Governor Kathy Hochul has directed that flags on all New York State government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday in honor of a volunteer fire chief who was killed in the line of duty.
Flags will be lowered from sunrise to sunset on July 9 in memory of Cottekill Fire Department Chief David A. Gagnon, who died July 3 while responding to storm-related cleanup in Ulster County.
According to the governor’s office, Gagnon was struck by part of a falling tree while clearing a roadway in the Town of Rosendale.
“For more than three decades, Dave lived a life of extraordinary service to his country and his community,” Hochul said in a statement. “A member of the New York Army National Guard and a firefighter with the Cottekill Fire Department, he served with honor and protected his neighbors until the end. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fellow soldiers, and the Cottekill Fire Department as we honor his lasting legacy of selfless service.”
In addition to serving as chief of the Cottekill Fire Department, Gagnon was also a member of the New York Army National Guard.
The governor’s office said the statewide flag lowering recognizes Gagnon’s decades of service and sacrifice to both his community and the nation.
