Harford County Executive Barry Glassman has ordered the Harford County flag flown at half-staff in honor of Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company paramedic Erik Steciak.
Capt. Steciak, 29, a paid paramedic with Bel Air and a captain with the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Company in Howard County, died Tuesday in the line of duty while responding to a call near Bel Air to aid a person who had been in accident.
Capt. Steciak lived in Columbia, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating Tuesday's incident.
Funeral arrangements were announced Wednesday afternoon.
Two viewings will be held. The first is scheduled Friday, Jan. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, 12535 Old Frederick Road in Sykesville. The second is Saturday, Jan. 17 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, 109 S. Hickory Ave. in Bel Air
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18 at West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department with a reception immediately following at the Howard County James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive in Marriottsville.
Black flags were hung on the main Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company station where and the United States and Maryland flags were lowered to half-staff Wednesday morning. Capt. Staciak worked out of the BAVFC Patterson Mill Station, Bel Air Chief Rick Davis said.
"The people of Harford County extend our sympathy and prayers to Erik's family in honor of his ultimate sacrifice in serving our citizens," Glassman said in a statement. " We also send our prayers out to his brothers and sisters of the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Company where he was a longtime member."
Glassman said he had personally contacted Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman Tuesday to notify him of the tragedy Tuesday. The two county executives previously served together on the Maryland Senate Finance Committee.
Glassman said he also met with the directors and officers of the Bel Air VFC Tuesday evening to offer the county's assistance.
The county executive said he is grateful to his Department of Emergency Services staff for their support and honors "the efforts of all emergency workers who risk their personal safety every day to ensure the safety of their fellow citizens."
Harford County Councilman Jim McMahan honored Capt. Steciak in the opening prayer for Tuesday night's council meeting and also spoke of the loss of the paramedic later in the meeting.
"Another member of the public safety community giving his all, answering the call to help another," said McMahan who is a former volunteer firefighter, as is the county executive.
McMahan offered a second prayer for Capt. Steciak, his family and fellow public safety workers.
"They choose to serve and protect," he said. "Give us all the strength to endure our loss."
Councilman Chad Shrodes also honored Capt. Steciak during the council members' comment period.
"My thoughts and prayers are with their families, and I just appreciate everything that our emergency personnel do, as well as folks who work on utility lines and DPW workers that are out there in the cold," Shrodes said.