Tribute was paid to the late Darcy Stallings in two different events in the Denver area, late last week.
Stallings was killed in a vehicle accident last October northeast of Yuma while responding to a fire call, which turned out to be a controlled burn east of town.
State Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron introduced legislation this year in Darcy’s name, which requires people wanting to do a controlled burn to first call it into the authorities. The bill still had not received final approval in the state Senate as of earlier this week, though it had passed the House.
This past Friday, Holtorf, along with Rep. Rod Pelton, provided a tribute to Darcy in the House Chamber. A total of 17 family members, friends and Yuma firefighters attended.
Holtorf made the following comment on the House floor:
“The life of a volunteer firefighter in Colorado is one of the most noble endeavors in our rural communities.
These first responders drop everything at the sound of a pager or ring of a phone to protect our communities and our lives from fire danger and stop destruction and devastation of our homes and our land.
Volunteer Firefighters demonstrate that no-one is more dedicated to this service and Captain Darcy Stallings epitomized that calling every day.
Captain Stallings, when called, would charge to the rescue because of his dedication to duty. He knew that his friends and community counted on him and the rest of the volunteer fire fighting team. Some of whom joined us today despite their busy schedules.
This tribute is to the ultimate sacrifice he made as Darcy responded yet again to the alarm. Darcy’s Last Call!
I would like to thank the Stallings Family for making the long drive from Yuma to the state Capitol this morning. Please stand as I introduce you to my colleagues in the Colorado House of Representatives.”
An official document by the House of Representatives extending sincere condolences and expressions of sympathy to the Stallings Family was signed by Alec Garnett, speaker of the House of Representatives.
The House then went into recess, and each state representative went to shake the Stallings family members’ hands.
Then on Saturday, Darcy Stallings’ name was added to the wall at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Family members, friends and Yuma firefighters also attended that ceremony.
Also added to the wall was Larry Wyant’s name. Wyant was a member of the Joes Volunteer Fire Department who died from injuries when a grass fire overran him last October, on the day of Stallings’ funeral.
