INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department is honoring a firefighter who died of COVID-19 complications. IFD says Gerald Brooks will have full honors and “a presumptive line of duty death service.”
Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags at the Indiana Statehouse and throughout Marion County to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Friday.
Visitations for the 49-year-old will be held on Thursday (4 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and Friday (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.) at Grace Apostolic Church on 649 E 22nd Street. There will be a service on Friday immediately following. The visitations and service will be open to the public.
There will be a procession immediately following the service. limited to designated IFD members, fire apparatus and family. It will follow the following route:
- Leave Grace Apostolic Church at 649 E. 22nd St.
- North on College to IFD Station 31
- Continue North to College to 42nd St.
- West on 42nd St. to Central Ave.
- South on Central Ave to E 22nd St.
- West on E 22nd St. to Stuart Mortuary at 2201 N Illinois
Brooks will be buried at Springs Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati on Saturday. The Indiana State Police have graciously volunteered to escort Gerald’s body from the funeral home to the Ohio State line where it will be picked up by the Ohio State Police and Cincinnati Police.
IFD says the Cincinnati Fire Department, the Cincinnati Firefighters Local Union and Cincinnati BFA have accepted the task of ensuring that Private Brooks burial ceremony provides him the appropriate firefighter line of duty burial honors.
Brooks was appointed to IFD on March 20, 2000 and was a veteran, serving in the US Air Force before becoming a firefighter.
He was active with the Indianapolis Black Firefighters Association serving on the Executive Board, and as a former Vice President and Secretary.
Brooks is survived by a son who is a senior at North Central High School.
Officials confirmed Brooks is the first IFD firefighter to die from COVID.
