Thousands of firefighters across the country are expected in Lexington on Wednesday to bid farewell to one of their own.

Lt. Brenda Cowan, 40, was shot Friday while responding to a domestic-violence call. She was Lexington's first black female firefighter and the third firefighter to die in the line of duty.

She will have a traditional firefighter's funeral, including a 21-gun salute, bagpipes and taps.

"If you've never been a part of this, it's kind of overwhelming," said Mark Blankenship, president of Lexington's chapter of the International Association of Firefighters.

"I'd be surprised if there's not at least 2,000 firefighters there," he said.

Blankenship said he has been contacted by firefighters from as far away as California. At least six firefighters from New York will attend the services, he said.

Firefighters from several cities, including Milwaukee, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville, and all the counties around Lexington, are expected to attend.

The visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. until the service Wednesday at Consolidated Baptist Church at 1625 Russell Cave Road.

After the service, Cowan's body will be carried on a vintage fire truck to Rupp Arena. The route will run from Russell Cave Road to New Circle Road to North Broadway, then to East Third Street, passing the main fire station. It will then turn at Elm Tree Lane and head down East Main Street. When the vehicles arrive at Rupp, Cowan's body will be transferred to a hearse and taken to Sturgis in Union County, where she will be buried Thursday.

Blankenship said Lexington firefighters will stand along the route to pay their respects. They will be near their trucks, lights flashing, in case they also have to respond to a call.

Firefighters are asking that residents wear or display red ribbons on Wednesday to show support for the fire department and the Cowan family.

At least 20 fire departments -- and 20 fire trucks -- in Jefferson County plan to attend the funeral, Worth-ington Fire Chief Gary Yurt said.

About 75 to 100 Jefferson County firefighters will be on hand at 9:30 a.m. to take part in the fire department honors funeral.

Yurt, who helped organize Jefferson County's involvement, said firefighters there typically attend services in and out of state for fallen comrades. But the death of Cowan, a 12-year veteran of the Lexington fire department, "touches us a little more."

"We do EMS also," Yurt said. "These kinds of things really hit home."