HENDERON, Nev. (KTNV) — The Henderson Fire Department honored the life of Fire Engineer Clete Najeeb Dadian with a line-of-duty death memorial ceremony and motorcade on Thursday afternoon.
HFD announced Dadian's death by suicide on Dec. 12 and held a memorial ceremony at his home. On Thursday, a motorcade escorted Dadian's remains from the Henderson Fire Training Center to Central Church in Henderson, where a celebration of life service would commence at 1 p.m. The service will be open to the public.
The motorcade procession will include family members and representatives from Southern Nevada public safety agencies.
59-year-old Dadian began his career with the Henderson Fire Department as a firefighter on Jan. 3, 2000, and was promoted to engineer on April 7, 2008.
“Clete excelled at every aspect of being a firefighter and gave his whole heart to the job,” said Fire Chief Shawn White. “He was a warm and generous person who lit up every room he entered. Our hearts go out to the Dadian family and we urge anyone who is contemplating taking their own life to reach out to family, friends and community resources for help.”
Dadian’s death is a reminder of the chronic workplace stress that first responders face from repeated exposure to traumatic events, making them more vulnerable to suicidal thoughts. In the United States, more first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty each year and they are five times more likely than civilians to suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Henderson Fire Department and Dadian family ask the community to reach out and offer support to anyone who is feeling anxious, depressed, hopeless or needs to talk.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential support for people in distress at 988 or 988lifeline.org.
