St. Lucie County honors firefighter-paramedic Austin Hodge after line-of-duty death

St. Lucie County firefighters and community members gathered to honor firefighter-paramedic Austin Hodge, escorting him through the community he served after the fire district said he died Saturday and is being honored with a line-of-duty death designation.

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Hodge served the St. Lucie County Fire District for more than nine years. According to the district, he was found unresponsive in his bunk at the firehouse during shift change.

Firefighters escorted Hodge from the medical examiner's office to the funeral home as colleagues and community members paid their respects along his final journey through Fort Pierce.

'A bright light'

Dr. Aleta Paschal, who worked alongside Hodge outside the fire district, described him as someone whose personality made an impression on those around him.

"Austin is just a bright light," Paschal said. "He always made me smile. He had the biggest bear hugs. Everybody loved him."

Paschal said Hodge had a way of making the people around him feel welcomed.

"Anybody he interacted with, he made you feel like family for sure," she said.

His service extended beyond the firehouse

Hodge's work caring for people extended beyond his role as a firefighter-paramedic.

Paschal said Hodge also worked as a respiratory therapist, where the two cared for critically ill patients together.

"Everybody loved him," Paschal said. "He was a critical part of our team. He's going to be very missed at the hospital."

Within the St. Lucie County Fire District, Hodge also served on the Honor Guard and the district's Firefighter Challenge Team.

Those roles added to a legacy of service that spanned more than nine years with the district.

Community says goodbye

As Hodge's colleagues escorted him through Fort Pierce, Paschal said she hopes people remember the qualities that made him special to those who knew him.

"Remember his smile. Remember his presence," Paschal said. "Just remember his strength and who he was."

The procession offered firefighters, colleagues and members of the community a chance to pay tribute to someone who spent years helping others, both at the fire district and in health care.

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