Final Salute Given to Pa. Paramedic

March 07--Fire companies and ambulance services from at least a dozen other counties brought representatives and vehicles to join Cambria County responders honoring one of their own.

West Hills Regional and Johnstown fire department ladder trucks formed a flag-draped arch across Benshoff Hill Road to honor Janice Livingston as her funeral procession passed beneath.

The 38-year-old mother of two was killed Monday while attending to injured victims at a traffic crash on Menoher Boulevard.

Shawnee Valley, St. Mary's, Monroeville, Pleasant Gap and Millheim were among names on the trucks passing beneath the arch outside Middle Taylor Township Volunteer Fire Company.

"It really shows the emergency services community," Lt. Rickey Price of West Hills Regional said after the procession filed through.

"Something like this, everybody sticks together. Everybody comes out."

Price said he knew Janice Livingston very well. Although she was on duty with West End Ambulance Service when she was struck by a dump truck, Price said, Livingston had worked part-time with West Hills' Hilltop Ambulance Service.

A Hilltop ambulance also was on the scene of the horrific series of crashes on the icy highway in Upper Yoder Township on Monday. After the truck plowed through the disabled vehicles, striking Livingston, other crews who witnessed the tragedy were sent home for the day, Price said.

"I found out about it from a phone call to come in," Price said. "I was called to relieve them. We put different crews in their place to get them out of that environment and send the home to be with their families."

Price was among an honor guard of firefighters who stood in ranks saluting the procession as it passed the Middle Taylor station en route to Benshoff Hill Cemetery for Livingston's brief graveside ceremony.

Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57.

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