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'Ringing Of The Bell' Ceremony Honors Florida's Fallen Firefighters

Florida Channel
Tuesday's 'Ringing of the Bell' ceremony honored Florida's fallen firefighters

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater hosted a ceremony Tuesday to honor the lives of Florida’s fallen firefighters.

Joined by a Joint Honor Guard, Atwater in his capacity as the state fire marshal explained the significance of the “Ringing of the Bell” ceremony.

“We ring the bell three times, three rings each, nine rings,” he said. “With each ring we mark the ending of the final call for their brave souls, the souls of all those honored on this wall, the ones who lost their lives, but did so bravely, and did so with such honor, it makes their last call, the one that brought them home.”

Atwater spoke in front of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial on the State Capitol grounds Tuesday. He also acknowledged Glen Rhodes of the Sanibel Fire Control District, whose name was etched in the memorial last year. Atwater says it was a long time coming since Rhodes died in the line of duty about 50 years ago.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.