By Andrew Coen
The community has banded together in the year since the tragic death of the 54-year-old Lund, who suffered a massive heart attack while fighting a blaze to raise nearly $25,000 to rededicate the memorial in front of the Woodmere firehouse on Irving Place. The memorial service, scheduled for Sunday, June 25, will include the presentation of a plaque in memory of Lund, a Gibson resident for more than 20 years. The ceremony will also remember the lives of two other fallen Woodmere firefighters, William Hendrickson in 1953 and John L. Bowker in March 1973.
"It was a long battle raising the funds," said Ray Grawin, who worked alongside Lund both with the Woodmere and the New York City fire departments.
The memorial tribute to Lund will come just over a year after an estimated 5,000 firefighters paid tribute to the 54-year-old during a firefighter service and funeral. Lund battled blazes and responded to disasters both in New York City and Long Island for 25 years and was a retired New York City firefighter who remained a volunteer with Woodmere, including serving as lieutenant. He suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after helping to extinguish a blaze at a two-story on Longacre Ave. in Woodmere on June 14, 2005 shortly before midnight after fighting the house fire, which broke out just after 10 p.m. Lund complained of shortness of breath and chest pains and sat down on a curb before collapsing. He was transported to St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, where he was pronounced dead. Fire officials said Lund's cardiac arrest might have been triggered by the excessive heat to which he was exposed while fighting the fire, as temperatures in the house's attic were estimated to be over 150 degrees.
As a result of the funds raised, the memorial in front of the firehouse was completely renovated to include a 40-foot flag pole, which is 15 feet taller than the previous one, two concrete towers and a plaque in honor of Lund. The two towers will support a piece of steel, which in part dates back to 1891 at the original Woodmere fire house on 10 Brower Ave. The towers will also be supported by a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, which will serve as a memory to those firefighters who lost their lives responding to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
"Pete was a very dedicated fireman," said Grawin. "His love for fire service was only secondary to his love for his family."
Comments about this story? acoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
