MANDEVILLE, La. — A black ribbon is wrapped around the sign outside First Station 41 on Girod Street in Mandeville. Underneath it are pictures of a man fellow firefighters say left a big impact.
“We’re absolutely heartbroken right now,” said Jeremy Windom with St. Tammany Fire District Number 4. “Jason was absolutely incredible.”
Jason Comeaux spent the last six years as a firefighter and EMT for St. Tammany Fire District Number 4. He died Saturday. Friends say he was battling health issues.
“It’s a huge loss for not only me but a lot of the guys around the fire department,” said friend and fellow firefighter Spencer Bean.
Bean says their friendship was almost immediate.
“Found out really quickly we had a lot of similarities. One was playing music,” said Bean.
Bean says Comeaux was good as just about any instrument, especially the guitar, which they played together. Whether through a game of baseball behind the station or a phone call, Bean says Comeaux cared about his brotherhood.
“He would often come in on his off days and just cook breakfast for his crew,” said Bean.
Bean says Comeaux’s love for the fire service started early.
“He grew up across the street from a fire station, started volunteering at a really young age, and eventually went on to become a career firefighter,” said Bean.
“He learned his craft. He did it well,” said Windom.
Windom says Comeaux’s dedication to service was on a different level.
“It didn’t matter if he was on duty or off duty. He wanted to help. He was there,” Windom.
When he wasn’t helping people in need, Comeaux was lending a hand just about everywhere.
“He had the intrinsic desire to help people, to the point you can’t train somebody how to do that. He just had it,” said Windom.
Friends say he also had something else, which he lived by.
“Kindness was his motto,” said Bean.
It’s a motto that will live on at the department.
“We will continue to carry on his memory, his goal of serving people without hesitation. That’s Jason and that’s what we’ll continue to do,” said Windom.
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