Colorado Springs, CO – The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) honored 106 fallen firefighters from the United States and Canada on Saturday, September 18, as hundreds of firefighters and family members gathered in Colorado Springs for the union’s 18th annual IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Ceremony.
“This annual ceremony is a fitting and respectful tribute to the fire fighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Harold Schaitberger, General President of the 267,000 member IAFF. “It is a time for us to honor the families of these members and to recognize the tremendous loss they have suffered and the sacrifices they have made.”
The ceremony was held at IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Memorial Park, located at the corner of Pikes Peak and Hancock Avenues in Colorado Springs. The ceremony featured fire fighter pipes and drums, honor guards, music, and celebratory comments, and is designed to be an uplifting event. This year’s ceremony honored firefighters killed or reported as deaths in the line of duty between June 2003 and June 2004.
The mission of the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, which is located in the shadow of Pike’s Peak, is to honor the sacrifice made by professional fire fighters and paramedics who have given their lives so others might live. Since its creation in 1976, the names of the 1,689 fallen fire fighters have been engraved into the Wall of Honor as part of the memorial.
