TONAWANDA, N.Y. — On Saturday, firefighters from across Western New York and beyond gathered to pay their respects to a fallen brother.
Randy Rider, a two-term fire chief at Sheridan Park and an Erie County certified fire instructor, passed away suddenly Tuesday night, leaving behind a wife, children, and a legacy of training Western New York firefighters.
"He led by example, walked the walk, talked the talk, and man oh man, could he put out a fire, said Tom Partridge, NYS fire instructor.
Rider is a fourth-generation firefighter, and his passing stunned the Sheridan Park Volunteer Fire Company where both his father and brother are still active members.
A public funeral service was held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Hoover Middle School, featuring hundreds of firefighters from dozens of fire departments.