Birth: July 3, 1964
Death: February 15, 2004
Location: Lot 80, Section 3, New Addition
From the Grand Island, NE. “Independent” Newspaper:
WOOD RIVER — He was known as a very likable man and a person who always had a smile on his face.
He will also be remembered as a hero who put his life on the line in an attempt to save another human being.
Capt. Robert Heminger, a veteran Wood River firefighter, died shortly after 6 a.m. on Sunday at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island as a result of injuries sustained at a fire early Saturday in Wood River, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Department.
Now a community is in mourning. And a state is in mourning over the loss of a man who friends called “Bobby.”
On Sunday, Gov. Mike Johanns approved a request by the Wood River community to fly flags at half-staff statewide in honor of Heminger.
At the same time, the community and state are also in prayer for Heminger’s partner and fellow firefighter Ken Woitalewicz, who remained in critical condition Sunday evening at St. Francis Medical Center from injuries sustained during the Wood River fire.
At 6:34 a.m. Saturday Wood River Rural Fire Department and Hall County Sheriff’s Department officials responded to a house fire at 211 W. 12th St. in Wood River.
Firefighters found the house partially engulfed in flames and were told by Ray Carrig, 76, who lived at the home with his wife, Anna “Annie” M. Carrig, 73, that she was still in the burning house.
Heminger and Woitalewicz then entered the house in an attempt to rescue Mrs. Carrig. A portion of the structure collapsed, falling on both firefighters.
Mrs. Carrig was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire.
“He was a very special person. We are going to miss Bobby very much,” Wood River Fire Chief Roger Derr said.
A longtime friend of Heminger, Derr said he was celebrating his 20th year as a volunteer firefighter for the Wood River community.
Derr described his friend as a “decorated veteran” who has received many distinguished citations over the years for his service beyond the call of duty. He held the rank of captain at the time of his death.
“He was probably one of our most highly trained firefighters,” Derr said. “His life, besides his family and his job, was the fire service.”
Heminger was also an emergency medical technician with the Wood River Rescue Squad
Derr was at the scene of the fire with Heminger and Woitalewicz.
“Basically, they went in to do a search and rescue for the victim that was believed to be in the house,” he said. “It was a small room, which was built on in back of the house. With no warning, the roof collapsed and trapped both of them underneath it.”
As a 16-year-veteran firefighter, Derr said that all firefighters know that, “No matter how well trained a firefighter is, you can never be trained for something like this.”
“I think we all know it can happen, but none of us want to believe it can happen,” he said.
Derr said a fire scene is always unpredictable and judgments have to be made spontaneously.
“We size up the scene and evaluate what is going on,” Derr said. “We weigh the risks against the benefits. In this same situation, if there had not been a person in that house, there probably would not have been firefighters in there. Because we needed to make a rescue effort, we do put firefighters in a building for that reason.”
Officials from the state fire marshal’s office are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Heminger’s death is the first loss of a firefighter in the history of the Wood River Volunteer Fire Department.
Derr described Heminger and Woitalewicz as “some of our highest trained firefighters.”
“These guys had years of experience,” he said. “They had been in numerous structures. They know what they are doing. Both of them have saved me from places that I should not have been a time of two, or they have backed me up, or I have backed them up.”
Heminger was a 1982 graduate of Wood River High School. He is survived by his wife, Eva (Kimminau) Heminger, of Wood River and two children, Jonathan, 12, and Lindsay, 16.
Wood River Mayor John Webster also described Heminger as a very well-trained firefighter.
“There was no way they would have known that the roof was going to cave in on them,” Webster said.
He knew Heminger personally and had spoken to him Friday night at a basketball game between Wood River and Doniphan.
Webster said the Wood River community is in shock over what happened.
“We all feel like we lost one of our family,” he said. “It was unfortunate. They were two fellows who went in to try to save somebody and one of them lost their life. They both were very wonderful fellows. It was a tragic loss for the city of Wood River.”
Hall County Sheriff Jerry Watson also mourns the loss of one of his fellow public safety providers.
“I didn’t know him personally, but any time you lose somebody who is willing to volunteer their time and energy into doing what he was doing, it’s just a tragedy for his family and the whole community of Wood River,” Watson said.