Chapel and Sheridan.

About 450 people attended the funeral, including law enforcement, first responders and firefighters from across the state and elsewhere: The Pine Bluff Arsenal, Baton Rouge, La., West Memphis, Helena/West Helena, Lake Hamilton, Watson Chapel, Wabbeseka, White Hall, Highway 15 South, Hardin, Little Rock, Vilonia, Redfield, East End, Turtle Creek, Conway, Wright-Pastoria, the Arkansas Fire Academy, Heber Springs, Hot Springs, Bella Vista, Monticello, Ouachita County Emergency Management, Bauxite and Searcy.