Missouri firefighter laid to rest, flags flown half-staff in Johnson County

KNOB NOSTER, Mo. (KCTV) - Fallen firefighter and Captain Vernon Collett was laid to rest on March 14.

To honor Captain Collett, Gov. Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags fly at half-staff at all government buildings in Johnson County on Friday, March 14. Flags are also lowered at the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri.

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Captain Collett was with the Johnson County, Missouri Fire Department for 29 years and became a captain in 2011.

On the morning of March 14, family, friends and fellow firefighters gathered in the Heartland Church in Knob Noster. Captain Collett died on the scene of a brush fire on March 8.

Emergency crews tried to save Captain Collett, but attempts were unsuccessful.

Today at his service, Collett was praised and ed for his almost three decades of service to Station 6.

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“You know what? Vernon enjoyed everything he did in life, you know it’s my belief it’s good to enjoy what you do in life,” a speaker at the service said. “Firefighters told me Vernon would get to work at 6 o’clock every morning, now that’s dedication.”

The Fire Chief said this was the first line-of-duty death in the department’s history.

Collett was 60 years old and is survived by his father and two nephews.

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