VIDEO: On Saturday, New Haven firefighter Thomas Kelly was laid to rest, 34 years after he suffered a 30-foot-fall on the job. Kelly joined the department in 1979. 13 years later, in February of 1992, he fell through the roof of a building while fighting a fire on Chapel Street. His injuries were catastrophic.
That moment ended his career, and left him injuries that took his life this week. This weekend, his firefighting family gathered in Hamden to send him off with a first responders procession, for his funeral service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.
The New Haven Fire Department included engine number four in the procession- that’s the engine Kelly worked on. He was a tillerman, as New Haven Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin explained. “For those of you who see those big, long fire trucks with the guy driving in the back, think of Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld, that is the tillerman,” Coughlin said.
He said Kelly’s dedication to his job, is the ultimate example of a great, New Haven first responder. When Kelly passed away on Monday, he was surrounded by his family, and fellow firefighters.
Those same firefighters came together on Saturday to make sure Kelly had a proper sendoff. “This is all about honor. This is about honoring somebody who made the ultimate sacrifice for his city. He held on for 34 years,” Coughlin said.
The procession included an escort from New Haven Police, bagpipers, and an antique firetruck that carried Kelly’s casket. “It’s very important for the firefighters themselves to see this, to understand and to see the traditions that we’ve had since 1862. It’s important for Tommy and his family to let them know that he did not die in vain,” Coughlin said.
While his career was cut short, Kelly did a lot with his years in New Haven. He was recognized with five unit citations for exceptional performance. He also received a Medal of Merit for a dramatic rescue at a fire in 1984. Other first responders from across the state were present at the funeral, and New Haven Police Chief David Zannelli said first responders like Kelly, sacrifice so much more than people see, to serve their city.
