Four former Nebraska firefighters to be added to national memorial

EMMITSBURG, MD — Four fallen firefighters will be added to a national memorial, which honors the sacrifice of first responders across the country, this weekend. 

Captain Christopher Parker of the Fairbury Rural Fire District, Chief Darren Krull of the Elwood Fire Department, James Bissonette of the Broken Bow Fire Department and Assistant Chief Michael Moody of the Purdum Rural Fire District will be among the 144 names added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

The list of names, known as the Roll of Honor, will be honored during a ceremony on Sunday, May 7, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. CT and will live-streamed on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's YouTube Channel. 

The total number includes 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022 and 65 who passed away in previous years.

Christopher Parker's name will be added to the list alongside his father Darrell Parker who died in the line of duty in 2014. 

Christopher died in 2021 after over 20 years of service to the Fairbury Rural Volunteer Fire Department. He was instrumental in relaunching the town's fire prevention program and served as a public outreach officer along with his captain duties. He passed due to complications from COVID-19. He was 41.

Darren Krull died in 2022 having served 36 years as a firefighter and EMT. He served as fire chief in Overton and Elwood. Krull died in a vehicle accident while responding to a large wildfire in Gosper and Furnas Counties last year. He was 54.

James Bissonette died in 2021 at the age of 34 after a brief career with the Broken Bow Fire Department. Bissonette took part in the response to large wildfires in western Nebraska when Broken Bow was called in to assist. After returning home, he tested positive for COVID-19 and passed after a month-long battle with the virus at a Lincoln hospital.

Michael Moody died in 2022 having served over 40 years with the Purdum Rural Fire Department. He started going to fires with the department when he was in high school. Moody succumbed to a medical emergency while responding to the Bovee Fire near Halsey, Neb. 

For the biogrpahies on Parker, Krull, Bissonette and Moody as written on the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation's website, click on their highlighted names.