How the Milwaukee Fire Department, Light the Hoan honored 3 Wisconsin firefighters

On Sunday night, dozens of Milwaukee County firefighters gathered near The Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge to remember three Wisconsin firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty last year. The Hoan was lit red in their honor behind a backdrop of firetrucks.

Those three firefighters were Captain Brian Busch, 43, and firefighter James “Jim” Ludlum, 69, of the Mineral Point Fire Department, and firefighter Riley Huiras, 20, of the Grand Rapids Volunteer Fire Department.

"We're extremely humbled to be able to memorialize these three fallen that were taken from us way too soon," Eric Daun, president of Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 215, said at the remembrance event. "God bless their families, the communities they were serving and God bless the three of them."

The Milwaukee Fire Department and Light the Hoan partnered with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for Sunday's event, which aligned with the organization's annual Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Mineral Point Fire Chief Bryan Marr and his personnel traveled to the national event for their fallen members.

During this year's National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, 144 firefighters from across the country who have died in the line of duty over the years were recognized, including 79 who died in 2022, according to the organization.

"Every day, people of Milwaukee perhaps don't see that our firefighters are out there with great courage, keeping them safe," Ed Fallone, Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission chair, said. "They don't see that our firefighters are willing to sacrifice everything on their behalf. But we should remember, we should see that every day ... We will never forget our fallen heroes."

The Milwaukee County firefighters who attended the local remembrance event were from the Milwaukee, St. Francis, Wauwatosa, Oak Creek and Milwaukee County Airport fire departments.

Just like the Hoan, landmarks, buildings, fire service organizations, businesses and homes nationwide were illuminated red to "Light the Night," showing support for fallen firefighters.

"We stand ready to serve people," Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said at the event. "We stand ready on the worst day of someone's life. And the work we do on any given day is extremely risky. I just want people to understand, for their firefighters, I want them to just feel a sense of pride that their firefighters are top notch, tip of the spear, always ready and they're always arriving with that duty to act and that sense of community."

The Wisconsin firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022

Just after midnight on Jan. 6, 2022, Busch and Ludlum were responding to a reported motor vehicle crash on Highway 151 in Mineral Point, according to news releases from the Iowa County Sheriff's Office.

The fire truck was attempting to use an emergency crossover when it was struck by a northbound semi-tractor trailer, per the U.S. Fire Administration. Busch and Ludlum were pronounced dead at the scene.

Busch joined the fire department when he turned 18, Lipski read at Sunday's event. Busch also worked as a blaster for Ahlgrimm Explosives, according to his obituary.

"He was always helpful, always caring," Lipski said. "He could be counted on to stop and help if someone was in need."

He "fell in love" with Laura Rodger, and they married in 2002. The couple had three children: Jackson, Annabelle, and Eleanor, the obituary said.

"He was very much a family-oriented person," Lipski said.

Many of Busch's loved ones' memories are of silly things he would do on family vacations, and the pranks or practical jokes he'd pull, Lipski said.

"His sense of humor and zest for life was contagious," Lipski said. "His quick wit is sorely missed. The memories of jokes and laughs shared continue to provide us all with comfort and laughter — even amidst our tears and sorrow. Brian is deeply missed and forever loved."

Ludlum had been with the fire department since 1984, according to his obituary. In 1985, Ludlum married the late Sheila Gilman. They had two sons, Adam and Troy.

Ludlum "was always available, he had a very calm demeanor, ready to selflessly complete any task at hand," Lipski read at the event.

Ludlum served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 22 years, and was also an ag mechanic, working on tractors at the Farmers Store for over 50 years, Lipski said.

Ludlum had a passion for fishing and farming, and loved spending time with his grandchildren, Lipski said.

"For his sacrifice, the state of Wisconsin owes him a tremendous debt of gratitude," Lipski said.

Both Busch and Ludlum were also active members of St. Mary's and St. Paul's Catholic Church.

In August 2022, Huiras was on his way back from a big fire call when a call came in for a crash in Grand Rapids, according to a Wisconsin Rapids Tribune report. Huiras and another member of the department hopped off one emergency vehicle and directly onto another one to go to the crash scene.

Huiras went home from the second call and, sometime between 2 and 6 a.m. Aug. 3, suffered a brain aneurysm. He died surrounded by his loving family, his obituary said.

Huiras' father is a 20-year veteran of the volunteer fire department and Huiras, like many of the members' children, grew up helping at the station and at fundraising events.

Huiras began volunteering with the fire department in 2021 and completed the Firefighter 1 State Practical Exam in 2022.

Huiras was "an amazing young man, who had a very bright future ahead of him," Grand Rapids Volunteer Fire Chief Robert Piatt said at Sunday's event.

Huiras was pursuing a career in criminal justice at Mid-State Technical College, with plans to attend the Police Academy, and volunteered as an auxiliary officer with the Grand Rapids Police Department.

"He was a young man with lofty goals and the work ethic to accomplish his mission," Piatt said. "Riley had a great passion for giving back to his community."

Huiras "lives on" today through his organ donations, Piatt said.

Karen Madden of the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Fire Dept., Light the Hoan honor late Wisconsin firefighters