He was a father, husband and a respected firefighter. Nathan Flynn died in the line of duty Monday morning battling a seven-alarm fire in Clarksville.
Flynn was a 13-year-veteran with the Howard County Fire Department, but he called Havre de Grace home.
Flynn is the first Howard County Fire Department career firefighter to die in the line of duty.
He was also part of the Harford County Technical Rescue team and a volunteer firefighter with the Susquehanna Hose Company.
"Nate dedicated himself to the fire service. If there was an opportunity to train he was there training, super skilled guy, great all around guy," said First Lieutenant Billy Lamana.
"He really went above and beyond to be trained properly whether attending a local class or going somewhere on a national level he was always trying to better himself."
Lamana like so many other first responders will try o be there for each other and honor the man Flynn was.
"It's definitely a brotherhood. As soon as you walk in the door, you're welcomed no matter where something like this were to occur, it effects us all."
Captain Chad Myers also worked with Flynn at Susquehanna Hose Company. "It definitely hurts. Havre de Grace in its self is a close knit, small town where everybody knows everybody and when you're in the fire service and you're in that brother hood, it makes it that much harder."
Above the area where he put his boots and jacket is now black bunting and flowers.
"He came to the division and he was somebody that I could tell was passionate about the fire service," Myers told WMAR 2 News.
Flags will fly at half staff in Havre de Grace where Flynn lived with his wife and children. The streets will be lit up in red lights to honor his memory and service.
"Whether it's here at Susquehanna Hose Company where we volunteer or his career station down in Howard County between us or on the other side of the country, somebody in California it effects all of us," Myers said.
What he left behind for those who knew him best is invaluable.
"Seeing how he cared for his family, I just looked up to him in that way of being a father figure, being there for his family and then being a fireman just following his lead even though I was in a leadership role, I still looked up to him as a brother," said Lamana.
Flynn was the first career firefighter in Howard County to die in the line of duty.
Two members of the Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department were killed in 1953. And three members of the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Department were killed after a fire engine accident in 1969.
