A community in mourning this weekend after an Ulster County fire chief and former Chamber of Commerce chairman lost his life in the line of duty.
The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office says Cottekill Fire Department Chief David Gagnon responded to a downed tree in the road in the Town of Rosendale on Friday afternoon. While he and crews were working to remove it, a piece of the tree snapped and struck Gagnon.
Despite life-saving measures, Gagnon later died.
He was a veteran, former chairman of the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce and an influential member of the community.
“He was omnipresent,” Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce President Ward Todd said of Gagnon. “He was everywhere. He came to all of our chamber events all the time. He was out in the community doing good things for others. He was just an extraordinary human being.”