Steve Wakefield

Crescent City Fire Chief Kevin Carey says the Fallen Firefighter Memorial ceremony honoring his predecessor Steve Wakefield will provide a bit of closure for his firefighters and for his family.

Carey will represent Crescent City Fire & Rescue at the California Firefighters Memorial ceremony on Oct. 14. According to him, Wakefield’s name will be engraved on a huge wall that bears the names of more than 1,500 firefighters that made the ultimate sacrifice.

Wakefield’s family and “a dozen and a-half members” from Crescent City will attend the ceremony, Carey said.

“I don’t know if you all have seen a bagpipes and drum band in person, but there won’t be a dry eye in the place,” Carey told the City Council on Monday. “We’re honoring him, his legacy, his dedication and his family’s sacrifice. It’s going to be a little sense of closure for the department, for the family and just an amazing healthy celebration.”

Wakefield was a volunteer with Crescent Fire and Rescue for 42 years, serving for 23 years as its fire chief. After a series of strokes that started in January 2018, Wakefield was forced to retire. Wakefield died on April 26, 2019.

Wakefield’s inclusion on the Fallen Firefighter Memorial wall comes after Crescent City Fire & Rescue hired three new paid fire captains, realizing a masterplan that had its roots with the former fire chief.

According to City Manager Eric Wier, former Crescent City fire chief John McFarland will present a flag to Wakefield’s family.
Carey also noted that McFarland was close to Wakefield.

“I’ve never heard Chief Wakefield’s name without chief being in front of it,” Carey told City Councilors. “Chief McFarland will present the flag to the family is a sacrifice of giving your life for the greater good of your community.”

The 2023 Fallen Firefighters Memorial ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento.

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