Haddonfield Firefighters Race to Honor Heroes

The Haddon Fire Company No. 1 running team won first place in a weekend 5K race to honor fallen comrades.

The 11th annual Heroes to Hero 5K run/walk takes place in remembrance of three South Jersey firefighters who perished in a July 4, 2002, Gloucester City blaze. Gloucester City firefighter Thomas Stewart III, Chief James Sylvester of the Mount Ephraim Volunteer Fire Department and Deputy Fire Marshal John West Sr. of the Camden County Fire Marshals Office died trying to save the lives of three young girls trapped in a house fire.

Eighteen volunteer firefighters from Haddonfield, along with several of their family members, ran the race. The top Haddonfield finishers were Lt. Craig Jordan, Capt. Joseph Walls and firefighter Brian Plodizyn, all with record-setting times. Their combined scores were the best out of all other competing fire departments.

Haddonfield firefighters regularly run races on the Haddon Fire Company running team, started by Jordan to encourage the company to focus on health and fitness. The team quickly grew from four firefighters to 20.

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