Remembering Ventnor Firefighter Who Died in the Line of Duty

Every Memorial Day the Ventnor City Fire Department hosts the Kenny Wayland Memorial Run.

Here is how Ventnor City Firefighter Kenny Wayland died in the line of duty in 1972.

A Fire at a Ventnor Boardwalk High-Rise

On December 15th, 1972, a fire was reported at the 5000 Boardwalk beachfront apartment building, and Platoon 1, under the command of Captain Colt Collins, responded to the fire.

Firefighter Kenny Wayland and other platoon members went to the fourth floor and entered the apartment where the fire was blazing.

Wayland was searching for an occupant of the apartment when he became separated from the other members of his team, according to a history of the Ventnor City Fire Department.

Firefighter Wayland Was Trapped in the Burning Apartment

Wayland found himself trapped in the apartment's bedroom as flames began to close in.

Desperate, he went out the fourth-floor apartment window and tried to hang on to the window sill.

Firefighter Wayland could not hold on.

He jumped from the side of the building and suffered severe injuries. Wayland was transported to the Atlantic City Hospital where he was placed on a respirator. He never regained consciousness and died five days later.

Kenny Wayland,35, was survived by his wife and son.

The Ventnor City Fire Station 2 in Ventnor Heights is dedicated to his memory.

The Kenny Wayland Memorial Run

Every Memorial Day, the Ventnor City Fire Department hosts a 5K, 10K run, and a 1-mile walk through Downbeach in Kenny's honor.

Over the years, the Ventnor City Firefighters FMBA Local 38 has given over $95,000 in scholarships to more than 90 Ventnor City students in memory of Firefighter Wayland.

The 24th annual Kenny Wayland Memorial Run is Sunday, May 26th at 9 am. The run begins in front of St.James Church on Atlantic and Newport avenues in Ventnor..