Jefferson City - On September 24, 2024, Governor Mike Parson ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Platte and Jackson counties, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Wednesday, September 25, from sunrise to sunset in honor of Kansas City Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic Kyle Brinker.  

“Kyle Brinker was drawn to public service at an early age, first becoming a junior firefighter in Pennsylvania, and he never lost his passion and enthusiasm for making a positive difference in people’s lives,” Governor Parson said. “He earned a degree in emergency medicine and devoted himself to being the best firefighter/paramedic he could be as he served in Station 35, one of the KCFD’s busiest stations. He will be remembered as a mentor and role model fully committed to the people he served. Teresa and I will be keeping his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers.”       

On September 17, 2024, while performing duties as a rescue technician during a Kansas City Fire Department training exercise, Firefighter/Paramedic Brinker experienced a medical emergency and died in the line of duty.

Brinker, 33, had been a member of the Kansas City Fire Department for 11 years. Previously, he had served as a firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), and paramedic in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The flags will be held at half-staff on the day Firefighter/Paramedic Brinker is laid to rest. To view the proclamation, click here.