The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department honored their fallen comrades in a special ceremony Friday.

Families and friends were also on hand to celebrate the lives of those lost in the line of duty.

The names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice were read aloud.

IMAGES: Fallen firefighters honored with memorial service

The annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service honored comrades who sacrificed their lives for the Jacksonville community dating back to 1885.

Edgar Cowart's family brought his great grandchildren to the ceremony to honor not only his legacy, but those who continue to serve in his name.

Cowart served the Fire Department for 32 years as an engineer before his death in 1986.

"He was on a call. They were under the Hart Bridge and it was late, and they hit a barge and hit the bridge," said Jody Cowart, Edgar's daughter.

For her, the event is part of sharing an important legacy of duty and dedication. With Edgar Cowart's son, daughter and granddaughters in tow, all were able to pay tribute to his storied career.

"I know he was a good man," said Crystal Wadley, Cowart's granddaughter. "I would visit him at his station and he would show me around."

For Fire Chief Marty Senterfitt, the ceremony speaks to the soul behind this noble profession and gives the next generation a necessary reality check.

"They forget that it can happen to them. They're invincible," he said. "So what this ceremony does is that it reminds my young firefighters that they too can become a tragedy. They too can become a sacrifice on that wall."

There are 22 names on the memorial wall. The most recent firefighter to die in the line of duty was Neal Tarkington in 2008.