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How to ‘Light the Night’ for firefighters who died in the line of duty

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to participate in the annual event held by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

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Be sure to watch the NFFF Memorial Weekend by viewing the livestream footage.

By Shelbie Watts, FR1 Editorial Assistant

Each year, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation honors those who died in the line of duty.

In 2017, the foundation created Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters in honor of their 25th anniversary. Cities around the country honored the fallen by turning national landmarks into red, glowing reminders of their sacrifice.

The tribute honoring 103 fallen heroes will occur this year from Oct. 1-7, and fire departments across the U.S. are invited and encouraged to participate. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do so.

1. Plan and practice

Fire departments across the U.S. are invited to participate in Light the Night on any night between Oct. 1 and Oct. 7 by illuminating their departments in red light. Your first step is to set a game plan.

First, establish a date and time for your tribute, and test out your lighting before the big night.

Your department might already have red lighting installed in the bays, but if it doesn’t, a red spotlight is another option to consider.

2. Become an official participant

The NFFF will showcase your participation on their website and pin your location on their official Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters map. All you have to do is click here to sign up and share your event with the organization.

3. Promote yourself

Once your date is determined for your Light the Night tribute, make sure to let everyone know! Utilize social media, community newsletters and press releases to spread awareness about the event.

When sharing your story on social media, use the hashtag #nffflightthenight2018 to not only promote your photos and see other departments’ tributes, but to also allow NFFF to collect photos and stories for future participants to glean ideas from.

If social media isn’t your thing, photos can also be emailed to the organization.

Watch the NFFF’s live stream

A live feed of the NFFF’s Candlelight Service and the National Memorial Service will be streamed online. Click here to check it out.

Here are a few highlights from last year’s event.

https://twitter.com/PhillyFireDept/status/917168711429222400 https://twitter.com/renegadesistah/status/916534458446213120 https://twitter.com/EGH_Program/status/916804023042355200 https://twitter.com/KnoxvilleFire/status/917188496523190272 https://twitter.com/EGH_Program/status/916483323379163136

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