Plaque will take three months to replace

It will take at least three months to replace the plaque honoring fallen firefighter Fred W. Steiner Sr.

The plaque was discovered missing from the Nevada Firefighters Memorial in Mills Park earlier this week.

Memorial treasurer Steve Frady said a new plaque would take 90 days from the time it was ordered to arrive.

"In this case, we would probably just order it, and let the board decide if we are going to do another ceremony," Frady said.

Vandals apparently pried the plaque off the wall.

"This is totally senseless," Frady said. "This is a monument to people who have given their lives helping other people. To have this sort of thing happen just makes you wonder."

Steiner died in the line of duty in March 1953, when the 74-year-old suffered a heart attack while responding to a fire. (His name was incorrectly reported earlier as Charles Steiner.)

"During nearly 50 years of service to the Sparks Fire Department, Steiner earned a reputation for never missing an alarm if he was within hearing of the alarm," read the dedication accompanying the plaque.

He was one of the firefighters who organized the Sparks Fire Department.

Frady said there may be enough interest to raise the $150 to purchase a new plaque.

"We're hopeful," he said. "We've had a couple of responses from people who are pledging money. One of the guys in Sparks indicated they may be able to replace the plaque."

Typically, firefighters hold their memorial ceremonies during the last weekend of fire prevention week, this year Oct. 7-13.

"When we order plaques for the memorial, we have to have them in by Aug. 1 in time for the ceremony.

Frady said there were no plans for a ceremony this year because there have been no firefighting deaths in the past year and he has yet to uncover another historical death.

"We haven't had any nominations and at this point are not planning a ceremony," he said.

This is not the first time the memorial has been targeted by vandals.

Frady said last year they attacked the flag pole, stealing the flags and the light that used illuminate them.

"We used to fly the flags seven days a week, 24 hours a day, illuminated by the light," he said. "But we've started flying the flags only during ceremonies now."

Firefighters have also had to scrub graffiti off of the memorial.

YOU CAN HELP

If you wish to make a donation to the Nevada Firefighters Memorial, call Steve Frady at 684-2502. If you have any information about the theft of the plaque, call the Carson City Sheriff's Department at 775-887-2500.