CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (June 18, 2026) – Charlotte County Fire & EMS solemnly announces the line-of-duty death of Firefighter/Paramedic Jan A. "Jay" Sanders Jr., who passed away on June 18, 2026 following a courageous battle with occupational cancer.
Jay dedicated more than 35 years of service to the citizens and visitors of Charlotte County. He began his fire service career with Harbor Heights Fire Department as a firefighter/EMT before joining Charlotte County Fire & EMS through consolidation. Jay was so young when he started he was not yet old enough to drive the apparatus he responded to calls on.
Over the next three and a half decades, Jay promoted to a firefighter/paramedic and precepted countless paramedics entering the profession. He was also among the original members selected for the department's Hazardous Materials Team, helped establish the Charlotte County Fire & EMS Honor Guard, and answered the call to assist communities beyond Florida through wildland fire deployments in the western United States. His dedication to the profession was recognized through numerous achievements and awards, including being named Firemedic of the Year and received multiple Phoenix Awards for his lifesaving efforts.
To those who knew him, Jay's larger-than-life personality, infectious laugh, unmistakable voice, and commitment to others made him a beloved member of the department and a friend to many. Whether it was a practical joke around the station, sharing stories from decades on the job, or offering guidance to a new firefighter or paramedic, Jay had a way of making people feel welcome and valued.
"Jay and I spent many years working side-by-side at Station 12, and I can honestly say there will never be another Jay Sanders," said Fire Chief and Public Safety Director Matthew McElroy. "Most people knew him for his pranks and his personality and the stories that seemed to follow him wherever he went. But those who knew him best knew that behind all of those stories, pranks and jokes, was a man with an even bigger heart. He was the person you could count on when the job was difficult and when someone needed help.”
"For more than three decades, Jay served this community with honor, compassion, and commitment to others. He helped build this department, mentored generations of firefighters and paramedics, and left a mark on all of us who had the privilege to know him. I lost a friend, a brother, this department lost one of its own, and our community lost a remarkable public servant. His legacy will live on in every person he taught, every life he touched, and every story that will continue to be told about him for years to come."
Jay is survived by his wife, Cheryl Sanders; his son, Josh Sanders, who proudly serves with Charlotte County Fire & EMS; his daughters, Lauren and Victoria Sanders; his grandchildren; his mother Linda Sanders and a family who supported him throughout his career and courageous battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his son, Ryan Sanders, and his father.
Charlotte County Fire & EMS extends its deepest condolences to Jay's family, friends, and loved ones. They remain a part of the Charlotte County Fire & EMS family, and the department stands committed to honoring Jay's legacy and supporting those he loved.
Information regarding memorial services and honors will be released as soon as arrangements are finalized.
For more than 35 years, Jay answered the call whenever his community needed him. His impact cannot be measured by the number of calls he ran or years he served, but by the countless lives he touched along the way.
In the days ahead, Charlotte County Fire & EMS will honor Jay with his Last Alarm, a fire service tradition recognizing a firefighter's final call. While the radio may sound one final time, Jay's service to this department and community will never truly end. His lessons, stories, laughter, and legacy will continue to live on in the generations of firefighters and paramedics he helped shape.
As Chief McElroy said, "Rest easy, Jay. We've got it from here."
For information, contact Ashley Turner at Ashley.Turner@CharlotteCountyFL.gov.
###