Arrangements for the wake and funeral services can be found on the main page.
Assignment Editors and Reporters are asked to respect the family's request that media NOT cover the funeral services at Ray Funeral Home in Castleton. Open coverage of the funeral procession, "Final Alarm" tribute and other events at the South Schodack Fire House WILL RECEIVE all possible cooperation from Emergency Services personnel there.
Assistant Chief Walt Wheeler or Firefighter Linda Wheeler will be intermittantly available to assist reporters and editors by telephone, 518-766-2644 on Monday, September 2, between 8 a.m. and approximately 5 p.m. In addition, FF Wheeler will be available to assist media representatives at the South Schodack Firehouse after aproximately 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
Please review the local maps for the area reserved for press parking and other information on sites of activities during this tribute.
BRIEF BACKGROUND
A full biography and quotes from Captain Coons' colleagues appear at http://www.albany.net/~wheelerw/bio.htm.
Captain Harold Coons, Jr., a past chief of the South Schodack Fire Department, and sitting Chairman of the South Schodack Board of Fire Commissioners at the time of his death, died of an apparent heart attack, suffered as he directed Fire Police operations and a Landing Zone for Albany Med Flight, which had been called to provide med-evac for a Columbia County man who had been seriously injured in a crash on Route 9 at Duck Pond Road on Friday evening, August 30th, 2002.
EMTs and medics were at his side in seconds, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Fellow firefighters, including many from the mutual aid companies assisting at the crash, learned of his death while still conducting search and clean-up operations, after the two victims of the crash had been dispatched to hospitals.
Contrary to some reports, Route 9 is a 4-lane road at the accident site, which is between I-90 and the Berkshire Spur, at the intersection of Duck Pond Road and Route 9. South Schodack was called out at approximately 7:15 p.m. Operations were completed a little after midnight.
One State Police veteran called the crash "the worst" he had seen in 14 years service.
Questions about the accident itself should be directed to New York State Police.