Dallas Fire-Rescue looking for family members of fallen firefighters

Since its creation in 1872, Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR) has lost 70 firefighters in the line of duty. Those 70 brave firefighters left behind scores of family members, friends and colleagues. But the families of fallen DFR professionals are never forgotten; they are permanent members of the firefighting family.

“We want the families to know their loved ones will not be forgotten,” said “DFR Chaplain Elaine Maddox. “When we said we never forget, we truly mean it as a firefighting community.”

On October 24, DFR will host the 2015 Firefighter Memorial Service, an event held every five years. The Service is an opportunity for friends and families to pay their respects to DFR firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. It is also a chance for those families to meet their extended fire families.

Unfortunately, not all of them are able to partake of the service. Not because they’ve passed on or are unwilling, but because they just don’t know.

“Ideally, we would like to have representatives from all 70 families at the Service, but despite our best efforts we have not been able to locate everyone,” said DFR Public Information Officer Jason Evans.

The following is a list of the fallen firefighters for whom DFR has not been able to find any descendants:

Eliga Frank Kelly (Kelley): (Jan. 30, 1880 – Oct. 8, 1909)
– Father was Samuel T. Kelley (of Scurry, TX)
– Mother was Susan Jane Archy-Kelley (of Scurry, TX)
– Wife was Mary Josephine Long Baird Kelly
Henry G. Hodges: (Sept. 22, 1887 – Dec. 24, 1912)
– Father was Henry Clay Hodges
– Mother was Mallie or Molly E. Neely Hodges
Patrick Galligan: (August 15, 1889 – April 16, 1921)
– Father was Andrew Galligan
– Mother was Honora Fitzpatrick Galligan.
– He and his brother both came from County Cavan, Ireland; where the rest of his family is still believed to be.
Glenn Reed Briggs: (April 15, 1893 – March 28, 1925)
– Father was George W. Briggs

Anyone with information about the families of these firefighters is asked to contact DFR Chaplain Services, at [email protected].