Save The Date....

The Final Goodbye

Today family, friends, community and fireman from many departments will say their last goodbyes to the loved, respected and admired "Hal" Clark.

Please keep in mind and be aware that this may cause some delays in your travels. Be aware that funerals for people such as "Hal" always have a large turnout of fireman and fire equipment. Also present today will be a huge gathering of motorcyclists. While fire trucks are easy to see motorcycles sometimes are not.

For the funeral on Friday.....
The company is expecting a large number of firefighters and motorcyclists to gather to pay their respects to Hal Clark. With this large number, we anticipate the procession to the cemetery to be quite lengthy. Roads may be blocked and traffic may be stopped temporarily at various locations on Chincoteague and in the towns of Atlantic and Temperanceville.

Below is an estimated time of arrival at various locations: (please note that times are all approximate)

* Approximately 3:15 p.m. – Depart Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague.

* Approximately 3:45 p.m. – First vehicles arrival at the intersection of Chincoteague Road and Atlantic Road

* Approximately 4:00 p.m.- First vehicles arrive at John W. Taylor Cemetery in Temperanceville

Please note that these times are estimates for the first vehicles arriving to locations. The exact length of the procession is unknown. Expect anything from 10-60 minutes of delay.<>

Hal Clark Funerl Information Concerning Traffic

The funeral tomorrow for Atlantic Fire Department fireman "Hal" Clark is expected to be enormous. Please allow a little extra travel time.For the funeral on Friday.....

The company is expecting a large number of firefighters and motorcyclists to gather to pay their respects to Hal Clark. With this large number, we anticipate the procession to the cemetery to be quite lengthy. Roads may be blocked and traffic may be stopped temporarily at various locations on Chincoteague and in the towns of Atlantic and Temperanceville.

Below is an estimated time of arrival at various locations: (please note that times are all approximate)

* Approximately 3:15 p.m. – Depart Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague.

* Approximately 3:45 p.m. – First vehicles arrival at the intersection of Chincoteague Road and Atlantic Road

* Approximately 4:00 p.m.- First vehicles arrive at John W. Taylor Cemetery in Temperanceville

Please note that these times are estimates for the first vehicles arriving to locations. The exact length of the procession is unknown. Expect anything from 10-60 minutes of delay.

***Also note that motorcycles are to meet in the parking lot across from the church.

Remembering Firefighter William Harold "Hal" Clark

William "Hal" Harold Clark

(March 13, 1956 - September 24, 2010)

Firefighter William "Hal" Clark, 54, of Atlantic, VA. passed away in the line of duty Friday, September 24th, 2010.

Hal was born in Salisbury, Maryland on March 13, 1956, the son of the late Bill and Virginia (Shields) Clark.

He worked for the Town of Chincoteague in the public works and water department.

He was the president and lifetime member of the Atlantic Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company and past member of Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company as an engineer.

He was very dedicated to volunteering at the Chincoteague Carnival. He was also a member of the Sons of American Legion Post # 159 and the American Legion Riders.

He is survived by a daughter Valerie Merritt and her husband Keith of Chincoteague, Va; a grandaughter Jenna Merritt of Chincoteague, VA; a fiance' Mary Snead of Atlantic, VA and her son Michael; a brother Skibo Clark and his wife Cristy of Chincoteague; a sister Shelia Gallagher of Chincoteague, VA; a step mother Jean Clark of Chincoteague, VA; three nieces Sandy Daisey, Melissa Clark, and Taylor Clark; three nephews Buster Dennis, Matt Clark, and Mason Karafa; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was predeceased by a son Todd Clark.

Friends are invited to call Thursday 7-9 PM. at Union Baptist Church on Church Street in Chincoteague, VA.

Funeral Service with full Firefighter Honors will be held at Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague Island, VA, at 2 PM on Friday, October 1st, with Rev. Maurice Enright and Rev. Bob Reese officiating.

All firefighters and motorcycle riders are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Interment will be held at John W. Taylor Memorial Cemetery Temperenceville, VA.

The family would like to invite everyone to join them for a reception after the service at the Chincoteague Center on 6155 Community Drive on Chincoteague, VA. Flowers accepted or donations may be made to Fire Company of Your Choice.

Services entrusted to Salyer Funeral Home, Inc., where condolences may be made online at www.salyerfh.com<>

Hal Clark, Firefighter- Fondly Remembered.........

ATLANTIC – William Harold “Hal” Clark is being remembered as a kindhearted volunteer who was especially fond of his community and its people.

“He was a loving and giving person,” said David Grant, chief of Atlantic Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co., where Clark was a life member and the company’s president.

Clark answered his final call on Friday evening at a raging brush and woods fire off U.S. Route 13 near New Church, not far from the Maryland state line.

Clark was one of two firefighters transported to the hospital. One was treated for exhaustion and released. Clark was pronounced dead at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.

His line-of-duty death shocked many friends and the larger regional brotherhood of firefighters.

Grant said an autopsy has been performed but a cause of death is not immediately known.

Clark’s funeral arrangements, which will include full firefighter honors, are being planned for late this week but had not been finalized by Sunday morning.

Units and personnel from numerous Eastern Shore of Virginia fire companies and three from Worcester Co., Md., responded to the 5:31 p.m., alarm at 3420 Lankford Highway, across from the Virginia Welcome Center.

Also responding were state forestry departments from Virginia and Maryland with a combined three bulldozers to help extinguish it. Some units and personnel stayed on the scene until 3 a.m. Saturday.

“It was a very fast-moving fire,” said Chief Danny Outten of the New Church Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co.

Outten expressed his condolences for the loss.

“He was a very good guy,” he said of Clark. “He will be greatly missed.”

“It was a bad day for the fire service.”

Clark was a longtime employee with the town of Chincoteague, working in its public works department, and was known for this positive attitude.

“Harold was a model employee,” said Chincoteague Mayor John H. Tarr. “He was just a great person to come on board and work for the town.

“He cared about the community and the people he worked with.”

Grant thanked those who have expressed condolences in the wake of Clark’s death.

“The fire company appreciates the tremendous outpouring of sympathy and support from the numerous fire companies from across Delmarva and the Tidewater region during this difficult time,” he said.

“It’s really hard.”

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Bingo Canceled

From the Atlantic Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company

BINGO scheduled for Saturday, September 25, 2010 has been CANCELED.