Honorees

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Year Honored
2011
Honoree
LeRoy A Kemp
Agency
Tioga Fire Department Emergency Squad
Agency City
Tioga Center
Agency State
NY
Last Call
1/13/10
Cause of Death
Non Ambulance Involved MVC
Biography
LeRoy was a mentor to all and was always willing to assist in a time of need. Known lovingly around the firehouse as "Grandpa," he joined the volunteer fire service in 1952 and took his first EMT class in 1977 when pre-hospital care in New York was still in its infancy. While taking an EMT refresher class in 1995, he had to have quintuple bypass surgery; however, he made sure he was able to take his final exam and continued responding to alarms. At age 70, he had bilateral knee replacements but that didn't slow him down either. He was still able to pass department physicals and continued on as a valuable asset to the department.<br /> <br /> LeRoy graduated from Owego High School in 1945 and married his wife, Marion, in 1946. Together they owned and operated Kemp's Poultry Farm. His love for helping others was evident in many ways; he instilled his passion for helping others in his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. His daughters both became paramedics and have made EMS their careers. His son followed in his footsteps as a firefighter and now is a chief as well. He encouraged many people to join and even carried applications for membership in his car.<br /> <br /> He was awarded the prestigious "Fireman of the Year" award in 1980 and 2010 and "Squad Member of the Year" in 1993. He served, as Chief from 1985 to 1987, and at the time of his death was Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Company Chaplain, and Captain of the Fire Police Squad.<br /> <br /> On the morning of January 13, 2010, Leroy Kemp, 81, responded to his last alarm. Activated for a mutual aid call, LeRoy was killed when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident while en route to his fire station.<br /> <br /> Since his death, a scholarship in his name has been has been created for junior firefighters wishing to attend college.<br /> <br /> Honored 2011