SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — It’s been three months since a firefighter in Paw Paw was killed in the line of duty. The South Haven Area Emergency Services honored him and his family on Sunday.

SHAES hosted a Memorial Day weekend pancake breakfast inside the station. It began at 7:30 a.m. and ended just before noon. It’s a decades-long tradition that benefits various needs of the department.

“Last couple of years we’ve been able to have enough in proceeds to buy new advanced support mannequins both adult and pediatric to further our education, SHAES Chief Brandon Hinz said. “It keeps our skills sharp.”

Sunday’s event had a much special meaning as half of the proceeds were donated to fallen firefighter Lt. Ethan Quillen’s family. 

He was killed when a power line fell on him during a winter storm in February.

“They’re on the other side of the county but they are still our brothers. We just want to support them and we’ve tried to do all we can and just want to let them know that we are here for them and to help the family out a little bit,” Hinz said.

The menu included pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage links and a drink. It cost $10 for adults, $5 for children between the ages of 4 to 14 and free for kids under 4. The public was welcome to eat at the station or drive-thru and pick up a plate.

Hinz said they sold about 500 plates each year.

“Every year it’s more evident how much backing we have from our community, from our taxpayers and from our visitors,” he said.

This year, SHAES will use the other half of the proceeds to further training education.