KANSAS CITY —Family and the community honored the life of Kansas City paramedic Graham Hoffman during a funeral service on Friday afternoon. Hoffman was killed in the line of duty last weekend.
The Kansas City Fire Department released a statement from Fire Chief Ross Grundyson on the tragic death of firefighter paramedic.
"I would like to start by giving my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Firefighter Graham Hoffman. This is a tragic loss for the family, the department, and the community. Graham was an outstanding Firefighter Paramedic, but more importantly a good person. Kind, caring, compassionate, and dedicated, Graham gave his all to this department and to the community he served."
"Graham made the ultimate sacrifice. We are eternally grateful for having known him and for having served with him."
"A line of duty death is a devastating event for a department and the mental health of our members is essential. KCFD members are encouraged to use the resources available to them. The Local 42CARES program provides invaluable resources for our members as well as having the city’s EAP program at their disposal. Beyond that we encourage our members to lean on one another and their chain of command during these tough times. KCFD is a family, and we are going through this together."
"This is a tragic event. Like all incidents where a KCFD member is significantly injured or killed we will review the incident and the circumstances involved to determine what, if any, changes can be made to internal policies and procedures."
"KCFD operates on three principles, Life Safety, Property Conservation, and Incident Mitigation. Life safety includes the safety of our members."
"Over the coming weeks I will work with the leadership of locals 42 and 3808, members of our department, and the Kansas City Police Department to solicit and evaluate suggestions for expanded safety measures. There is not a simple solution to this complex issue. The rights of our members to have a safe working environment relative to the nature of the work we do, and the rights of the citizens we serve, both must be considered and respected. Because it is a difficult challenge does not mean we do not face it. KCFD deals with difficult situations and challenges every day, and every day we produce successful outcomes. KCFD is full of bright, innovative, creative minds, and together we will work to make our job better and as safe as we can."
"To our elected officials, local, state, and nationally we appreciate your commitment to our safety. KCFD stands ready to work with you to provide insight into the work we do and the challenges we face."
"The Kansas City Fire Department lost an outstanding firefighter paramedic and an even better human being. Our department and our community are hurting. Let us remember him and honor the legacy he leaves behind."
Respectfully,
Ross Grundyson, Chief KCFD