ATLANTA - Funeral arrangements for Roger Armstrong, an Atlanta volunteer firefighter who died early Saturday morning, will include an honor guard and other honors provided fallen firefighters.

Effingham Fire Chief John Holomy will meet today with Atlanta Fire Chief Rick Cheek to assist in preparing the service for Armstrong, 42, who died Saturday at BroMenn Regional Medical Center after complaining of not feeling well while fighting a structure fire at 408 S. Isham in Waynesville.

"I'm just a guide, because they haven't had to deal with this before," Holomy said.

A flag will be flown in Armstrong's honor at the U.S. Fire Academy in Baltimore, Md., the designated site for the national memorial for firefighters, Holomy said.

Armstrong's name also will be inscribed in a wall of honor there that includes the name of every firefighter killed in the line of duty in the United States.

Fellow firefighter Michael Schmidt remembered Armstrong as a guy who never expected anything but a thank you and a pat on the back for his efforts.

"When you get a call and get in that truck, you look to see who else is in that truck with you," said Schmidt, 28, a volunteer firefighter for eight years.

"Roger and I would see each other, and we knew we were going to be all right. We always had each other's back."

Schmidt, who grew up in Atlanta, was with Armstrong at the fire scene, spraying water on the burning roof.

"We shared a hose line. I was minding the hose and Roger controlled the nozzle. Then, his air starting running out, so he passed the nozzle to Darren (Schempp) and went down the ladder."

When Schmidt got down from the roof, Armstrong already was being taken to BroMenn, where he was pronounced dead at 1:35 a.m. Saturday.

Armstrong's obituary appears on Page D4.