FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 4, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-752-9877
Email: john@jgpr.net

For Planning Purposes:

A Note to Fire Departments Attending the Funeral of Berwick Fire Captain Joel Barnes

BERWICK, Maine — A brief note to fire departments and first responders planning to attend the memorial service for Berwick Fire & Rescue Captain Joel Barnes: Agencies are asked not to bring fire apparatus to the memorial due to traffic and logistical concerns.

Additional logistical details, including hotel accommodations, staging, and mustering of out of town firefighters is expected to be announced on Wednesday.

OUT OF TOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT ATTENDANCE FORM

Fire departments planning to attend the funeral are kindly asked to fill out an online form to better give organizers an idea of attendance numbers.

PIPES AND DRUMS/COLOR GUARDS

Any pipe and drum bands or color guards wishing to participate in the services should click here to fill out an online form.

Pipe bands with questions can also contact Dave McLean of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire Pipes and Drums:  (603-661-1940 or macdfd@aol.com)

Memorial Service

The details of the public fire service memorial are as follows:

WHEN: 

Sunday, March 10, 2019

11 a.m.

WHERE:

Cross Insurance Arena

1 Civic Center Square

Portland, ME 04101

MEDIA LOGISTICS

Media logistics, including parking, credentialing, and assigned location(s) in the Arena will be announced, likely today. Planning meetings are underway at this time.

ADDITIONAL UPDATES

This is the latest of several updates that will be distributed as new information becomes available.

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Captain Joel Barnes, age 32, was a paramedic and served as the Berwick Fire & Rescue training officer and emergency medical services coordinator. He previously worked for the Horry County, South Carolina Fire Rescue Department, South Berwick Rescue, York Ambulance and the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department before joining Berwick Fire in July 2016. He was also an active per diem firefighter for Town of Acton, Maine.

Captain Barnes died in a large apartment fire on Bell Street Friday, March 1. The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation. Captain Barnes was leading another firefighter in an interior attack of the fire when conditions suddenly worsened.

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