Pocono News Section

High School Pays Tribute to Fallen Firefighter

High School Pays Tribute to Fallen Firefighter - Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 5:31PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Thursday, May 29, 2008 @ 05:31pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- A Lackawanna County high school pays a lasting tribute to a former graduate who died fighting a fire this year. A plaque was unveiled in the West Scranton High School Alumni room.

It's a tribute to fallen Scranton Fire Captain James Robeson. The 50-year-old firefighter was a 1975 graduate of West Scranton.

The idea for the plaque came from a senior at the high school. Robeson's fellow firefighters and family looked on at the ceremony and were deeply moved. Captain Robeson’s mother Alice said, "We're very grateful, very, very grateful. We just don't know how to say thank you. We're saying thank you every day. We just don't feel like we're doing enough."

Robeson's ladder truck hasn't been used by the fire department since he was electrocuted fighting a fire in January.

A scholarship was also started in Robeson's name at West Scranton. Fittingly, the first winner is the son of a Scranton firefighter.