Fallen Firefighters ceremony to honor Cate, others

Livestreaming available for May 4-5 services

By Matthew Nash • May 1, 2024 1:30 am

On April 10, 226 American flags were delivered to the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in preparation for National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend May 4-5.

One flag recognizes Capt. Charles “Chad” Cate, 46, of Clallam County Fire District 3, who was found deceased in his bunk on Jan. 12, 2023. It was later revealed he died of heart disease. A memorial for Cate was held at Sequim High School on Jan. 21, with more than 1,000 people in attendance.

Battalion Chief Chris Turner was in Emmitsburg on April 10 to honor Cate and other fallen firefighters.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend honors 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years.

A candlelight service at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) Saturday, May 4, and a memorial service at 10 a.m. (ET) Sunday, May 5 will be livestreamed at firehero.org.

Cate, a 1994 Sequim High School graduate, began serving as a volunteer firefighter in 1994, was hired by the Sequim area fire district in 1996 as firefighter/EMT, added “paramedic” to his qualifications in 2001, and was promoted to captain in 2021.

He is survived by his wife Renee, sons Charles Thomas Cate III, and adult children Harrison and Ashleigh.

For more about the honored fallen firefighters, visit firehero.org/2024-roll-of-honor.

Photo courtesy Chris Turner Flags for National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend (set for May 4-5) were delivered on April 10 with a ceremonial bell ringing and bagpipe music to recognize fallen firefighters from 2023, including Sequim’s Capt. Chad Cate. A candlelight and memorial service will be livestreamed May 4-5.