City leaders honor 2 fallen Louisville firefighters at ceremony at Jefferson Memorial Park

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- On Tuesday city officials and members of the Louisville Fire Department honored two firefighters who gave their life in the line of duty.

Louisville firefighter memorial at Jefferson Square Park — Pictured: the names of two fallen firefighters from Louisville appear at the bottom of a memorial in Jefferson Square Park at 301 S. Jefferson Street in Louisville, Ky. Sean McAdam and Jeffrey S. Kampschaefer were honored during a ceremony on Oct. 10, 2023. (WDRB image)

The names of Louisville firefighter Sean McAdam and Okolona Sgt. Jeffrey S. Kampschaefer have already been etched into the memorial at Jefferson Square Park, but fire officials and city leaders say remembering their service is just as important.

Sean McAdam suffered a stroke while on duty in 2022. He died in the hospital a few days later. McAdam, 49, joined the fire department in March 2002 and was assigned to engine 2/truck 1 in downtown Louisville for most of his career. During his tenure, he earned the division's Medal of Valor and three Unit Citations.

Okolona Sgt. Jeffrey S. Kampschaefer died in December 2017, a month after he was diagnosed with non Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg at firefighter remembrance ceremony — Pictured: this screen grab taken from video shows Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg with his grandfather's helmet that he used when he served as a firefighter in New York during his remarks at a remembrance ceremony for fallen firefighters Sean McAdam and Jeffrey S. Kampschaefer on Oct. 10, 2023. (WDRB image)

Mayor Craig Greenberg joined Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neil and other community leaders for Tuesday's ceremony. Greenberg placed a family heirloom -- his grandfather's helmet used when he served as a firefighter in New York -- on the podium.

Greenberg said it's a symbol of his respect for firefighters and the work they do. While honoring the lives of the two firefighters, Greenberg also presented a proclamation in honor of Fire Prevention Week, which started Monday.

Those who knew McAdam and Kampachaefer best said both deserve the public recognition.

Martin Moore, Kampschaefer's brother-in-law said "he was a very funny person, comical. Never a dull moment when he was around. He definitely loved his wife -- my sister. He would always joke about her and whatever, and I'd say that's your wife, not my sister. But he loved his kids, he'd do anything in the world for his kids."

Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said he remembers McAdam as a person who was "full of life, a great firefighter. O'Neill said we should continue to "tell their stories, talk about them, say their names -- don't concentrate on how they died, or that they died, but that they lived and how they lived."