Benefit Planned for Fallen Firefighter's Family

The Baltimore County Fallen Firefighters Fund will co-sponsor a benefit for the family of fallen firefighter Mark Falkenhan.

The event, a bull and oyster roast, will be held at 7 p.m. May 13 at the Towson Center at . Mark Falkenhan while fighting a multi-alarm fire at 30 Dowling Circle in Hillendale. He recently was formally awarded the for his sacrifice.

is survived by his wife, Gladys, and two young sons, Christian and Garrett.

Tickets are $45 each; tables of 10 are available.

The Baltimore County Fallen Firefighters Fund is a 501C(3) organization, and donations are tax deductible.

The other sponsoring organizations are the U.S. Secret Service, where Falkenhan was employed after he left the Baltimore County Fire Department; and the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Co. and Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Co., Inc, where Falkenhan served as a volunteer firefighter.

"The one silver lining throughout this personal—and public—loss has been the love and continued support my family has received from countless individuals from across the country," said Gladys Falkenhan in a statement.

"I want to once again thank all of those people, along with those from the Baltimore County Fire Department, the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company, Middle River Ambulance and Rescue Company and the U.S. Secret Service for all of their support as we continue to try and make sense of Mark’s death."

The event will feature live music with multiple bands and a silent auction.

Participants may pay via PayPal at www.bcofff.com; or make checks payable to the Baltimore County Fallen Firefighters Fund, P.O. Box 20128, Towson, MD 21284.

For information, contact Mike Roberts at 410-935-1829; Joe Davis at 443-845-8024; or Bill Carter at 443-865-6807.

To donate items for the silent auction, contact Tim Hamlett at 443-677-9559.

"This has been a rough time for all of us," said Davis, president of the Middle River Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Co. "Nothing can explain how we've felt the last two months. I know a lot of us are just looking for ways to help."