Relatives, firefighters, elected officials, state representatives, all came to say a last goodbye to Martial Morin, this 54-year-old volunteer firefighter, married and father of two children, during the funeral tribute paid to him this Friday July 29, 2022 in Tain-l’Hermitage. On Friday July 15, while backing up on the Bouches-du-Rhône forest fire, he showed signs of being unwell and was resting. Suffering from a bacterial infection, he died a few days later.
Nearly 300 firefighters gathered for this tribute
Honor to the flag, review of the troops, the arrival of the funeral procession took place in the presence of around 300 firefighters from Drôme, Ardèche and neighboring departments. The Minister in charge of local authorities, Caroline Cayeux presided over the ceremony: “Chief Warrant Officer Martial Morin died in the exercise of his mission, after relentlessly fighting the flames that ravaged the Montagnette. The entire Nation bows to his courage.”
– Lucile Auconie
The minister has named Martial Morin Knight of the National Order of Merit. The chief warrant officer was decorated by the Prefect of the Drôme with the gold level medal for an act of courage and dedication. Also decorated with the Homeland Security Gold Echelon Medal.
Lieutenant Patrick Roche, president of the Drôme firefighters attended the ceremony. He intervened with firefighter Martial Morin on the fire in Bouches-du-Rhône: “we had worked all day because there was a lot of fire, he went to rest and then he was evacuated. I remember it very well, it was someone discreet who got involved in training. He carried out all these missions with passion.”
– Lucile Auconie
Martial Morin had been a volunteer firefighter for 24 years, first at the fire and rescue center of Chanos-Curson, Châteauneuf-sur-Isère, Le Chatelard, and, since 2019, of Tain-l’Hermitage, in the Drome. The population came massively to attend this tribute.
Under his umbrella, Kilian, 17, a young firefighter from Tournon-sur-Rhône wanted to be there: “I remember having had an interview with Chief Warrant Officer Morin to be integrated into my future barracks. He was a very nice person. For me, Marital Morin is a hero“.
A hero, a generous and benevolent person – Xavier Angéli – Mayor of Tain-l’Hermitage
Many elected officials saluted the memory of Martial Morin, the deputies of Drôme, the mayor of Châteauneuf-sur-Isère where the firefighter lived as well as the mayor of Tain-l’Hermitage. According to Xavier Angéli: “he is a daily hero, firefighters are exemplary people for their dedication. Martial Morin was a generous and caring person. He gave his life to others“.