Every year, during the first weekend in October, fallen firefighters are honored in a memorial service during National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service weekend. In 1990 the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial was officially designated in Emmitsburg, Maryland. On October 16, 2001, President George W. Bush signed legislation asking that the American flag be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings to honor fallen firefighters.
Valley Regional Fire Authority Firefighter Dave Lewis will be among the 103 fallen firefighters honored this Sunday. Dave served the Auburn community for nearly 28 years before retiring in 2010. He passed away in December 2019 after a long battle with occupational cancer.
Dave was honored in February by his family, loved ones, and fellow firefighters at a celebration of life, where his strength, work ethic, and compassion were fondly remembered. You can read Dave’s National Fallen Firefight Foundation’s memorial here.
America’s Tribute to Fallen Firefighters will live stream the 2020 rollcall of the 103 Firefighters lost in 2019 on Sunday, October 4 at 7:00 am. (Facebook Event) 82 firefighters perished in 2019, 21 were lost in years prior. All will forever be remembered.
All United States flags should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset in observance of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.