Arlington firefighter to receive state honors 75 years after line-of-duty death

By Kaylee Gonzalez

News Reporter

AUSTIN— An Arlington firefighter who died after responding to a residential fire in 1951 will finally receive state recognition more than 75 years later.

Champ Barnes responded to a fire on March 31, 1951, at a remodeled duplex where a ceiling collapsed and struck him in the head. Despite the injury, Barnes initially said he felt fine and returned to the fire station to rest. According to archived Arlington newspaper reports, his condition later worsened, and he died despite medical efforts.

Barnes was one of the oldest members of the Arlington Fire Department at the time and had been elected president in 1948. Although he died after responding to a fire, his name was never added to the Texas Volunteer Firefighter Memorial in Austin.

For decades, his service went unrecognized at the state level until family members noticed his name was missing from the memorial. To qualify for inclusion, documentation was required to confirm his death occurred in the line of duty. After locating the necessary records, Barnes will be added to the memorial in 2027.

Kim Hilsenbeck, marketing and outreach director for the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, emphasized the importance of honoring firefighters who died in service, regardless of when their deaths occurred.

“I think what we are doing is honoring someone who gave his life in service to his community,” Hilsenbeck said. “It doesn’t matter if it happened a week ago or 75 years ago. It’s our privilege and our honor to make sure these individuals are recognized for what they gave.”

“We want to thank the family for bringing it to our attention so that we could correct the absence of his name on the memorial,” she added.

The State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas supports fire departments across the state by providing training, certifications and advocacy for fire service professionals.

An official with the Arlington Fire Department said the department held a memorial at Heroes Park to honor Barnes. One of his granddaughters attended the 75th anniversary event and said several members of the family have since become firefighters.

Barnes’ addition to the memorial will formally recognize his service and sacrifice more than seven decades later, ensuring his legacy is preserved.