Paddle out ceremony to be held for Murrells Inlet-Garden City fallen firefighter
In honor of a fallen firefighter, the Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire District is planning a paddle out ceremony next weekend.
Matthew A. Piontkowski, 40, was born on April 29, 1983 and died on June 9, 2023 of line-of-duty related cancer.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., on July 15, at the beach access near the pier and Azalea Avenue.
Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire Battalion Chief Brennan Moore is organizing the paddle out ceremony. He said he knew Piontkowski closely as a friend and coworker.
In addition to being a firefighter, Piontkowski was apart of a hurricane response team, and was heavily trained in water rescue. He was apart of an elite task force, Moore said.
“He’s well deserving of a paddle out of this magnitude,” Moore said.
Multiple local agencies are expected to participate, from the Horry County Police Department to the North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue team.
Around 150 people are expected to be in attendance, he said.
Piontkowski was hired by the Horry County Fire Rescue in 2010 and eventually took a position at the Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire District, according to his obituary. He started his career in Northeast Ohio.
Firefighter Health Care Benefit Plan
Line-of-duty cancer means cancer caused by direct exposure to harmful chemicals in the line of duty.
Also called occupational cancer, it is the leading cause of deaths in the line-of-duty for firefighters, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters.
“It hit (Piontkowki) so fast,” Moore said. “We’re talking months. In months, he was gone and it was painful. (Piontkowski) was in such good health. He didn’t smoke, he hadn’t drank in two years. Running, working out, swimming constantly.”
Thanks to a bill signed into law in 2020, firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer and have served for more than five years can receive a supplemental insurance policy from South Carolina.
Piontkowski was able to receive this benefit to help with medical bills, according to Moore.
But implementation of the Firefighter Cancer Health Care Benefit plan is contingent on appropriate funding each year.
“That could change every single year,” Moore said. “So what (Piontkowski) was able to get this year might change tomorrow if my cancer shows up.”
A celebration of life
Those planning to attend the event can expect music playing, tents, and several speeches by law enforcement leaders.
At the beginning, a slow, lighted procession of rescue units will begin traveling from near the Garden City pier to the ceremony.
The units will move to the water, past the surf, on rescue boats and jet skis, where they will form a floating circle around Piontkowski’s vest and surfboard and spread part of his ashes alongside his family.
The rest of the day is meant to celebrate Piontkowski’s life.
“Brother Piontkowski has made an impression on each individual he has had contact with throughout his entire career,” The Murrells Inlet-Garden City Firefighters Association said in a statement. “He will be truly missed, but never forgotten.”
