MEDIA ADVISORY

Safe Kids Montgomery County Celebrates Safe Kids Day

Saturday, April 29, 2017
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

New Hampshire Estates Elementary School
8720 Carroll Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20903


In partnership with YMCA Youth and Family Services and their Healthy Kids Day, Safe Kids Montgomery County, is hosting a fun family event to celebrate kids and help families take action to protect kids on the road, at home and at play.  At the event there will be activities focused on nutrition and health, bike and pedestrian safety, fire safety, water safety and child passenger safety.

The event is made possible with support from Johnson & Johnson, FedEx, Nationwide, Chevrolet, Kidde and Tide. Safe Kids Worldwide’s national events have attracted the support of celebrity heroes including Drew Barrymore, Sharon Stone and many more to help bring awareness to child injury prevention. To learn more about Safe Kids Day, please visit: www.safekids.org/safekidsday

Around the world, a million children die each year from preventable injuries. Millions more are injured in ways that can affect them for a lifetime. In fact, preventable injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids Day is an opportunity to raise awareness and resources to celebrate kids, prevent injuries and save lives.

About Safe Kids Montgomery County

Safe Kids Montgomery County works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Our coalition members include police officers, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, school staff members, product safety specialist, transportation experts and other safety advocates. Safe Kids Montgomery County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Montgomery County was created in 1989 and is led by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. For more information, visit safekids.org or www.safekidsmoco.org

Visitation and Memorial Details - Firefighter Charles 'Rick' Gentilcore

To:                               MCFRS Personnel

From:                           Fire Chief Scott E. Goldstein

Subject:                        Death Notification

Member Name:                        Fire Fighter Rescuer III Charles “Rick” Gentilcore (15D)

Relationship to Member:          Self

Rick’s arrangements have nearly been finalized.  Viewing and funeral services are as follow:

Viewing
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 – 1400-1600 hours and 1800-2200 hours
Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home - 11800 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904

Funeral
Wednesday, April 12, 2017 – 1300 hours
Covenant Life Church – 7501 Muncaster Mill Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877

Interment
Immediately following the post-funeral processional
Gate of Heaven Cemetery – 13801 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20906

Repast
Immediately following interment – details are being finalized and are forthcoming

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department:  http://www.bvfd.com/support/donate-online/

For the Funeral and Interment departments, honor units, and bands wishing to pay respect to Rick should email the contacts below for specific coordination.

Apparatus      MCFRS.LODD@montgomerycountymd.gov

Honor Units   Fire.HonorGuard@montgomerycountymd.gov

Bands           pipemajor@mcffpipesanddrums.org

Update on Visitation for FF Gentilcore

The visitation has been finalized

Hines Rinaldi Funeral Home

11800 New Hampshire Ave

Silver Spring, MD 20904

Tuesday April 11^th 2017 from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm

Out of county departments are asked to utilize light duty/utility vehicles in lieu of large apparatus to facilitate ease of parking.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. The memorial service location has not yet been finalized.

More detailed info on the memorial service will be pushed as it is finalized

Departments wishing to attend the viewing and/or memorial are asked to send an email to:  MCFRS.LODD@montgomerycountymd.gov

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Mourning the Death of One of Our Own.

On Friday, April 7, 2017 Fire Fighter Rescuer III Charles R. Gentilcore was on duty around 3:30 p.m., at Burtonsville Fire Station 15, and was found unresponsive in the fire station by co-workers. Immediate medical treatment was initiated.

Picture during Recruit School Evolution's

"Rick," age 52, was transported in critical condition to Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. Despite the best efforts of paramedics and hospital staff, Rick succumbed a short time after arriving at the hospital. Rick lived in Bowie, Maryland - Prince George's County.  He was a twenty-three year member of the MCFRS:  first serving as a volunteer with the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department (eleven years) and, most recently, as a career fire fighter rescuer (twelve years).  His last duty assignment was Burtonsville Fire Station 15.  He leaves behind a wife, son, and extended family.

Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott E. Goldstein informed the MCFRS of the On-Duty Death and asked all to "Please keep the Gentilcore family and the entire MCFRS family in your thoughts and prayers as we work through this difficult time."

Jeffrey Buddle, President of the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1664, said "The members of IAFF Local 1664 are deeply saddened by the line of duty death of our fallen brother. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with the Gentilcore family during this extraordinarily difficult time."

Rick's picture during Recruit School

Tami Bulla, President of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department, said in a written statement, "Rick joined the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1994 because he knew he wanted to serve his community.  That lead him to pursue a career in Montgomery County Fire Rescue and we were pleased when he was assigned back at Burtonsville, because it felt like he was coming home."

As additional details, including funeral arrangements, become available, they will be released and posted.