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A 40-year-old fireman from Staten Island was one of 15 members of the FDNY memorialized today at the 101st Annual Memorial Service, which was held at the Firemen's Memorial Monument at Riverside Park.
Lieutenant John H. Martinson, a 14-year FDNY veteran, suffered serious thermal burns while responding to a two-alarm fire in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn in January and died from smoke inhalation. Of the 15 who were memorialized, Martinson was the lone firefighter who died in the line of duty.
"Today, we've gathered to pay tribute to fifteen active members of the department who lost their lives over the past year," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "That includes one firefighter -- Lieutenant John Martinson -- who died in the line of duty. Lieutenant Martinson was a hero who never gave a second thought about putting himself in harm's way to protect the rest of us."
Martinson is survived by his wife, Jessica, his son John Patrick, 2, and Katherine Grace, who is five months old.
In addition to Martinson, another Staten Islander who worked for the FDNY was also memorialized. Supervising Fire Marshal Douglas Mercereau, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in his Oakwood home in December, was also recognized. His widow, Janet Redmond-Mercereau, is currently the lone suspect in the investigation into his death.
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