By Andrea Freygang
He was a fine American. For the man known for recognizing fellow Americans, that is how Firefighter Bill Elliott will be remembered. Elliott, 49, died in the line of duty on Friday, Jan. 6 when he fell from the top of a 100-ft. aerial fire truck during a training exercise in Pompano Beach. Elliott served 22 years as a firefighter with the department and is the department’s first on-duty death. Bill was previously with the Lighthouse Point Fire Department for seven years, making him a 29-year veteran of the fire service.
Fellow firefighters and personal friends Mike Anderson and John Butler were two of the thousands that showed up at Elliott’s family home after his death. The duo explained how their friend Bill Elliott always ended conversations telling people they were fine Americans. In the aftermath of his death, many remembered what a fine American Elliott was.
“It sounds like a cliché, but he was the epitome of a good firefighter—everyone respected him in Pompano Beach,” said Firefighter Stan Babinski, who worked with him in Pompano Beach before moving to the Lighthouse Point department. “This has just been a total devastation for everyone because he is family.”
Since his death, a non-stop stream of visitors have come from around the state in support, starting with over 200 people who were at the hospital, then filled the home he shared with his brother John Elliott, also a firefighter.
“It was a career that chose him. He was working in Lighthouse Point public works and they asked him to work in either the police or fire. He chose fire,” said his brother. “He was an old-fashioned firefighter—he was hands-on, very mechanical — he could take anything apart.”
John also joined the “brotherhood” at his family’s urging.
“I wanted to be a firefighter when I was a kid though I worked for years in carpentry and finally my mom convinced me to follow my brother’s footsteps,” said John Elliott. “She knew what my dream was as a kid and I saw the camaraderie and brotherhood.”
And that camaraderie is what was helping to carry him through his brother’s death.
“Everyone has helped me get through this whole thing. I knew even after it’s all over, they will still be here to help me,” said John Elliott. “He had more friends than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
The response for the first line-of-duty death in Pompano Beach was incredible.
“It’s unfathomable — so many units from all over the county and all over the state —a few thousand people are expected at his funeral,” said Firefighter Scott Friend. “We’ve lost great people, but never in the line of duty.”
