U.S. Honor Flag Arrives In Baltimore For Officers Funeral

Hundreds of police officers, family and friends of Baltimore police officer Thomas R. Portz Jr. gathered Wednesday to remember the fallen officer's gregarious nature, fierce devotion to those close to him and even his athletic prowess in a somber church ceremony.

Portz became the third city police officer to die in the past month and the first killed in the line of duty since 2007, when his vehicle crashed into the back of a firetruck last week.

Frederick H. Bealefeld III, the Baltimore police commissioner and a close friend of Portz's, eulogized the 32-year-old husband and father, as did two of Portz's fellow policemen and friends, Sgt. Kurt Roepcke and Officer Ricky Livesay.

He loved being an officer, and he was a damn good one," Bealefeld said.

Bealefeld said the 10-year police veteran had been recognized as an officer of the month and honored for helping to save the residents of a burning building.

(Captain Jon Vise, American Airlines pilot, presents the U.S. Honor Flag, which flew during the recovery effort at Ground Zero in New York, to the family of Officer Tommy Portz at BWI. Portz died last week after his police car ran into the back of a fire truck. October 26,2010)

The commissioner's voice broke and he grew emotional as he described his friendship with Portz, which included practical jokes and games of ice hockey.

Livesay described Portz's dedication to his family and loyalty to his wife, Jessica, whom Portz met in his childhood at Sunday school.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and city State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy also attended the service. City police sat on one side of the cathedral, filling half of the pews available, with civilians and local officials sitting on the other side.

After the closing hymn of "Onward, Christian Soldiers," the congregation let out onto the church grounds. Portz's family followed his coffin, draped in an American flag and carried by officers, out of the church. Outside, bagpipers played "America the Beautiful," and Portz's coffin was loaded into a hearse to be taken to Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium.

A light drizzle descended as the music ended and the police procession that would take Portz to his final resting place began.

www.baltimoresun.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.”

www.delmarvanow.com