Palm Coast Dedicates New Fire Truck To Fallen Local Hero

Palm Coast, FL – After taking delivery of a new 100-foot ladder truck earlier this year, the City of Palm Coast  decides to dedicate the truck to a local hero who perished in the line of duty. Sgt. Zachary Walters began his path towards joining the military when he joined the Junior ROTC Program while he attended Flagler Palm Coast High School. There, instructors noted that Walters always took the uniform seriously, which stuck with him when he passed up scholarships and job offers to instead join the military. He later enlisted just a day after graduating high school in 2005. From there, Walters joined the United States Marine Corps where he was eventually assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Unfortunately, Sgt. Walters and a fellow marine were killed on June 8, 2010 while on patrol in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Sgt. Walters was later laid to rest with full military honors at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery. According to the City of Palm Coast, the idea to dedicate a fire truck to a fallen soldier came from Firefighter-Paramedic Christopher Strozier, who is a veteran of the Navy.  "We often forget why we have the rights and freedoms we do," said Strozier "Dedicating the fire engine to the memory of Gold Star Families is a small way to show our appreciation for what they have sacrificed." With that in mind, the Palm Coast Fire Department now plans to dedicate a fire engine to a Gold Star recipient, whose name is inscribed in the Veterans Memorial at Heroes Memorial Park, each Memorial Day. Sgt. Walters’ mother, Regina Walters, and grandmother, Lorie Minor, were on hand to unveil the ladder truck’s dedication at Fire Station 25, along with other friends and family members of Sgt. Walters. "We’re not here to memorialize Sergeant Walters’ life, rather to celebrate his call to duty to preserve, protect and defend," stated Fire Chief Jerry Forte. "As this ladder truck offers protection to our citizens during their calls for help, Sergeant Walters’ legacy of protecting our Nation is carried on." The new 2021 E-One Cyclone ladder truck will be placed into front line service offering additional fire protection for all of Flagler County.