KEARNEY — The Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center is hosting the 2023 Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 2 p.m.
There will be a reading of names for the firefighters and auxiliary members that have died from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2022.
“Any volunteers to help prepare for the service on Sept. 16 and early morning on Sept. 17 would be greatly appreciated. Please contact us at the museum if you are willing to participate and help prepare for this much deserved event,” the Nebraska Firefighters Museum (NFM) stated.
One of the area firefighters to be honored is Elwood Fire Chief Darren Krull, who died while responding to a wildfire on April 7, 2022.
Krull was responding to a wildfire that would eventually grow to 35,000 acres amid high winds and critical drought conditions south of Elwood.
Krull was riding in a vehicle driven by Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris.
Amid zero-visibility conditions due to the fire and smoke, their vehicle was struck head on by a water truck around eight miles north of Arapahoe on Highway 283.
Krull, 54, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Krull had been a volunteer firefighter for 36 years of his life, starting in 1986 when he joined the Glenvil Fire Department at 19.
He joined the Overton Fire Department in 2003 and later moved to the Elwood Fire Department as he started to work at the Aurora Cooperative in town.
He was fire chief in the communities of Overton and Elwood for a total of 18 years.
Nebraska Firefighters Museum
The organization that is the museum is the Nebraska Firefighter’s Foundation and the mission statement is four-fold:
- To Preserve Nebraska’s firefighting heritage.
- To Foster public understanding of the impact and benefits of
firefighting regarding saving lives and property. - To Educate individuals about fire prevention and fire safety,
- To Memorialize Nebraska Firefighters Nebraska Firefighters
Completed and opened in August 2009, the museum building provides exhibit space for fire service apparatus and memorabilia, meeting rooms for educational and social events and a gift shop.
The main exhibit hall features 3-6 pieces of antique or historical Nebraska fire apparatus on display, historical pictures of Nebraska fire Departments and firefighters, a large exhibit of fire truck toys, several fire safety dioramas, and several fun events for youngsters to enjoy.
Once a year in October, the large apparatus displays are changed out so that a wide variety of Nebraska fire apparatus are represented.
Completed in 2011, the Memorial Garden is located to the rear of the building. It is a peaceful area designed to honor and pay respect to those who have provided fire protection and emergency service to the citizens of Nebraska.
This special place is the host site of the Nebraska “Fallen Firefighter” remembrance service.
