Upon hearing the news Tuesday night that Army Sergeant Kevin Kimmerly of North Creek was killed in Baghdad, the local volunteer fire department immediately showed its support by dedicating a sign and lowering their flag to half staff.

North Creek Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Studnicky said, "We want to show our community we're behind them, and we feel very remorseful for what's occurred. We've lost a community member."

Studnicky said honoring Kimmerly is the least he and others could do, since most people from the area consider him to be a hero -- both for serving his country and this small town.

Studnicky said, "He's definitely a hero to the area. He's spent his whole life here, he loved his country, and he died for what he believed in."

According to the Pentagon, Kimmerly was killed Monday when a rocket propelled grenade hit his vehicle while he was on patrol in Baghdad. Kimmerly is the first North Country soldier to be killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Johnsburg town supervisor William Thomas said, "It's a tragedy for us, and we haven't had this happen in our community in a long time. It's so hard to believe and to cope with."

Kimmerly was a student at the nearby Johnsburg Central School. He was remembered as a well-liked kid and a very talented athlete.

Studnicky said, "He was great at sports. He was really great at basketball and soccer, and he was always good as personality went."

A kid the Johnsburg supervisor said should be remembered, not just now, but permanently.

Thomas said, "I'm sure that we will have a memorial in the future, not just for the incident, but to support everyone involved in this conflict."

Kimmerly's family, including his mother, traveled to an army base in Germany, where after a memorial service his body is expected to return home to be buried in Johnsburg.