Currently viewing the tag: "National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF)"

Anita DiGregory

“Anyone who knows a firefighter understands that few of us in the fire service are comfortable with that word, hero. But whether we like it or not, firefighters are viewed as heroes by the public. I think that is because firefighters embody a unique blend of courage and compassion. When firefighters are called, it is often because someone else is having the worst day imaginable. Firefighters arrive ready to take control of the situation and provide service and comfort to complete strangers, expecting nothing in return.”

Chief Dennis Compton, Immediate Past Chairman, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

On October 3-6, 2019, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held its 38th Annual Memorial Weekend to honor the nation’s firefighters who died in the line of duty. The national tribute, which included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, family activities, a vigil, and a candlelight service, culminated with the public Memorial Service on Sunday at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg. 

During the memorial weekend, the U.S. Fire Service honored the lives of 92 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2018 and 27 firefighters who died in the line of duty in previous years. Honoring 119 from 38 states and 1 territory, Sunday’s Memorial Service was estimated to draw nearly 5,000 people, including family members, fellow firefighters, friends, officials, and the public who gathered to honor the life, service, and ultimate sacrifice of these heroes. Other honorable guests presented included Kevin K. McAleenan, Acting Secretary, Department of Homeland Security; Peter T. Gaynor, Acting Administrator, FEMA; Chief G. Keith Bryant, U.S. Fire Administrator; the Honorable Don Briggs, Mayor of Emmitsburg; and Chief Dennis Compton, Immediate Past Chairman, NFFF.  Congressman Steny Hoyer, NFFF Chairman Troy Markel, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan, FEMA Acting Administrator Peter Gaynor, and the U.S. Fire Administrator Chief Keith Bryant placed the Presidential Wreath at the Memorial at the ceremony on Sunday.

McAleenan addressed the crowd of families, friends, and fellow firefighters, stating, “There’s no more honorable vocation in life than to serve to protect your neighbor, to step forward into harm’s way so that others may live. But that selfless service often comes at a great price, and we mourn those fallen firefighters, our heroes, who have given their all to protect their fellow Americans.”

Gaynor added, “It is our sacred duty that we honor our nation’s frontline first responders and their families for the sacrifices and their full measure of devotion. Seeing so many firefighters gather here for a powerful memorial, I am reminded how these very same firefighters assist our communities, states, and FEMA in responding to the nation’s worst disasters…It is therefore right and fitting to come together as a nation this weekend, embrace the families of these fallen firefighters, and remember those who paid the ultimate price in service to their communities. So, on this most significant day of remembrance for these firefighters and the families they leave behind, I join together with you to honor their dedication and sacrifice to community. I urge you to continue to wish all firefighters a safe return to their firehouses and their families at the end of each day.”

The tribute included several time-honored traditions important to firefighters and their families. For the eighth year, the memorial weekend incorporated Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters. Numerous fire departments and places of worship across the nation joined the NFFF in this ceremony, ringing their bells in honor of those firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. 

Additionally, Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters was also incorporated into the memorial weekend, as landmarks and fire service organizations nationwide were illuminated in red light in honor of all these brave men and women. 

The public ceremony also included a traditional honor guard and bagpiper procession. The Pipes and Drums consisted of firefighters from across the country. 

During Sunday’s ceremony, the names of the 92 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2018 and the 27 firefighters who died in the line of duty in previous years were read. The fallen firefighters’ families were presented with an American flag. These 119 flags previously flew over the U.S. Capitol and the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial before being meticulously folded and presented to the families. 

A highlight of the weekend included the unveiling of the memorial plaques listing the names of the 2018 fallen heroes and those who died in previous years. McAleenan stated, “It is here that the names of more than 4,000 fallen firefighters are memorialized, etched into our nation’s history, and the lessons learned here from those sacrifices serve as the basis for the training to prevent another tragedy from happening.”

During Sunday’s ceremony, McAleenan shared a message from President Donald Trump. In his statement, the president shared, “I send my sincerest greetings to those gathered at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Across the United States, firefighters put their lives at risk each day to serve their fellow Americans. Melania and I join you in honoring these courageous men and women who face daily uncertainty and peril…My administration proudly stands by our nation’s firefighters, and we thank them for all they do to shelter our citizens from harm. May God bless them, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.”

Speaking on the significance of the weekend and the importance of the nation’s firefighters, McAleenan stated, “Our firefighters are critical to our homeland security, standing between us and danger, taking action when many others are frozen in fear.”

The Memorial Weekend concluded with the singing of “The Fallen and the Brave” by award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Carroll.

The Annual National Firefighters Memorial Weekend is intended to pay tribute to those lost in the line of duty, while also helping survivors in healing. Serving as the official national tribute to America’s fallen firefighters, this ceremony has become extremely important to families and their communities in acknowledging and honoring the lives of these heroes. 

Troy Markel, chairman of the NFFF Board of Directors added, “As we gather together to honor and to pay tribute to our fallen firefighters’ selfless devotion to service, Memorial Weekend is a time for us as a nation and a fire service to pause and reflect on their sacrifice and to honor and grieve for the loss their families, friends, and fellow firefighters continue to endure.”

The NFFF was established by Congress in 1992. It remains the only national organization designated to honor all fallen firefighters and to offer support to their families. In his message, President Trump stated, “I commend the NFFF for its efforts to ensure that the loved ones of our fallen heroes receive the support they deserve. Today’s ceremony is a fitting tribute to the brave first responders who laid down their lives in the line of duty, fulfilling their oath to place service to others above self. Their heroic legacy will forever be preserved in the hearts of the communities they helped safeguard.”

The NFFF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies on funding through private donations from caring individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations.

If you’d like to donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, you can do so online or by mail. To find out how, visit www.firehero.org.

Candles are lit in remembrance of firefighters who died in the line of duty.

Anita DiGregory

“I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a firefighter. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the firefighter has to do believe that his is a noble calling. There is an adage which says that, ‘Nothing can be destroyed except by fire.’ We strive to preserve from destruction the wealth of the world which is the product of the industry of men, necessary for the comfort of both the rich and the poor. We are defenders from fires of the art which has beautified the world, the product of the genius of men and the means of refinement of mankind. But, above all; our proudest endeavor is to save lives of men—the work of God Himself. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even at the supreme sacrifice. Such considerations may not strike the average mind, but they are sufficient to fill to the limit our ambition in life and to make us serve the general purpose of human society.”

— Chief Edward F. Croker FDNY circa 1910

Photo Courtesy of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

The Memorial Service at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg on Sunday, October 9, 2016

On October 7-9, 2016, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held its 35th Annual Memorial Weekend to honor all firefighters who died in the line of duty. The national tribute, which included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, family activities, a vigil, and a candlelight service, culminated with the public Memorial Service on Sunday at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg.

During the memorial weekend, the U.S. Fire Service honored the lives of seventy-nine firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2015, and thirty-three firefighters who died in previous years. According to the NFFF, the number of firefighters honored this year was higher than in recent years; however, the number of line-of-duty deaths that occurred in 2015 was actually lower. As a result of the new ruling that Public Safety Officer Benefits recognize deaths caused by illnesses from 9/11 as line-of-duty, those who suffered these deaths were also honored. “The Federal Government conducted a thorough review to ensure that deaths related to 9/11 illnesses can now be recognized as line-of-duty deaths, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is very pleased with this decision,” said Chief Dennis Compton, chairman of the NFFF Board of Directors. Due to this, the names of twenty-four FDNY members who died before 2015 and two who died in 2015 from 9/11-related illnesses were added to the memorial.

Sunday’s Memorial Service was attended by approximately 5,000 people, including family members, co-workers, friends, and the public, who gathered to honor the life, service, and ultimate sacrifice of these heroes. Other honorable guests included Chief Ernest Mitchell, U.S. Fire Administrator; the Honorable W. Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator; the Honorable Don Briggs, Mayor of Emmitsburg; and the Honorable Jan H. Gardner, County Executive, Frederick County.

The tribute included several time-honored traditions important to firefighters and their families. For the sixth year, the memorial incorporated Bells Across America. Numerous fire departments and places of worship across the nation joined the NFFF in this ceremony, ringing their bells in honor of those firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The public ceremony also included a traditional honor guard and bagpiper procession. Each family of the fallen was presented with an American flag. These 112 flags, which flew over the U.S. Capitol, were presented to the NFFF by the Congressional Fire Service Caucus, which included Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., Chairman (D-NJ) and Congressman Steny Hoyer, Co-Chair (D-MD). The service concluded with the unveiling of the memorial plaques, listing the names of the 2015 fallen heroes and those who died in previous years.

The Annual National Firefighters Memorial Weekend is intended to help pay tribute to those lost in the line of duty, while also helping survivors in healing. Serving as the official national tribute to America’s fallen firefighters, this ceremony has become extremely important to families and their communities in acknowledging and honoring the lives of these heroes.

“Firefighters possess an extraordinary blend of courage and compassion, which allows them to willingly face tremendous risks to help those in need,” said Chief Compton. “Each fall, we gather to reflect on the sacrifices of those who died in the line of duty and to let their families, friends, and co-workers know they will never be forgotten.”

Nicholas DiGregory

Luminarias Photo-1Bells have long been a cherished part of the firefighting tradition. Long before the invention of the radio or even the telephone, bell systems were used to signal firefighters throughout the day. The bell of the firehouse was rung to signify the beginning of a new shift, or to call members of a particular fire department to their station. When a fire occurred, the bells of the fire alarm telegraph system would be rung a specific number of times to indicate the precise location of the fire. These telegraph system bells were also used to call for backup if a particular fire department needed support in putting out a fire.

While the tolling of bells has been a part of firefighters’ lives for hundreds of years, there is one specific ring that no firefighter has ever wanted to hear. Three sets of five tolls, each set apart from the others by a short pause, has been the universal signal that a firefighter has fallen in the line of duty.

The somber fifteen tolls of the bell sounded in Emmitsburg once again during the 34th National Firefighters Foundation Memorial Weekend. During the weekend of October 3-4, 2015, hundreds of family members, friends, and fellow firefighters came to Emmitsburg to honor eighty-seven heroes who had died in the line of duty—eighty-four of whom had lost their lives in 2014.

The weekend was comprised of two major events: a candlelight service on October 3, and the official National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on October 4. Both events were set to take place at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park on the grounds of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg; however, inclement weather forced both events to be moved indoors.

The candlelight service on October 3 was held inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The evening service, which was closed to the public, provided a comforting and serene atmosphere for families and friends to mourn their loved ones. Throughout the service, musical pieces were performed, tributes were read, and prayers were offered in honor of the fallen firefighters. All the while, the names and faces of the eighty-seven fallen heroes were displayed on a projector for all to see.

The centerpieces of the candlelight service were eighty-seven luminarias that were placed along the altar rails. Prior to the event, families and friends created and decorated a small luminaria for each of the eighty-seven fallen firefighters. Many of the luminarias were decorated with stickers and drawings, and each featured a portrait of a fallen firefighter. These luminarias remained lit throughout the candlelight service, casting a warm light upon all who were gathered.

An eighty-eighth luminaria stood above the others in front of the altar, to honor the sacrifices of all fallen firefighters. Tamie Rehak Vjotesak of Virginia, whose husband died in the line of duty in 2002, lit the honorary luminaria midway through the event.

“It is a traditional Hispanic custom to display luminarias on the eve of an important event,” said Rehak Vjotesak. “On the eve of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, we display these lighted tributes in honor of the eighty-seven heroes that we honor and remember.”

The light of the honorary luminaria was then ceremoniously passed to all gathered at the event. Gail Fowler of New York, whose husband died in the line of duty in 1997, carried the light in the form of a small electric candle. She touched the light of her candle to others, who turned on their electric candles and passed on the light in a similar manner.

The candlelight service concluded with the performance of a new song, written this year and performed by singer/songwriter David Carroll. Entitled “The Fallen and the Brave,” the song drew on Carroll’s experience as a volunteer firefighter.

Several times throughout the service, members of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) thanked the Daughters of Charity and the Rev. Frank Sacks for providing a location to hold the candlelight service.

“On behalf of the foundation, I would like to thank the Daughters of Charity and recognize Father Frank,” said Chief Dennis Compton, chairman of the board for the NFFF. “They offered their assistance immediately and in a genuine display of compassion . . . we could not ask for a better neighbor.”

For the memorial service on October 4, all proceedings were moved from the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to Mount St. Mary’s Knott Arena in the PNC Sports Complex. The service, which began at 10:00 a.m., was open to the public.

The memorial service began with a tolling of bells and a procession of flags led by the honor guard and the pipes and drums. The American flag and the NFFF flag were processed in first, followed by the flags of the fire departments that lost firefighters. At the end of the procession, active duty firefighters carried a folded flag for each of the eighty-seven fallen firefighters.

Following the flag procession, the national anthem, and the pledge of allegiance, all of those gathered were greeted by Mayor Don Briggs of Emmitsburg and Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner. Both officials thanked the families present for the sacrifices of their loved ones, lauding the heroes for their bravery in the face of danger.

Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland then addressed the crowd, offering his condolences to the grieving and highly praising the fallen for their courage and willingness to sacrifice themselves.

“Here in Emmitsburg we inscribe the names of loved ones and heroes—it is a place we can come to remember those who have fallen in the service of their communities, of their neighbors, and of our country,” said Hoyer. “It is a place where all of us can find solace and fill those empty spaces in our hearts through the power of love and remembrance.”

Following Congressman Hoyer’s remarks, live broadcast feed of Memorial Park was projected, showing the placement of the presidential wreath at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

Immediately following, Chief Ernest Mitchell of the United States Fire Administration and FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate also addressed the crowd. Both men strongly praised all firefighters for their service to the country.

“If you really look into the heart of a firefighter, the question is not about them—it’s about who they serve,” said Fugate. “They never think about if they’ll go home. They always think about who they’re helping, who they’re serving, oftentimes at great sacrifice.”

As Fugate concluded his remarks, he introduced President Obama. In speaking to the audience about the firefighting profession, the president drew on Christian scripture and lauded firefighters for being their brother’s keeper.

“Every single day, across our country, men and women leave their homes and their families so that they might save the lives of people they’ve never met,” Obama said. “They are good stewards, serving their neighborhoods, their communities, our nation, with courage and fortitude and strength. We can never repay them fully for their sacrifices.”

Obama also offered his condolences and those of all Americans to the families and friends of the fallen firefighters.

“Words alone cannot ease the pain of your loss,” Obama said to the grieving who were gathered. “But perhaps it helps a little bit to know that the American people stand with you in honoring your loved ones. We admire them, we cherish the work that they do, and we hold you in our hearts today and always.”

After Obama concluded his speech to a standing ovation, he officially unveiled the 2014 memorial plaque, to be mounted on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. Obama then personally met with each of the families of the fallen firefighters. After each family met with the president, they were presented with a folded flag, a personalized fire badge, and a single red rose. Each of the flags had been previously flown over the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the Capitol dome.

Once all of the families had met with the president, the bells were tolled the traditional fifteen times to signal a final farewell to the fallen heroes. The Rev. Thomas Mulcrone of the Chicago fire department offered a final prayer, commending the fallen heroes and their families to the care of God.

While the 2015 National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend has passed, the NFFF is still offering ways to honor the fallen heroes. Names and biographical information for all of the eighty-seven fallen firefighters can be found online at firehero.org. Donations to the Foundation in their honor can also be made at the same website.

Photos by Bill Green, Courtesy of NFFF

Obama Photo-1

President Obama unveiled the 2014 plaque to be placed on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, featuring the names of eighty-four firefighters who passed away in 2014, and three who passed away in earlier years.