BY DENISE HOLLINSHED
ST. LOUIS • A West County firefighter, who had been honored for heroism, died after losing control of his motorcycle and crashing into a median on South Broadway early Saturday.
Kevin Bacon, 39, of Waterloo, was killed in the accident. Bacon was a 15year firefighter who came to West County Fire & EMS from the St. Louis Fire Department, said West County Battalion Chief Robert Kartje.
“The whole organization is feeling his loss,” Kartje said softly. “He was one of the best firefighters we had.”
Police said Bacon was traveling at a high rate of speed when the motorcycle crashed in the 3200 block of South Broadway at 3:30 a.m.
The motorcycle struck a median at Broadway and Utah Street. Bacon was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was single and had no children. Bacon was featured in a Post-Dispatch story last year in a special section on local heroes. In 2012, he saved the life of a driver who was trapped underneath an SUV.
Bacon, who was 6- foot- 3 and weighed 230 pounds, was able to lift the 3,000-pound vehicle off the driver, Norman Scherrer of Valley Park. Bacon was awarded the Class II Silver Medallion from the Greater St. Louis Fire Chiefs Association for his effort. It’s the group’s second-highest award.
In the article last year, Bacon said knowing that Scherrer was walking, talking and back with his children was better than the award.
“That’s what this job’s all about,” he said. “It’s why we come to work.
