Yearly ceremony to be held Saturday at The International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial.  The memorial located in Memorial Park in Colorado Springs contains names of firefighters killed in the line of duty.  This year 137 names will be added.  The ceremony starts at 1:00pm Saturday with bagpipes and a procession of fire vehicles and motorcycles from far and wide culminating in the dedication of the new names added to the wall.  Family members as well as their fellow firefighters will be in attendance.  If you see one of these brave firefighters, please take a moment and thank them for their service;  don’t forget to thank the families as well.  Remember, they gave up their most precious loved one so others could live.
The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Foundation was founded in

1976 to recognize and honor  professional fire fighters who are killed in the line of duty and to provide funds and assistance to the surviving spouses and children of those members. In 1986, the IAFF and the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Foundation completed a permanent tribute to its members, the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The centerpiece of the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is a bronze likeness of a fire fighter descending a ladder while cradling an infant in one arm. Towering 20 feet above the ground, “Somewhere, Everyday” epitomizes the courage and bravery displayed daily by professional fire fighters across the continent. In 1989, the IAFF erected the first of two granite walls to bear the names of fallen IAFF members. The names of those killed in the line of duty have been etched here since. Although thousands have died throughout history, the names on this wall date back only through 1976, when the U.S. federal government first began tracking line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.

Additional upgrades over the final years of the 20th century transformed this tribute into a memorial of international stature. Paving stone,  lighting, flag standards and walkways now beautify this hallowed place, creating an atmosphere of dignity and reverence for all who visit. As the original wall was filled to near capacity with names of fallen heroes, a second wall was erected just a few steps from the original wall of honor. In a ceremony fraught with irony, this new memorial wall was dedicated on September 15, 2001, four days after terrorist attacks claimed 347 New York City firefighters. The Memorial Foundation has plans to add to the memorial sites all the names of professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel who have died since the founding of the IAFF in 1918, this should be done in time for the 2009 ceremony.  So, if you have nothing else to do on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon, come to Memorial Park and show these brave men and women how much they mean to us by honoring them with your presence.

The ceremony will start at 1:00 pm on Saturday September 20, 1008.  The International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located at the corner of Hancock and Pikes Peak.  I hope to see you there.