SPRING VALLEY – It was only days before, but on Friday, public officials gathered at Spring Valley Village Hall to honor the memory of a fallen firefighter.
Jared Lloyd, 35, died last Tuesday while working to save residents of the Evergreen Home for Adults, which went up in a ball of flames overnight. One male resident also perished while 112 elderly and disabled residents were rescued, some with injuries.
From village trustees to a congressman, Spring Valley’s public servants all came to remember the heroic sacrifice of Lloyd, a 16-year veteran of Colombian Engine Co #1, who served as an engineer, a second lieutenant and first lieutenant with the volunteer company.
Lloyd was a lifelong Rockland resident who attended Spring Valley High School. On their official Facebook page, the Colombian Engine Co. described their comrade as “a loving father to his two sons, an avid golfer and bowler and a diehard Mets fan; never losing the faith. He was a friend, a leader, a brother.”
“This has been one of the most difficult weeks in recent memory for our community here in Spring Valley,” said Congressman Mondaire Jones, a fellow graduate of Spring Valley High School. “We gathered to honor his legacy, his life, and his heroic bravery. Jared made the ultimate sacrifice.”
County Legislator Tony L. Earl, who represents the district where the tragedy occurred, spoke about the heroic actions of all first responders. “On the worst days, they are the ones who come through for us,” he said. “We can never thank them enough, but we can try to make sure that they know just how much we appreciate them, and just how much the community relies on them.”
Earl announced that the county plans to honor its first responders with a special event at Boulder Stadium in the coming months.
He also announced that the Lloyd’s funeral would be delayed until the fireman’s mother, who retired to North Carolina, is able to return to the county and oversee the details of the ceremony.
