Sea of firefighters salute SFFD battalion chief who died after call

Firefighters salute as Terry Smerdel’s casket is carried into St. Ignatius Parish for his funeral. Firefighters salute as Terry Smerdel’s casket is carried into St. Ignatius Parish for his funeral. Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 10 Caption Close Sea of firefighters salute SFFD battalion chief who died after call 1 / 10 Back to Gallery

Battalion Chief Terry Smerdel spent more than a quarter century with the San Francisco Fire Department — longer than some of the firefighters who saluted him at his funeral Tuesday have been alive.

The 59-year-old Smerdel, who collapsed and died in his office Sept. 10 after returning from a fire call, was remembered Tuesday by scores of first responders throughout the Bay Area during a service at St. Ignatius Parish on the University of San Francisco campus.

At least 52 fire trucks and engines lined Parker Avenue from Turk Street to Fulton Street, shutting down the area as more than a thousand firefighters in formal dress uniforms gathered at the Richmond neighborhood church.

Outside, Lt. Jonathan Baxter remembered Smerdel, a member of the Fire Department for 26 years, as a firefighter’s firefighter, someone who was always willing to lend a helping hand to his colleagues.

“He’s one of those individuals that served as a mentor to myself as well as many firefighters at the San Francisco Fire Department,” Baxter said. “Just loved his community. He’s going to be sorely missed by the Fire Department and the community at large.”

The day he died, Smerdel was detailed to Battalion 1 to fill in at the busier jurisdiction. He had even offered to cook for the firefighters at Station 2 that day, Baxter said.

“That’s just the type of person Chief Smerdel was,” he said.

When Smerdel came back from a fire alarm call that day, he went into his office. After about an hour, a firefighter walked in to check on him and found he needed medical attention. Paramedics called to the scene were unable to revive him. He died from an undisclosed medical cause, Baxter said.

“Terry was a valued member of our department and loved by all,” Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said in a statement after his death. “He was a devoted family man: great husband, father, grandfather and brother.”

Firefighters from at least 27 agencies gathered for the funeral, each of their badges bearing a black sash signaling a fallen first responder. Members of the San Francisco Fire Commission were in attendance, along with Hayes-White. Mayor Ed Lee could not attend due to a prearranged trip to Ireland for a conference on city development.

The funeral began with a procession down Fulton Street led by two San Francisco Police Department motorcycles and Fire Engine 15, followed by a hearse containing Smerdel’s coffin. Smerdel had been promoted to battalion chief last year and headed Battalion 9, overseeing Stations 15, 19, 33, 39 and 43.

Mourners in black descended from the procession and were embraced by Hayes-White outside the church steps. At 9:59 a.m, bells began to toll outside the Jesuit parish.

Firefighters stood at attention along the columns of the Baroque-style church as pallbearers carried the casket wrapped in an American flag up the steps and a bagpiper played in the distance.

After the service, Smerdel’s casket was placed atop Engine 17, and driven to Holy Cross Cemetery for a private interment. Smerdel had spent years as captain for Station 17 before his recent promotion.

Throughout the service, a contingent of SFPD officers were on hand, forming a motorcade lining Fulton Street. The death of Smerdel was felt across all agencies, Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman, said outside of the parish.

“We are present to support them in their time of need,” he said. “Whenever a first responder passes away, we all lose a family member.”

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno