A pike pole is a long pole used by firefighters, and a memorial version of the pole carries the names of Washington firefighters who died in the line of duty.
The ceremonial pole was delivered this week to the South King Fire and Rescue department in Federal Way with the name of firefighter Doug Waller.
KING reports he’s one of the first in the country to be recognized for contracting HIV on the job. He helped a heavily bleeding patient who later disclosed he had AIDS. Waller was diagnosed with the disease before he died in 2006.
The “line of duty death” designation enables his family to receive benefits.
The Associated Press
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.