West Seattle memorial service March 26th for Seattle Fire Department Lt. Jay G. Wheeler

A full-honors memorial service is planned at 1 pm March 26th at West Side Presbyterian Church for Seattle Fire Lt. Jay G. Wheeler, whose last assignment was at North Admiral’s Station 29. That’s according to , according to the obituary published for Lt. Wheeler. His recent passing was noted on the SFD Firelines website as follows:

On Tuesday, March 4, 2020, members of the Seattle Fire Department family were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of their own, Lieutenant Jay Garth Wheeler, after a long and difficult battle with an illness.

Jay faced his battle with great courage and without complaint, surrounded by his wife, children, parents and so many others who loved and cared deeply for him. Many from his fire department family spent time with Jay and his family during his last days.

Lt. Wheeler was committed to the Seattle community. He first served as an officer with the Seattle Police Department at the South Precinct in 1989 before joining the Seattle Fire Department in April, 1997. Throughout his fire service career, he served on Ladders 5, 7, 9 and 11 and Engines 36 and 38. On June 28, 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and was working on Engine 29 in West Seattle. He also volunteered as a scuba diver for the Seattle Aquarium.

Here are two small examples of Jay’s exemplary service:

On August 19, 1998, while off-duty, then-Firefighter Wheeler was the first on the scene of a rollover motor vehicle accident. After ensuring the safety of bystanders, he stabilized the rolled over car, coordinating ropes to anchor points on the uphill side. He then initiated emergency medical care to the single patient trapped inside the care until the arrival of SFD units. In the words of then-Capt. Michael E. Walsh, he “acted in the finest of Seattle Fire Department tradition.”

In 2006, while serving in the Fire Alarm Center, Firefighter Wheeler received a letter of commendation for directing the delivery of a baby by the first-time father over the phone. His steady-handed questions and sure responses put both parents at ease and allowed them to focus on things that needed to be done. The baby was found wrapped in a towel as instructed when Engine 39 and the medics arrived a few minutes later. In their thank you letter, the parents acknowledged Jay’s efforts and “all the life-savers at Seattle’s 911. You helped bring a precious gift of life into our lives. We will be forever grateful.”

In a letter to all SFD members, Fire Chief Harold D. Scoggins commended Lt. Wheeler for his contributions to public service and as a long-time valued member of the Seattle Fire Department.

Lt. Wheeler’s obituary says he was 57 years old and adds, “The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, a hazard linked to many years of exposure to fire fighting.”

5 Replies to "West Seattle memorial service March 26th for Seattle Fire Department Lt. Jay G. Wheeler"

  • Alki resident March 8, 2020 (8:48 pm)

    This is so heartbreaking, such a loss. I’m so sorry for his family and colleagues. It’s not fair they train so hard and work so professionally only to get sickness from the one thing they work so compassionately for. 

  • KC March 8, 2020 (9:37 pm)

    Lt Wheeler and FamilyThank you for your good and faithful service May your pride and dedication be an anchor for all who follow

  • Jason March 8, 2020 (10:06 pm)

    This loss is unimaginable.  This man literally lost his life as an unavoidable side effect of his employment.  Firefighters face hazards during and after their career that most people never see.  And too often they pay the ultimate price for their service to the community. This is why you will never hear me complain about how much firefighters are compensated.  I wouldn’t want to have to roll the dice with my health and well-being like they end up doing – and they do it without a choice in the matter.   God bless his family and his fellow firefighters. 

  • HS March 9, 2020 (11:38 am)

    What an amazing person. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. And also a thank you to every person who works in the first responder fields to ensure the safety and care of others. 

  • Scubafrog March 9, 2020 (12:38 pm)

    Thank you  Mr. Wheeler for your service to our community.  To the Wheeler family I offer my most sincere condolences, I’m sending good energy your way, and thank you for being so selfless as to allow Lt. Jay give so much of himself to our community.  You’re the people we aspire to be. I wish you healing and peace through this tragedy

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