Funeral Services Today for McLean Fire Haz Mat Technician

Friday Feb. 3: Funeral services will be held this morning at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home on Braddock Road for a member of the McLean Fire Station who died suddenly this week.

"We will be celebrating the life of Technician Mark Baban (President of the Asian Association of Firefighters), Fire Station 1, B-Shift on Friday, February 3, 2012," said the announcement from the Fairfax County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics.

 Seating will be limited and in priority by Family, Friends, Asian Association of Firefighters, Honor Guard, Fire Station 1, B-Shift personnel, Command Staff, and all other B-Shift personnel, the announcement said.

Burial will follow the service at the Fairfax Memorial Park/Cemetery then a reception at the Northern Virginia Baha'i Center in Sterling, VA.

The Virginia Medical Examiner's Office said a cause of death would probably not be determined for several weeks. The Medical Examiner is involved because it was an unattended sudden death.

Update Jan. 31: The McLean fire station is now draped in black bunting to honor one of their crew members who died yesterday.

The Fairfax fire department has released no further details.

ORIGINAL STORY : A member of the McLean Fire Station died yesterday, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

Technician Mark Baban, Hazardous Materials Specialist, 51, was apparently found at his home in Chantilly. The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner,  fire officials said.

Technician Baban played the bagpipes. He joined McLean resident and bugler Ted Smith in a memorial salute in Sept. 11 in front of the McLean fire station.

Technician Baban, an 18-year veteran of the fire department, was president-elect of the Asian Association in the fire department, an official said. He was also a dad.

The fire department released few details of his death and had no further comment.

On his webpage Baban said: Mark Baban is a Grade lV competing piper who was awarded a First Place in 2/4 March and Second Place in Piobaireachd in the three Games he entered in 2007.  Started his 2008 competition in April with a first place in 2/4 March and First Place in Piobaireachd in October.  Ended the year with a Third Place in 2/4 March and Fourth Place in Piobaireachd.  He finds competing very rewarding, all the efforts in instructions and practicing is finally put together as a performance that is judged in its technical and musical merits.  His passion in bagpipes came in later in life and has definitely been making up for lost time. 

"His pipes have been played in funerals, schools, firehouses, musical shows and other events.   He  enjoys  sharing the world of piping whenever he gets a chance.

"His passion led to opening up a business that would be a service to pipers and drummers. .  . he definitely has made a lot of friends through piping."