Feb. 26--LAVALE, MD-- Christopher Pryor, a third-generation volunteer and mainstay of the LaVale Volunteer Fire Department, died Sunday -- a short time after returning home from a vehicle accident call on National Highway.
LaVale Fire Chief Ryan Reichert said his 45-year-old fellow firefighter did not complain of anything while on the call in the 500 block of National Highway.
It was a short time later after his wife Kimberly took him to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center that Pryor, the department's assistant chief, collapsed and died, Reichert said.
Pryor, who was also the department's head trustee, is survived by his wife, daughters Ty and Matea and son C.J.
Reichert said the Pryor family has always been a big part of the LaVale fire department.
"Chris and his family, including his dad Earl Pryor Jr., and his brother Early Pryor III, his uncle Tommy and his grandfather Earl Pryor Sr. were all very active in the department," the chief said. "He pretty much ran every call, worked every fundraiser."
Kim Reichert, the LaVale department's captain, said Pryor has been in the department for 16 years and held numerous offices, including chief, vice president and lieutenant.
"Chris was one of our main drivers. He took the time to train every new driver," she said. "He made sure they knew everything about the equipment, He was very active, very helpful."
Assistant Chief Jim Cook, a 30-year veteran, got to know Pryor through their community service and fellow volunteers.
"Chris would do anything for you, even if it was not here at the department," he said. "He was very kind-hearted."
"He was a good family man and he trained a lot of our firefighters. He also took a lot of training. He was a pretty good role model around the department," said Cook.
Tim Thomas ran calls with Pryor when they volunteered together at the LaVale Rescue Squad.
"Chris did so much to help so many," Thomas said. "He was a good community guy. When I was a dispatcher at 911, we called him day or night and he didn't ask anything but 'what do we need.'"
"He'd give you the shirt off his back. He always had a smile on his face. He was always in a good mood," Ryan Reichert said.
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