As many across Butler County waved flags at parades, saluted veterans at ceremonies and gathered with friends and family for picnics and other celebrations, first responders were busy.

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, a married couple died after an altercation led to shots being fired by both at a park and ride on Perry Highway in Muddy Creek Township, police said.

First responders were dispatched at 5:26 p.m. and arrived at 5:30 p.m. They were not able to save either Jenna Christine Smith, 28, and Jacob Christian Smith, 31, of Pulaski Township, Lawrence County. A homicide investigation is underway. Police later assured the incident was an isolated one, and there is no public safety concern.

Later Monday, a Gibsonia woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Oneida Valley Road in Concord Township, state police said. Kathie A. Stewart, 75, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Earlier on Monday, fire crews from 11 departments spent hours fighting a large brush fire near Byers Road in Clay Township on Monday, May 29. From 12:30 p.m. to around 4:30 p.m. crews fought the fire, said Justin O’Hara, chief of West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department. They were then called back to the scene after 6 p.m. when the fire reignited.

In each of these instances, first responders could have been spending time with their families and friends, but instead, they chose to protect our community and respond to these tragedies, which would certainly take a toll on them.

Not too long ago, first responders were called out on another holiday for a major tragedy. On Christmas morning, Dec. 25, 2022, first responders answered the call in mass to fight a fire at Thompson’s Country Market in West Sunbury.

That morning emergency responders from 33 fire departments spent six hours fighting the fire. The market ultimately burned to the ground, but Reid Campbell, chief of West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department, said it was a “successful operation” considering the only structure severely damaged by the fire was the market itself.

Fires, crashes, tragedies and other such things do not follow a calendar.

We appreciate emergency responders’ efforts over the past weekend and every day.

— TL