TIVERTON — At least 15,000 people, including firefighters from as far away as California and England, are expected to attend the funeral tomorrow for Firefighter Gerald R. Leduc, who died from apparent cardiac arrest Sunday while diving in Stafford Pond in search of a missing boater.

Fire Chief Robert Lloyd last night briefed the Town Council on logistics for what promises to be the largest funeral the town has ever seen.

He told reporters that the plans “have given us a purpose and direction to get through this difficult time. It’s surreal.”

The entire department, now 31 firefighters, was called together Sunday night to hear the news before it became public, Lloyd said.

When news of Leduc’s death was posted Tuesday on a nationwide firefighters’ forum, Lloyd said, “I broke down. I cried.”

But from that point, he said, firefighters from all over the nation, Canada, and even England began making travel plans, Lloyd said.

Firefighters near and far are drawn to pageantry that will show their “respect, dignity, honor, and unification” to “bring home” Leduc and support his family, Lloyd said.

Leduc, who lived on Stafford Pond and knew the area extremely well, was on his day off when he responded to a page of a man overboard.

Leduc, a “great and wonderful guy” with a very dry sense of humor, rejoiced in helping others, Lloyd said. He gave the ultimate sacrifice, the chief said.

The wake will be held today from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Auclair Funeral Home, 690 South Main St., Fall River.

Tomorrow, Leduc’s casket will be borne on one of two fire trucks in a procession that will begin at 8 a.m. from the funeral home.

The cortege, including pipes and drum corps representing various firefighting companies, will travel more than a mile to St. Theresa Church, 265 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, for a 10 a.m. Mass.

Shuttle buses will take mourners from designated parking at the New Harbour Mall on Canning Boulevard in Fall River to the church, and back again, Lloyd said.

At the church, an outdoor sound system will be set up to accommodate mourners, Lloyd said.

Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery in Fall River.

Portsmouth’s police chief, Jeffrey Lynch, a Tiverton resident, is coordinating volunteers from out-of-town fire departments who will cover Tiverton’s three fire stations so that all members of the department can attend Leduc’s funeral.

Out-of-town police departments, including the Rhode Island State Police, and officers from Fall River, Bristol, and Providence, are expected to assist Tiverton in traffic control.

Stafford Road will be closed to traffic tomorrow morning from Canning Boulevard in Fall River to Eagleville Road, according to police Chief Thomas Blakey.

Eagleville Road will be open only to local traffic, but police and fire officials ask that motorists approach that road only from the eastern end.

gmacris@projo.com