The city saluted the 23 firefighters who have lost their lives in the department's history
TRENTON -- The city paid tribute Monday to the firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
"All those members have paid the supreme sacrifice in protecting the property and lives of the citizens of Trenton," Deputy Chief Robert Tharp said. "They gave their own lives."
The annual memorial service honored the 23 firefighters who have lost their lives in the department's history. The most recent death was Manny Rivera, who died March 31, 2009, from injuries sustained while rescuing a man from a burning building.
Tharp said the ceremony also serves as a reminder that even with today's training and technology, firefighting is still a high-risk job. But the department does everything it can to reduce the number of injuries and line-of-duty deaths.
"Every day has to be a training day," he said. "Because of the inherent dangers with the jobs, the conditions, the type of buildings that we deal with, we have to be on our best game."
Tharp said that in many ways, Trenton is a microcosm of a New York City borough.
"We have the same hazards, the same buildings, but condensed into a smaller area," he said.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.