Chief Lawrence Greeley

Today we honor Fire Chief Lawrence Greeley member of the Longwood Fire Company.

On Saturday evening, November 19, 1988, tragedy struck

at Longwood Gardens as Longwood Fire Chief Lawrence

Greeley died while commanding a fire at the gardens.

Chief Greeley, who was 52 years old, was with fellow

firefighters overseeing a fireworks display at Longwood

Gardens when a small blaze erupted in the nearby ballroom

at about 8:00 p.m. Greeley complained of not feeling well

and asked to go to the hospital. He was taken by Longwood

firefighters to Southern Chester County Medical Center, West

Grove, where he later died of a heart attack.

He was a member of Longwood Fire Company for 30 years, serving as the

fire chief for a decade. Greeley also served as president of the Southern Chester

County Fire Chiefs Association and was also a member of the National Fire

Chiefs Association. He also served on the safety committee for Kennett Township.