May 5, 2009 - Shreveport Firefighters Reach Goal

SFD members able to pay off funeral expenses and make donation to injured Shreveport worker

Shreveport Fire Chief Brian Crawford proudly announced that the Shreveport Fire Department met their financial goal to assist the family of Shreveport Firefighter Dale Marshall with covering the cost of the funeral expenses of his son, Xavier Hewitt, who was killed in an automobile accident on April 28. Since this accident, contributions have been pouring in from within the department and the community.

“The support from our department and community has been overwhelming. We not only collected the amount needed, but we also collected enough funds to help another Shreveport employee,” according to Chief Crawford. “It makes sense for us to reach out to help one of our own and another individual…this is what we’re all about.”

In an extraordinary move, the Fire Department and Marshall family have decided to return the act of generosity shown to them by agreeing to financially assist Richard Ferguson, another Shreveport City employee, who lost his leg in at accident on April 14 when a motorists slammed into the sanitation truck he was loading.

The Marshall family has also released information regarding Xavier Hewitt’s funeral arrangements. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 9^th at 11 a.m. at the Morning Star Baptist Church, 5340 Jewella Avenue. No family hour has been scheduled, however, open visitation will be held from 3 p.m.-8 p.m. on Friday at the Heavenly Gates Funeral Home on 1339 Jewel Street.