CLAYTON – A special ceremonial sounding of an old fire siren will be held at 11 a.m. today (Friday) in honor of fallen Clayton firefighter Jason Dean.
The 42-year-old Deputy Chief of Training and Operations died late Tuesday night. His body was returned to his hometown in Clayton from UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill last night. He had been hospitalized since August 18th with complications of COVID-19. Fire departments from up and down the Triangle gathered along I-40 to salute the caravan of emergency vehicles that escorted him home.
In a nod to Jason and the long history of firefighting in Clayton, a ceremonial fire siren salute will be sounded at 11 a.m. today.
Late yesterday, the Archer Lodge Volunteer Fire Department and Clayton Public Power crews teamed up to mount an old fire siren to the Clayton Fire Department, at 325 W. Horne Street. Three whistles or sirens were how Clayton volunteer firefighters were once called to head to the station to respond to fires and emergencies.
At 11 a.m. today, the siren will be sounded three consecutive times and should echo out for several miles from Downtown Clayton to encourage the community to stop and pause for a moment of silence in honor of Deputy Chief Dean.
On Monday, September 28, 2020, a funeral procession, including a parade of firetrucks from all over the state will take place prior to his private burial at Maplewood Cemetery in Clayton.
