‘Last alarm’ given for Dale City EMT

A firefighter's heralding call inside the foyer of the C.D. Hylton Memorial Chapel on Saturday morning cleared the way for a flag-draped casket that held the body of fallen Dale City EMT Cecilia Turnbough.

The highest ranking members from local fire and rescue departments and the Prince William police were all in dress uniform to pay their respects to the county's first volunteer firefighter to die during a training exercise.

Turnbough mysteriously collapsed on Nov. 9 at the Prince William County Public Safety Academy. She was training to become a firefighter there, eight years after joining the Dale City Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department as a medic.

The service began shortly after 11 a.m. as bagpipes filled the silent air in the chapel. The hall was full of people wiping away tears as firefighters and EMTs were standing at attention, saluting one of their own. A double-time march was ordered as hundreds of fire and rescue personnel, some from as far away as Virginia Beach, made their way inside.

Members of the Washington, D.C., Fire Department arrived with blue tape covering part of the nametags they wore on their chests. "We don't have badges, it's our way of showing respect," a young D.C. firefighter in his early 20s said.

Turnbough's uniform lay under glass near the pulpit; pictures of her smiling face covered poster boards near the first pews.

Prayers were read by the Dale City department's chaplain and verses of the Gospel were delivered somberly while listeners had tissues at the ready.

Then Turnbough's family and friends spoke of a woman they called a mother, a teacher and a best friend.

"It's isn't every day you meet someone who has found passion in what they do," said Barbara Brown, DCVFD's Deputy Chief of EMS. "Cecilia found passion in EMS." She added that the two weeks following Turnbough's death have been the most difficult the Dale City department has ever faced.

Turnbough joined the department in 2000 and quickly became a close confidant of many who served with her.

"I'm always the one who never has a pen, I never have the right gear, never had water, but when I ran with her she would always say 'That's okay, I gotcha,'" said Cindy Colson, DCVFD member.

Christopher Richard "Richie" Turnbough, 19, said he would talk to his mother often while serving in the middle of the Pacific Ocean aboard a U.S. Navy ship. "She motivated me when I was in San Diego waiting for my ship [to come into port], I thought I was stuck," he said. " 'That's ok,' she said, 'it will get there soon.'" He said he would often encourage her in her efforts to become a firefighter.

It took him a week to return to Virginia after he received word his mother died, he said. "I received dozens of e-mails thanking our family; I want to thank you, you are all part of the family," he said.

Christopher P. Turnbough, the medic's husband, was presented with a department badge and a Virginia state flag that flew over the capital building in Richmond. Each her children—Rebecca Bernadine, Jack Ryan, and Richard—were presented with U.S. flags.

The sound of "Amazing Grace" played on the bagpipe allowed firefighters seated in the pews to file up to the casket, each one placing a red carnation in a firefighter's boot on top of Turnbough's casket. When they were finished, hundreds of flowers overflowed the shoe.

Soon after, a "last alarm" was broadcast across emergency radio frequencies across the county, signifying her death. A bell was tolled 15 times in remembrance. As it rang, tears flowed in the room.

When pallbearers carried Turnbough out of the chapel, they placed her in the back of one of the same ambulances she served on, and then closed the door.

Christopher Turnbough kissed his son, Richard, as hundreds of saluting firefighters, some holding flags, looked on.

A procession of fire and rescue trucks moved down Dale Boulevard in front of three of the four stations where Turnbough served. Fire crews later gathered at a reception at the Hillendale fire station.

She will be buried in a private graveside service.

The investigation

Turnbough was the first volunteer in Prince William County to die during a training exercise. She began firefighting classes on Oct. 23 and collapsed three weeks later.

She died inside The Maze, a simulation dark room that uses no smoke but does require students wear full breathing gear to simulate being inside a burning building.

Just last week Prince William fire officials announced the formation of a panel of investigators from the county, Washington, D.C., and Frederick, Md. They will look into Turnbough's death and make recommendations to enhance firefighter safety and survivability.

The process is expected to take at least two months.

"The internal investigation is being conducted independently, so there is no management involvement…my direction to them was to find out everything we need to know about what occurred," Prince William Fire Chief Kevin J. McGee said.

With fire damage in the county nearing a cumulative $2 million in the last two-and-a-half weeks, coupled with Turnbough's death, McGee said the time "has been very difficult for all of us."

Turnbough's collapse was most likely medically related, according to a report released by Prince William police.

Her death does not seem to be suspicious, 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn, Prince William police spokeswoman, told the News & Messenger.

Turnbough's death was labeled "unattended" since no one was inside the maze to witness her collapse, Chinn said.

The state medical examiner in Fairfax performed an autopsy. However, it may take up to 12 weeks before they announce the cause of death as they await results of toxicology tests.

Wendy Tomlin, who delivered the final eulogy at Turnbough's funeral, said the EMT lost "so much wonderful weight" in recent weeks.

"She kept her New Year's resolution better than I did," Tomlin said. "She counted Weight Watchers points down to the glass of wine she would drink," Tomlin said.

Turnbough is the second emergency responder from Northern Virginia to be honored at the Hylton Chapel in as many months.

On Oct. 31, more than 300 police officers, family members, emergency crews and Fairfax County employees flocked to the site to honor Lt. Frank Stecco, a Fairfax County police officer who also died during a training accident.

Stecco drowned in Pohick Bay, near Woodbridge, on Oct. 21.

In April 2007, the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department suffered its first in-the-line-of-duty death when Kyle R. Wilson, 24, of Dale City, was killed while fighting a house fire.

He was a graduate of C.D. Hylton High School.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.