By Laura French
EMMITSBURG, Md. — The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) has announced that the 40th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held in person this year on Oct. 2-3.
The memorial weekend will honor firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2019 and 2020 following the postponement of last year’s in-person ceremony due to COVID-19, according to the NFFF. The NFFF will also broadcast a second virtual National Tribute to Fallen Firefighters on Oct. 3.
“Last year, and the beginning of 2021, has been an extraordinary time in our nation and worldwide with the global pandemic,” the NFFF said in a statement. “With the ever-changing restrictions, the NFFF has been monitoring regularly on whether we would be able to hold a Memorial Service to ensure that the nation’s fallen firefighters from 2019 and 2020 would not be forgotten.”
Families of fallen firefighters will be invited to attend the memorial service in person at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Md. The National Tribute to Fallen Firefighters will be made available to watch online. Last year’s tribute honored 103 firefighters who died in 2019 and in previous years.