"My brother was a dedicated firefighter, who not only fought a fire, but was also there to provide comfort and care for those who survived," said Kate Ford Elliott, president judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Thomas F. Ford, of Morningside, who also taught paramedic classes at the Community College of Allegheny County, died of cancer on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at UPMC St. Margaret hospital near Aspinwall. He was 56.

"Since it became known that Tom had been ill, I've been receiving calls and notes from survivors of fires that Tom had fought, telling me how he would take the time after a fire to comfort them and let them grieve," said his sister.

"Tom understood that the emergency medical training that he was teaching to the students at the Fire Academy would at times be a life saver when they were responding to a life-threatening emergency."

James Petruzzi, captain of firehouse No. 8 in East Liberty, recalled the numerous times that he and Mr. Ford worked together on the hose line.

"Tom was an extraordinary firefighter. You felt comfortable when you knew that Tom was by your side. He understood that firefighting was our job and that everything had to be done just right."

Robert Cox, chief of training at the Fire Training Academy, recalled how pleased he was when Mr. Ford joined his faculty as an instructor.

"Tom's experience as a firefighter added credence to his classes," Cox said. "Although Tom could be cantankerous at times, he was well respected by his students and his fellow instructors. His words held a lot of weight."

Born and raised in Morningside, Tom Ford was one of seven children in the family of Dr. John M. and Loretto O'Toole Ford.

His father, a dentist, had his office in Lawrenceville. After his death, Mr. Ford's mother was a freelance food writer whose work appeared in various publications.

Elliott recalled that her brother was a lot of fun to be around, and often got himself into mischief as an altar boy at Sacred Heart Church in Shadyside.

"There were seven of us," said Elliott. "We were all redheads and were known as the redheads who lived in the corner house."

It was her brother's tour of duty as a Navy corpsman that stirred his interest in becoming a paramedic.

"Tom joined the Navy in 1968, following graduation from Central Catholic High School (Oakland). He spent four years stationed at the Bethesda Naval Hospital," his sister said.

Mr. Ford's daughters, Rebecca, Molly and Colleen, said their father provided them with understanding and wisdom and instilled in them the value of reaching out to those in need.

"Dad was both a father and a teacher who trusted us and allowed us to make our own decisions as we were growing up," said Rebecca Ford.

Mr. Ford is survived by his daughters, Rebecca, of Morningside, Molly, of San Diego, and Colleen, of New York City; a brother, Michael, of Mt. Lebanon; and his sisters, Elizabeth Ford, of New York City, Mary Campbell, of Naples, Fla., Loretto Crane, of Boston, Mass., Kate Ford Elliott, of Highland Park, and Rita Chmill, of Aspinwall.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at McCabe Brothers Funeral Home, 6214 Walnut St., Shadyside.

A prayer service will be conducted at 9 a.m. Monday in the funeral home, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10 in Sacred Heart Church.