Late Allentown fire chief’s name added to national firefighter Wall of Honor

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown's former assistant fire chief who dedicated his life — and body — to making the job safer for his colleagues now is memorialized at the firefighter's Wall of Honor in Colorado.

Christopher Kiskeravage died in June 2023 at 56 after a long bout with cancer. He helped launch the Allentown Fire Academy and led it for many years, turning it into a facility known for the intensity and detail of its training.

The academy now bears Kiskeravage's name, and a stretch of Lehigh Street outside the academy was also renamed in his honor.

of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 2 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 3 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 4 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 5 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageThe family of Chris Kiskeravage during services. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 6 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageAndrea Kiskeravage greets mourners. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 7 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 8 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 9 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 10 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageAllentown Fire Chief Efrain Agosto, Jr. at the service. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 11 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageEMTs from Shenandoah, Pa., Chris Kiskeravage's home town, attend Wednesday. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 12 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 13 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 14 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 15 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageJeanie Kiskeravage, mother of Chris, greets mourners. A mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 16 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 17 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 18 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 19 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageAndrea Kiskeravage at the Mass of Christian Burial at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher/Donna Fisher Photography, LLC 20 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 21 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 22 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 23 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 24 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 25 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 26 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 27 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 28 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 29 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher/Donna Fisher Photography, LLC 30 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 31 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 32 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 33 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 34 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 35 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 36 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageMourners walk to the Main Gate after services. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 37 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 38 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 39 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 40 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher 41 of 41 — Mass of Christian Burial for Christopher KiskeravageA Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Cathedral of S. Catharine of Siena for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.Donna S. Fisher

The International Association of Fire Fighters on Saturday added Kiskeravage's name to its Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, with members of his family and the Allentown Firefighters Local 302 watching on, according to the union.

The national memorial includes the names of more than 300 firefighters, including many who died from illnesses and cancers linked to their job, like Kiskeravage.

The names etched on the memorial's walls "tell a bigger story: one of a century of sacrifice and a fire service that has given so much to keep families, businesses and communities safe," the IAFF said in a news release.

"All the people that make up our academy were taught by Chris, shown by Chris and inspired by Chris," Williams said. "We would not have the fire academy we have today without him." Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams

Kiskeravage served in the Allentown Fire Department from 1996 to 2019 before his death from occupational cancer last June. His service included 15 years as assistant chief of training.

He was "instrumental" in the development of the Allentown Fire Academy and did whatever it took to "train the next batch of recruits," Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams told council in May.

"He fought hard for equipment and resources to fulfill his mission. He was dealt repeated setbacks," Williams said. "Yet he persevered. He never faltered."

The new Allentown Fire Academy is "much more than a building," he said.

"It is made up of people, instructors, firefighters and paramedics, all working and training together to be better public servants," Williams said.

"All the people that make up our academy were taught by Chris, shown by Chris and inspired by Chris," Williams said.

"We would not have the fire academy we have today without him."