It's been a tragic week in several areas of the nation.
On Sunday, two Toledo firefighters answered their last alarm.
Stephen A. Machcinski, 42, and James Dickman, 31, died of injuries sustained while fighting a fire at 528 Magnolia St.
Machcinski had more than 15 years of service. Dickman was appointed to the department in September. His fire class of 51 recruits, sworn in on Sept. 3, has not yet had its graduation ceremony.
On Thursday night, more than 5,000 turned out to salute the two. The arena was silent despite the crowd.
Toledo Fire Chief Luis Santiago said he was struck how the Dickman and Machcinski families were concerned about the fire department's well-being despite their own overwhelming grief and suffering.
"You are two very, very solid families and that's why James and Stephen were such good fits for our department," the chief said.
"Stephen and Jamie may be gone, they have left, but they will always be part of our family," he said.
In Arkansas, firefighters are mourning the loss of Chief Rick Winkles.
The Trumann chief and others were fighting a house fire when he suffered a massive heart attack. He was 53.
Also this week, firefighters around the world took notice of the heroic actions of a New York boy.
Tyler Doohan alerted six family members to a fire, and perished while trying to save his disabled grandfather.
Personnel in Class A uniforms saluted as Doohan was named an honorary firefighter by Penfield, N.Y. Chief Christopher Ebmyer.
In the nation's capital, however, firefighters didn't go to help -- even though there was a man dying across the street from their fire house.
Despite pleas from citizens and the man's family, they stayed put, and an ambulance was dispatched to the wrong section of the city. The longtime city parks worker died.
Mayor Vincent Gray said he was outraged.
The lieutenant was back on duty at that fire station briefly, and tried to hide her face from a TV news crew. Later, she was placed on desk duty while a probe is conducted.
Meanwhile, a small community in Kentucky is struggling to cope with the loss of nine members of a family.
A fire claimed a mother and eight of her children. Her husband and one daughter managed to escape.
