Fallen firefighters honored with memorial service, flags at half staff Sunday

Two Montgomery County firefighters were honored on Sunday at the National Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial in Emmitsburg.

Montgomery County Firefighter Rick Gentilcore and Rockville Volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Sander Cohen, as well as 101 others from around the US were remembered at the ceremony.

Lt. Cohen, a Maryland State Police Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office Deputy Chief, was tragically struck and killed in December while assisting a man who had been in an accident on I-270 in Montgomery County.

Cohen, 33, was a nine-year veteran of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal and an active member with the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Station 33.

Firefighter Rick Gentilcore died in April 2017 after he was found unresponsive by co-workers while on-duty at his fire station in Burtonsville.

A procession of bagpipe players played at the beginning of the ceremony.

Families of the fallen were honored, presented with a rose and a flag.

President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Oct. 7 in honor of the National Firefighters Memorial Service.

Additionally, the Maryland flag will be lowered to half-staff as well as a matter of protocol. No flag may fly higher than the United States flag.

President Trump has proclaimed Oct. 7 - 13 as Fire Prevention Week.

A candlelight service was held Saturday night.