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Modified 1-Aug-18
Created 26-Jan-11
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Firefighter/Paramedic Mark G. Falkenham, a member of the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Department, died on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 while searching for trapped victims in a four-alarm apartment fire at the Towson Crossing Apartments in Hillendale. Mark and his partner, Dennis Fulton, had found several residents and had led them to safety before the two of them became trapped as conditions quickly deteriorated. Fulton narrowly made it out by diving off of the balcony on to a ladder and sliding down head first. Falkenham was caught in the flames before he signaled a “Mayday” call. Rescue crews raced to the third floor and pulled him out of the burning apartment. Medic crews then transported him to St. Joseph Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Mark worked for the Secret Service after retiring as a career firefighter from the Baltimore County Fire Department. He was a life member and past Chief of the Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Company. In addition, Mark was an accomplished and well respected instructor for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute.
On January 24, 2011 an estimated 3,000 people, including Gov. Martin O’Malley and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz along with firefighters from as far away as Seattle, turned out for the memorial service and funeral for Firefighter Mark Falkenham at The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.
A sea of blue uniforms blanketed the church, both inside and out of the building, for Falkenham, who received full firefighter honors during the 75 minute service. It took nearly an hour for all of the uniformed personnel to enter the church as the procession entered and fire service members offered a final salute to their fallen brother.
Following the church service, Falkenham’s casket was placed on Lutherville’s antique Mack fire engine as “America the Beautiful” played on bagpipes and drums in the background. Falkenham was then transported to Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium with a funeral procession that stretched for miles and included an estimated 144 fire apparatus, 75 utility vehicles, dozens of police vehicles, and hundreds of civilian cars.
Signs of respect for Falkenham were evident throughout the procession to the cemetery as motorists and other career and volunteer fire companies stopped along the I-695 and I-83 overpasses to salute him.
The procession then made its way to Dulaney Valley and was greeted by a pair of ladder trucks that displayed the American flag between the ladders at the entrance to the cemetery.
Once at the grave site, as is tradition for a fallen firefighter, the Department called out a final alarm for Falkenham that was broadcast throughout the county dispatch system. A flyover consisting of helicopters from the Baltimore County Police, the Maryland State Police and the Secret Service, concluded the service. The family was presented with the flag that draped the casket, as well as his helmets from Lutherville and the Secret Service.
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