Mourn Fireman Who Died Trying to Save Son From Drowning
By ARI PAUL
The Fire Department confirmed July 24 that a Firefighter had died trying to rescue his son who was swimming in Lake Tahoe in Nevada.

MARTIN C. SIMMONS

While on vacation with his family, Martin Simmons of Ladder Company 111 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn dove into the lake July 21 because his son, Kevin, was having trouble staying afloat. Trying to save his son — who was eventually rescued with the help of an uncle, Firefighter Simmons succumbed to the extreme cold of the water, officials said.

Nevada officials told reporters that drownings and other deaths in Lake Tahoe were not uncommon due to the lower temperatures.

Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy said, "Marty died in the very fashion that he lived his life, with a commitment to putting others before himself."

A former police officer, Firefighter Simmons had been with the FDNY for 17 years. He was 41. His funeral service was held July 28 at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Nesconset, L.I.