KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department is mourning the death of one its captains who was known to others as "a true leader and mentor."
Capt. John "JP" Parison III died Nov. 17 after a short battle with cancer, the department said.
"Captain Parison was a true leader and mentor who understood you cannot control what happens; you can only control your reaction," KCFD Interim Chief Ross Grundyson said on a post on Facebook. "He believed in personal accountability and being a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. Captain Parison considered it his mission and responsibility to pass on his knowledge and wisdom to every firefighter he encountered."
Parison III's son, John Parison IV, also works as a firefighter and EMT for KCFD.
A pension board and officials from the city of KCMO reviewed Parison's death and have classified it as line-of-duty death.
"Captain John Parison (JP), you will be missed. Thank you for your service," Grundyson said in a statement.
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