LANSING, Mich. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags to be lowered to half-staff on Saturday, March 21, 2020, to honor the life and service of Forsyth Township Fire Fighter Benjamen Lauren, who was killed in the line of duty.
As an up-and-coming leader in his community, the death of Fire Fighter Ben Lauren is a tragic loss for our state,Whitmer said. The flags will be lowered to honor Ben and serve as a reminder of his selfless sacrifice. My thoughts will be with his family as they lay him to rest.
Ben is a resident of Gwinn, Michigan. He graduated from Gwinn High School in 2014 before attending Northern Michigan University, where he earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology degree in 2018. He was a member of the Forsyth Township Fire Department, and received the Forsyth Township Fireman of the Year award in 2018. Ben also worked as a maintenance planner at Verso Paper in Escanaba, Michigan.
Ben was serving his community during a structure fire call when he was fatally injured on Friday, March 13, 2020. A private service will be held at the Canale-Gwinn Funeral Home.
The State of Michigan recognizes the duty, honor and selfless service of Fire Fighter Ben Lauren by lowering flags to half-staff. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff.
To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.
Flags should be returned tofull-staffon Sunday, March 22, 2020.
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